Ayala

Blanc de Blancs A/19 | Bottle 75cl - Box

Description

The Blanc de Blancs A/19 cuvée from Ayala is a vintage champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay, crafted from the 2019 harvest. This is a champagne with notes of Williams pear, pink grapefruit and jasmine, with a crisp freshness and a distinct minerality. On the palate, the texture is silky on the attack, before stretching into a chalky, taut finish. Crafted with great care by a prestigious Champagne house with a remarkable history, this limited-release vintage comes presented in a bespoke gift box, making it an ideal present.

Description & production

The Terroir

The grapes come from six carefully selected Champagne villages. Four of them are located on the Côte des Blancs, all classified Grand Cru. Chouilly contributes a fleshy character; Cramant, its natural precision; Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, a sharply defined acid structure; Oger, a distinctive local mineral signature. The chalky subsoil of these villages absorbs winter rainfall and releases it during summer droughts, ensuring a steady water supply to the vines.

Two further crus complete the blend: Cuis, a Premier Cru, brings textural depth, while Vaudemange, on the Montagne de Reims, adds an extra dimension of body. Ayala holds the Haute Valeur Environnementale certification as well as the Viticulture Durable en Champagne label. The family of Edmond de Ayala founded this house.

Winemaking

Cellar master Julian Gout oversees this cuvée, conducting a parcel-by-parcel vinification for each cru. The musts ferment in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Full malolactic fermentation (the conversion of sharp malic acid into softer lactic acid) is the historic hallmark of the Ayala style. The absence of oak barrels preserves the pure expression of the fruit.

This Blanc de blancs is a still wine bottled without the addition of reserve wines — capturing the singularity of a single harvest. Ageing on lees lasts 48 months, developing autolytic aromas of toasted bread and brioche. After disgorgement, the dosage liqueur is set at 5 g/L, classifying this cuvée as Extra-Brut. The bottle comes presented in a protective cardboard gift box. Ayala belongs to the Bollinger group, whose roots are firmly planted in the village of Aÿ.

The 2019 vintage

The profile of this cuvée is directly shaped by the 2019 growing cycle. A mild winter was followed by a dry spring punctuated by a few stormy episodes. The summer saw three heatwave peaks, with temperatures exceeding 35°C in the vineyards, while August nights remained cool. This thermal range triggered rapid berry ripening while preserving the natural acidity.

Harvest began in the first week of September. The Chardonnay bunches were in impeccable condition: daytime heat promoted sugar accumulation, while cool nights slowed the breakdown of malic acid. The result is a wine with a firm acid backbone, true to the character of this harvest.

Tasting notes

• Appearance

  The colour reveals a pale gold hue shot through with silvery highlights. The effervescence rises in steady streams of fine bubbles, animating the glass with effortless elegance.

• Nose

  The nose opens with aromas of Williams pear, followed by wafts of pink grapefruit. With aeration, spring jasmine emerges, complemented by a delicate honeyed touch.

• Palate

  The attack coats the palate with a silky texture. The mid-palate unfolds notes of blood orange alongside evocations of toasted bread from the 48 months on lees. The finish lingers on a chalky framework.

Food pairing suggestions

Canapés & aperitif bites

• Chaource cheese gougères
• Cancale oysters
• Smoked salmon blinis

Main courses

• Shellfish carpaccio
• Lemon sea bass tartare
• Oven-roasted turbot

Cheese & Desserts

• Aged Brillat-Savarin
• Mild lemon tartlet
• Grapefruit sorbet

The Plus de Bulles expert's opinion

Practical advice

How to store this champagne?

Plus de Bulles ships this bottle (75cl) in reinforced packaging specially designed for champagne transport. Once received, we recommend storing the bottle on its side, away from light — ideally in a cellar, or at least in a cool, not too dry location with a relatively stable temperature.

Ageing potential

The acid balance of the Blanc de Blancs A/19 cuvée allows for long-term cellaring. The wine can evolve over two full decades.

• Up to 2029: the effervescence maintains a tactile presence alongside aromas of jasmine and fresh citrus.
• From 2030: the profile evolves towards indulgent notes of toasted brioche and honey.
• Around 2039: the cuvée takes on a distinctive patina of beeswax and gentle spice.

Serving suggestions

The recommended serving temperature is 10°C. A tulip-shaped glass is ideal: its tapered opening concentrates the aromatic compounds towards the nose.

A note about this cuvée

The limited-edition A series captures the expression of a single harvest, without seeking the annual repeatability of other ranges. Ayala renews its selection with each edition, breaking away from the perpetual blends that define cuvées such as the celebrated Rosé Majeur from Ayala.

The protective gift box underscores the exclusive positioning of this vintage bottle. The commitment to a crisp acidity targets the discerning taster — those seeking a mineral freshness distinct from a great Chardonnay-rich brut champagne. The pared-back approach faithfully expresses the vintage without attempting to mask its true identity.