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News
"Where else but in Champagne can you buy a 12-year-old wine with this freshness of fruit, immediately brisk with scents of lemon and orange, generously layering in flavors of golden plums? At first, all that fruit seems heady, but air brings out the rootier depths, acidity ghosting the finish with the sort of masculine power that will make great 2002s riveting wines for decades. If you open this now, decant it and have a platter of shellfish on hand, especially cracked crab claws."
95 Points Wine & Spirits Magazine
“Clean cut and focused, with a rich and smoky base note of toasted brioche supporting flavors of lemon meringue, kumquat, hazelnut and fleur de sel. Creamy and refined in texture, with a long, mineraltinged finish.”
94 Points Wine Spectator
Wine Description
The Story
The purity of the best Grand Cru vineyards of Champagne
A true work of craftsmanship, Perle d’Ayala Nature is produced in small quantities, only in outstanding vintages and released without any dosage. It is aged in the House’s cellars under cork for at least 8 years in bottle, allowing the development of a complex aromatic range sought-after by connoisseurs. Crafted exclusively from Grand Cru grapes, with a majority of Chardonnay and a touch of Pinot Noir, this cuvée immortalises the House style and truly reflects the quintessential Champagne terroir.
This beautifully refined prestige cuvée is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, all from Grand Cru villages.
Ayala currently owns 35 acres in Champagne. Thanks to its privileged location in the heart of the Grand Crus of Montagne de Reims and their link to Bollinger, they also have unique access to top quality grapes.
Everything from grape reception to vinification, aging, riddling and disgorgement is done at the Ayala cellars. The Cuvée Perle d’Ayala rests in the cellar for 8-9 years after disgorgement under cork (not crown), in order to allow for controlled oxidation and development of complex aromas and flavors. This is a very rare practice in Champagne today.
Vintage 2002
A cold winter and a mild late spring cued for a perfect June allowing early and fast flowering. Outstanding weather conditions prevailed and the season went on without dramatic turns. Rains in August raised concerns regarding gray rot, but finally sunshine and dry conditions throughout September resulted in an abundant crop of largely healthy fruit (11,930 kg/ha). Dehydration due to wind further aided in achieving perfect ripeness and additional concentration. This, and the cool nights, helped in retaining fresh acidity and, despite the ripeness (10.3% potential alcohol), the wines did not suffer from heaviness or a lack of life. A near-perfect vintage, which produced balanced Champagnes consistently around the region. The best show an impeccable combination of freshness, power, structure and finesse. However, some have matured aromatically quicker than expected and are already past their peak. 2002 produced an abundance of spectacular champagnes, such as Dom Pérignon (the entire range), Krug Vintage and Clos du Mesnil, Piper-Heidsieck Rare, Louis Roederer Cristal and Cristal Rosé, Ruinart Dom Ruinart and Dom Ruinart Rosé, Salon Le Mesnil and Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, to name a few.