2016 Berry Bros. & Rudd Champagne by Mailly, Grand Cru, Extra Brut

Mailly is one of the great Grand Cru villages in the Montagne De Reims. With a membership of 70 growers, the village's eponymous co-operative is one of the most dynamic in the region. Founded in 1929, Champagne Mailly produces only Grand Cru Champagne from its 70 hectares of vineyards, using just Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. These are harvested from more than 400 parcels, providing harmonious and steadfast blends. With a potential output of 500,000 bottles each year, Mailly exports 50% of its production. One has only to visit its splendid seven-story gravity-fed installation to realise that this is a rather special organisation, the quality of its wines matched only be the peerless efficiency of its management. With a gifted winemaker in Hervé Dantan, Mailly are able to exploit the full potential of these top-graded vines and to produce a rich, Pinot Noir dominated Champagne. The qualitative imperative results in extended lees ageing and then a further period of maturation before shipping. The resulting wine is all that Berry's UKC Brut should be; rich, rounded, with enticing aromatics and real authority on the finish. The Blanc de Noirs is made from 100% Pinot Noir from the best parcels of vines, such as les Crayats, les Coutures, and les Chalois. The dosage is 8g/litre. L'Intemporelle is a deluxe cuvée and a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay with a dosage of 8g/litre.