“Wow factor purity of chardonnay fruit on the nose here, with lemon and grapefruit as well as hints of banana and an attractive, fresh chalky edge. The palate has punchy, flavorsome and succulent citrus and green apple fruits. Extremely crisp. Drink now.”

“The 2010 Ayala Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésime is the new release of this house’s vintage Blanc de Blancs, with all of the grapes hailing from the two Côte de Blancs. The wine spent six years aging sur latte and was finished with a dosage of six grams per liter. The bouquet of the 2010 wafts from the glass in a classy blend of apple, brioche, a hint of almond, lemon zest, chalky soil tones and a topnote of white flowers. On the palate the wine is crisp, fullbodied and still quite youthful, with a good core, refined mousse, bright acids and a long, well balanced and still pretty primary finish. This is going to be a lovely wine, but it really deserves more bottle age to allow it to blossom properly.”

Ayala Le Blanc de Blancs 2012 is one of the finest bottles I have ever tasted from this excellent house. The wine spent five years aging sur latte and was disgorged in March of 2018 (I do not have information on its dosage, but it was judicious). The bouquet is pure and beautifully expressive already, wafting from the glass in a refined mix of delicious apple, pear, fresh almond, chalky minerality, hints of the smokiness to come and a lovely topnote of white lilies. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, focused and complex, with lovely mid-palate depth, refined mousse and excellent length and grip on the poised and vibrant finish. The ripeness of the 2012 vintage dovetails perfectly in this wine with the nonmalo style at Champagne Ayala! 2019-2040+.

John Gilman, View from the Cellar