2002 Bérèche Cru Sélectionné
Vallée Terroir d'Aÿ
Few growers in Champagne command as much respect as Raphaël Bérèche. And few have been as quick to earn that respect.
Raphaël Bérèche joined his family's domaine about a decade ago and swiftly established himself as one of the region's most talented young growers
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This is a bottle that nearly every member of the staff asked me about within a couple days of buying it. The 2002 vintage, Bérèche, Aÿ... It's easy to understand the interest.
Aÿ is indisputably one of the great Grand Cru villages of Champagne. This is Pinot country and the wines of Aÿ boast plenty of red fruited muscle, but above all Aÿ stands out for its class and breeding.
The 2002 vintage is acknowledged by most to be one of the best in the past 20 years, characterized by exquisitely ripe grapes of great concentration, bolstered by plenty of lively elegance. In short, 2002 combines power and complexity with clarity and finesse - something that only the best vintages can achieve.
Bérèche's signature is delivering deeply vinous Champagnes with a pitch-perfect clarity. He extends this aesthetic to the Cru Sélectionné collection, a series of négociant wines that focuses on some of Champagne's best terroirs. Think of places like Mesnil, Cramant and Avize. The 2002 Vallée is one of six wines in the series. There were only 6,000 bottles total across the six wines in the initial release.
The 2002 Vallée was raised in old foudres and is composed of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. It shows plenty of power and beautiful harmony. There are ample amounts of red fruits and floral notes with loads of minerality underneath. This is a bottle that leaves a really strong impression as much for its balance and nuance as for its sheer power.
This is an offer that will disappear quickly, especially since the quantities available are pretty modest. Please give us your ideal order and we'll do our best.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits
Peter Liem: "This is 60 percent pinot noir and 40 percent chardonnay, vinified in old oak foudres. It’s big, bold and warm, feeling slightly rustic in its body and ripeness, and it appears slightly older than the vintage would indicate, showing golden, burnished notes of dried apricot, roasted peach, quince paste and dried cherry. There’s a dense, waxy concentration on the palate that gives an impression of sweetness, and despite its large girth, it handles its components well, feeling harmonious and well-integrated."