NV Beaux Regards

The Bereche NV Brut Nature Chardonnay Beaux Regards (disgorged 12/2012) features fruit from vines planted in the eponymous vineyard in Ludes by Raphael Bereche’s great-grandfather in1902! But given the small size of this parcel and its low yields, around one-quarter to one-third of the volume of this bottling originates in Mareuil-le-Port. Overtones of sourdough yeasts and greenhouse-like allusions to floral perfume and greenery share the aromatic stage with intimations of the tart crabapple and lemon that dominate on a firmly textured but insistently juicy palate. A suffusion of chalk; fine-grained effervescence; and pronounced pip-like piquancy combine with extreme dryness for an austere yet vibrantly sustained finish. This ought to be fascinating to follow for a few years. And as Bereche disgorges bottles, year after year (perhaps even more often?!), I predict the list will rapidly grow of those whose “wish list” it adorns. Raphael Bereche began working with his father Jean-Pierre in 2004 – which was also (and probably not coincidentally) the year in which this estate went organic – and has gradually taken the lead. This estate has holdings in the area around their home base of Ludes; in the gravel and sand “Meunier” belt of the Petite Montagne de Reims; and around Mareuil-le-Port on the Left Bank of the Marne. Amazingly, other than the (far from) “basic” Brut and Extra Brut “Reserve” bottlings, all of the wines here are disgorged by hand after aging under cork rather than crown capsule, a luxury (and, true, to some small degree a risk) that applies to few Champagne estates today, and if at all, then usually only for a couple of their most expensive bottlings. This is also, I’m told, one of those precious few wine estates in any given region that perpetuates the work of massale selection from its old vines. Given that the Bereche wines do not “do malo” – though most wines see barrel – and are typically finished with very low dosage, it’s not so surprising that as a group they tend toward tartness and a certain austerity, but for the most part, that is well-buffered and subsumed into a complex whole. Except for their Brut Reserve – and the “Reflets d’Antan,” to which this notion doesn’t apply – all of the non-vintage Bereche wines I tasted on this occasion were from vintage 2009. They were, as a group, sharp as the proverbial tack, so I can imagine that in a year naturally high in acidity – notably malic – they may well draw blood! A Thomas Selection Paris (with various importers); fax 011-33-1-46-45-15-29; also imported by Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608-9644; and Transatlantic Bubbles, LLC, Woodbridge, CT; tel. (203) 464-0051

The NV (2008) Brut Nature Chardonnay Les Beaux Regards impresses for its focus vibrancy and cut. Lemon, pastry and white flowers emerge from the glass as this tightly wound, pure Chardonnay shows off its considerable personality. The 2008 is all about minerality and precision. The Beaux Regards is a blend of 2/3rds Ludes and 1/3rd Mareuil-le-Port fruit. The 2008 is the first vintage aged on cork and was disgorged in November 2011. Today, the 2008 comes across as painfully tight and need of further bottle age. Still, I loved it. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2018. Bereche was a clear standout among my visits earlier this year. The wines are loaded with distinctiveness and character across the board. Raphael Bereche is young, but his sheer enthusiasm and conviction are likely to take him far. The functional cellar reflects a minimalist aesthetic that focuses on non-interventionalist farming and winemaking. Partial vinification in barrel, ambient yeasts and blocked malolactic fermentations are choices that inform these gorgeous wines. Bereche vinifies his vineyards separately, which makes it possible to taste the various parcels from barrel or tank just after the harvest, a la Burgundy. Bereche is one of a small number of producers who prefer to age their top wines on the cork (instead of crown capsule), a time-consuming, painstaking process that is just one example of the total commitment to quality that is the rule here. Bereche believes aging on the cork results in wines that are more complex and integrated. Based on what I tasted, it’s hard to argue that point. Unfortunately, there is no Rose this year, as the estate is changing their approach with that wine. A new release is scheduled for 2013. Still, there are plenty of other gorgeous wines to choose from in this fabulous lineup. Importers: Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608-9644, Valley View Wines, Glen Ellen, CA; tel. (877) 888-5088; A Thomas Calder Selection, imported by: Galaxy Wines, Portland, OR; tel. (503) 248-9493