New York Store
Champagne Reflet d’Antan (In Magnum 1.5 Litre) Bérêche et Fils 2017 NY
Tasting Notes: Reflet d'Antan is aged for several years in neutral barrels. When the wine is bottled, only one third of each barrel is removed, which is immediately replaced with new wine. Like ... the solera system used for making sherry, the barrels are never emptied. This complex aging method gives Reflet d'Antan its deep golden color, its apple, pear, grilled almond nose, and an intriguing hint of cool stone from an ancient cathedral. The wine receives its second fermentation in bottle under cork - a hugely labor-intensive practice, which produces discreet, elegant bubbles. In the mouth the wine is rich and structured, with the flavors of ripe baked apples and stone echoing the nose. Read More
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The original Bérêche estate is centered around 2.5 hectares of vines established by Leon and Albert Bérêche in 1847. Successive generations expanded the property, and today there are a total of 9.5 ha in and around the communes of Craon de Ludes, Ormes, Trépail, and Mailly, all in the Montagne de Reims, as well as the area around Mareuil-le-Port on the left bank of the Marne. The 0.15 ha Mailly parcel, acquired in 2012, is their first Grand Cru vineyard. Since joining their father Jean-Pierre in 2004 and 2008 respectively, Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche have risen to the head of the class of Champagne’s corp of elite grower producers. Most of their wines are sold directly to private customers, who drive from Brussels and Paris and London to pick up their six or twelve bottle allocations at the winery in Craon de Ludes. Almost all the rest goes to Michelin-starred restaurants, like Gérard Boyer’s iconic Les Crayères in Reims, or to specialist retailers like Le Verre Volé and La Cave de Papilles in Paris.
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Le Champagne comes to us out of a rich history of changing fashions in wine, devastating wars, king's coronations, the cork stopper, and verre anglais, the first glass able to sustain the prise de mousse (pressure of carbonic acid generated by the 2nd fermentation in bottle). It should be said that the wines from Champagne were first popularized as pale reds in the 16th century. In the 17th century it is unlikely that the fabled Père Pérignon made much other than still wine in his career as meticulous vineyard master at Hautvillers. The irony of Champagne, the sight of so many of the world's bloodiest battles, is that it provides the wine synonymous with celebration and friendship. Here Roman legionnaire fought Gallic tribesmen; Attila the Hun, after leveling much of the region, was finally stopped by Theodoric, the Visigoth. The town of Épernay was sacked no less than 25 times in the course of ancient history and through WWII. Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger are the most highly regarded vineyard regions within the famed Côte des Blancs and carries Grand Cru status for its Chardonnay vines. Ambonnay, Mailly and Ay to the north, is Grand Cru for Pinot Noir, and other important Premier Cru areas include Craon de Ludes and Rilly-La-Montagne near Reims, and Cuis (also near Épernay).
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There are three primary grapes of the Champagne region; Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier (as well as a number of older plantings still allowed that may include Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier, and Arbanne). Generally a "Champagne Blend" will be limited to the varieties planted in any given producer's vineyards and location. So not all "Champagne Blends" will include all of these grapes.
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Rich terrines, roasted birds (pheasant, turkey, quail, and chicken), foie gras, lobster, and fish with sauces.
