Carrie Bowden

9.3

90% AY Grand Cru PN, 10% Chard Côte des Blancs. Disgorged Sept 2021
Dosage 6 — a year ago

Sudha Bhoopalam

10

Had it at our treehouse trip to Nsuvoo IL. Got 2 bottles. This was the best wine in the tasting and did not disappoint ay ho e — 3 years ago

Willie Carter

9.1

Clear blonde with a multitude of fine bubbles, really attractive and nice perlage. Very pure aromas on the nose with honeyed toast, white grapes, and a little peach. A touch of oak and apricot. There’s a definite sense of rusticity here and it’s quite welcome here. After plenty of time, those fruit notes become more mature with dates and the faintest hint of dried cherries.

An outstanding grower champagne and one that, for me, really epitomizes the genre. A bit stark and austere, which is a good thing. Half Chardonnay, half Pinot Noir with an extra brut dosage of 3 g/l. The terroir truly speaks here hailing from Bisseuil and Mareuil-Sur-Ay. Very nice acidity and quite vinous in nature.

The palate is generous and inviting especially if you give it time. Almonds, lime zest, and plenty of brioche bread. Green apples with an earthy element as the Pinot begins to take over. A truly exciting champagne that will deliver even more if you let it sit for a few more years. But I can’t blame you if you don’t.
— 3 years ago

Matt Trader

9.2

Absolutely wonderful. Hautvillers is the birth place of the monk Dom Pierre Pérignon, who was one of the most influential people involved in the upbringing of Champagne, in the late 1600's up til his death in 1715. It is no surprise that even part of the make up of Dom Pérignon includes high quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Hautvillers, as well as many other grand cru and premiere cru sites such as Ay, Bouzy, and Mailly.

Vintage 2011 - aromatic and citrus nose, with tufts of brioche dough - lively bubbles, pear, quince, vanilla cream puff, and a creamy pallet - spark of acidity mid palate, but not angular, helping give more dimension to the wine. Super enjoyable champagne. — 6 years ago

Matt Trader

9.1

Beautiful Grand Cru Champagne from Lallier. 55% PN from Ay, and 45% Chardonnay from Côte des Blanc, 8g/I dosage. Shows nice balance of acidity and elegant, creamy bubbles. Medium plus toast to the nose, and lemon oil, white pepper, fresh apricot and peach compote, and créme fresh, with a citric crisp finish. This one will see some great aging, but it's pretty darn tasty now. — 7 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.3

70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and all grand Cru (Hautvilliers, Dizy and Mareuil-sur-Ay). Seven years on the lees. Pale gold with a shot of green. Tiny bubbles and huge aroma of brioche, lemon drop and quince all accented with a wirey herbal note. Elegant on the palate and very long in the mouth. The wine seems to tingle with electricity. The French would say it has "nerve." — 8 years ago

Ann Archer

9.1

Seemed less reticent than expected. Packaging gorgeous (solid base etc). Nose needed a lot of attention to understand. Very delicate, but still enjoyable. Dr Pepper (spice & cherry, currant etc) on palate.... 60PN/40CH Ay & Mesnil etc. — 8 years ago

with Ian

Carrie Bowden

9.1

Degorgement Dec. 2020 — 2 years ago

Willie Carter

9.2

A truly beautiful pale copper robe with effusive perlage and effervescence. Smelling this is an experience unto itself. The nose is intense with aromas of brown sugar, honeysuckle, and streaks of honey. Apples sprinkled with cinnamon and delicious baked bread. Cherries and cream with a dollop of mint. It just keeps going. A little aged cheese with dried earth just for good measure.

Named for the year that the Philipponnant family arrived in the village of Ay and still going strong, year in and year out. 70/30 Pinot Noir/Chardonnay, all from Grand Cru plots and first press juice. Aged for 8 years sur lie and disgorged in February of 2020 with an extra brut dosage of 4.5 g/l. Another case of an outstanding 2012 champagne, one that can last for years and years.

