Ayala Perle d'Ayala Brut 2015 Champagne (75cl, 12%)

Perle d'Ayala is the prestige cuvée of Champagne Ayala, based in Aÿ. This Brut is from the 2015 vintage and is bottled at 12% in a 75cl bottle. It blends 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, all from Grand Cru villages, and is made by the traditional method with riddling on oak pupitres. It spends over eight years on the lees under natural cork rather than crown cap, which allows slow micro-oxygenation during maturation. The nose shows toasted brioche, lemon zest, mint and flinty minerality. The palate is creamy, with lemon curd, tart tatin and salted butter, and grapefruit pith acidity. The finish is long, with toasted bread and mineral tension.