Champagne Ayala Blanc De Blancs 2010

Produced in small quantities and only in exceptional years, the Ayala Blanc de Blancs expresses the unique terroir we know and love from Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs.

All of the Ayala champagnes are chardonnay driven and would make great beach champagnes – read about my visit to Ayala here which includes links to my champagne chat for all their wines.

Ayala Blanc de Blancs 2010 Tasting Notes

You can find the Ayala wines from Champagne Gallery or Emperor with the 2014 Blanc de Blancs retailing for about $130.

Bubble & Flute Review 

In a word… pure 

In a sentence (or two)…This is a really delicate and elegant champagne with a lot of complexity, thanks to its long 6 years on lees. Fresh with floral hints with buttery pastry.

Moment or mood…I opened this bottle on a Sunday afternoon after watching the Aussie Diamonds beat New Zealand in the Constellation Cup (if you are from Canada or North America, this is a netball game – the leading women’s sport in Australia). I felt like I owed the Aussie team a toast so I popped a bottle, but I was never going to finish a bottle on my own in one arvo… instead, I managed to enjoy a few tastings over a week, at different times of the day, and in different places. The wine definitely changed over the week, but it was still easy drinking for each tasting… from a Sunday afternoon toast around the pool to a mid-week after-work glass while I was cooking dinner, and finally alongside an after-lunch cheese platter. 

Where to buy it… all good wine retailers. Expect to pay about $75 a bottle but it is often on sale for $50. 

*Bubble & Flute Champagne Style – Fresh & Crisp

Wine Expert Reviews

Tyson Stelzer… ‘The generosity of four of the more expensive crus of the Côte des Blancs is well focused by the elegance of Ayala in this season of good acid presence. It’s a pretty and elegant style that captures the refined mood of the house in pear, apple, lemon and grapefruit, even a note of succulent depth of mirabelle plums. Beautiful struck-flint and grilled-toast reductive complexity and a hint of vanilla nougat add subtle character to its elegant fruit. Six years on lees has built gentle toasted brioche and roast almond complexity, and a creamy, silky texture. Finely structured, salty chalk minerality and subtle phenolic grip work together harmoniously with low dosage, holding an even finish of focus and poise. A pretty and refined result for 2010..’ 93 Points

James Suckling… “Wow factor purity of chardonnay fruit on the nose here, with lemon and grapefruit as well as hints of banana and an attractive, fresh chalky edge. The palate has punchy, flavorsome and succulent citrus and green apple fruits. Extremely crisp. Drink now..” 93 Points 

Official Tasting Notes from Ayala

Eye…Bright with white gold glints and a very fine bubble.

Nose… Great aromatic freshness, fizzy notes, orange blossom, yuzu zest, white peach and a hint of ginger.

Palate… Fresh and lively start, broad and generous, white fruits, acacia honey, touch of pastry, citrus fruits, silky texture, long and persistent finish, chalky minerality.

Food pairings…The ultimate epicurean aperitif, Le Blanc de Blancs 2014 also pairs marvellously with a lemony sea bream ceviche, a prawn risotto, or a braised veal with rosemary.

The Technical Details

The blend – 100% chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs.

Terroir – CHOUILLY, CRAMANT, LE MESNIL-SUR-OGER, CUIS, GRAUVES

Dosage – 6 g/l

Aged – 6 years on lees 

Fermentation – stainless steel vats, full malolactic fermentation

Total annual production – 3 – 4 million bottles in total from the producer across all cuvées 

Bubble & Flute Champagne Style* – Fresh & Crisp 

 Have you tried the Ayala Blanc de Blancs? Let me know what you think or post a pic and tag @bubbleandflute #bubbleandflute #happychamper #champagnefan