Racy acidity that does calm down over time with terrific structure and balance. A really nice level of complexity and drama here. The palate mirrors the nose with apples and honey with fresh cinnamon bread. Really quite vinous in nature, as well. An exciting and contemplative champagne from a prestigious house. I could drink this everyday.
— 2 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

NV / Elegance. Perfect appetizer with Bayonne ham salad / at De Reddende Engel in Antwerpen — 5 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.0

Reductive at first, but it opened up to some nice cherry, liquorice, dark chocolate, sweet spice, and smoky notes. Palate was a touch harsh with the tannins and acid. Some earth and minerality showing too.

Wine totally threw us. As opposed to the notes found, we thought it was rather bunchy and heavier in the new oak use. Unique? Yes, but just not my cup of tea. Definitely an intrigue for them Burg drinkers I reckon.

Notes: GC Pinot Noir from a 70 acre plot in Ay, La Côte aux Enfants (small? Maybe in the champagne sense). Spent 8 months in smaller format 205 litre oak casks, which are 3 to 5 years old. Completely destemmed. Only free run wine. — 7 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.5

Holy smokes, no dosage and terroir!

R. Pouillon "Les Blanchiens" Mareuil-Sur-Ay 2007 "Brut Nature"

The persistence and density is profound while the terroir is perfectly on display. It does not taste like Champagne perse but more like a wine from a specific place with bubbles.

Complex and intertwined palate notes and a superbly fine bubbles create a texture of bead, mousse and that is then awash in pitch perfect acidity.

A good friend once said that while no dosage can seem crazy in some instances, in the right Champagnes it is great and can make so much sense.

This Pouillon is exactly one of those great instances! *Full Disclosure: I am not usually a fan of no dosage, especially in extreme examples - it just goes to show you have to always keep an open mind in wine (and life)! — 7 years ago

Jim Westby

9.5

In Ay they have pinot like the chardonnay in Mesnil. Of course it doesn't taste like chalk, but if you've been to Champagne and seen the chalk, it will forever be associated with the kinds of flavors you find here. — 8 years ago

with Cleora and Gary

John Bratincevic

9.1

In a restaurant, so not a lot of focus. Currants, raspberry, cassis, mint jelly. A little tobacco after a lot of air. Solid. And low@markup ay this restaurant! 91. — 2 years ago

Ron R

9.3

Another pleasant surprise. Nose gives up very little besides oats. Beautiful, clean and precise mid palate, with crisp acidity and superfine bubbles. Finishes with brioche notes and moderate sweetness. Definite buy. Very enjoyable - Nougatine on my own. Sniff… — 3 years ago

Willie Carter

9.2

A pale straw color with a generous amount of tiny bubbles. A fine mousse and bead. This is an incredibly alive champagne and it starts immediately. Meyer lemons and tart green apples, along with smoke and mint on the nose. That wonderful citrus streak continues throughout.

100% Chardonnay primarily from Mareuil-sur-Ay and Chouilly. Family owned grower and one of my favorite producers with such consistent quality. Richer and fuller than many others, it’s round and vibrant. Lovely depth and acidity with a backbone of herbs and spices.

Chalky minerality and crystallized honey shine here. Beautiful toasted bread and almonds on display, along with more green apples and lemons. Apricots, plums, and peaches sing a lovely song. Chamomile and more honey on the long, exceedingly pleasant finish. A highly attractive pour. — 4 years ago

A. R.

9.0

Always a funk-ay wine. On the nose, dried rose petals, blueberries and barnyard. In the mouth, sweet blueberries on entry, dried flowers, resolved tannins and pleasing acidity in the mid palate. Good wine, not for everyone...but I’m a fan. — 6 years ago

Tim Hinck

9.2

2012 - $60
Amazing still Pinot noir from champagne terroir. Intense perfume of floral incense. Fruit driven, yet austere. — 7 years ago

SV

9.4

Ay, good! The aroma is intensely honied, like sticking your nose in a beehive (bad idea). Bright and high-acid, slightly sparkling, with a bitter almond finish that has me wishing for a really hot day on which to drink this. — 8 years ago

Bradford White

9.4

Ay creamy — 8 years ago