Bérêche et Fils is one of the greats when it comes to Grower Champagne that you should make sure not to miss. The estate has been around since 1847, but brothers Raphaël and Vincent Bérêche have brought it to new heights of success with their careful tending of their parcels and expert winemaking. Soil health is of utmost importance to them, so they stopped using any chemicals in the vineyards, returned to hand harvesting, and began the conversion to biodynamics in 2003. The estate has nine hectares across a number of villages that are farmed by a mere 10 employees, which allows the Bérêche brothers to ensure each parcel is perfectly handled to best suit the resulting wine. Bérêche has holdings in the Montagne de Reims, Petite Montagne de Reims, and the Vallée de la Marne, with the estate being based in Ludes, and they make wine from all three major Champagne grapes. Ten different cuvées are produced across a number of different parcels and villages, and each one is a tremendous expression of its terroir. Generally, the house style tends to be on the oxidative side but with ripping acidity to keep it fresh. Fun fact that makes them unique among the growers: Vincent Bérêche insists on using actual corks instead of the usual crown caps to bottle the wines for secondary fermentation, as he believes the real cork imbues extra depth and complexity in the resulting wines.
