AYALA Collection N°16Blanc de Blancs 2016
Purity as a Claim
Maison AYALA introduces the fourth opus of its Collection: AYALA Collection N°16, Blanc de Blancs 2016
The Maison has always been committed to cultivating the diversity of its Terroirs; the Terroir collection is the perfect embodiment of this vision. This collection of ephemeral cuvées, released at their peak in limited quantities, unveils unique terroirs that the Cellar Master has chosen to highlight through the prism of an individual year. Each bottle is the result of the House’s artisanal savoir-faire and is numbered to reflect its rarity.
N°16 is the fourth opus in the Collection, following N°8, launched in 2017 – N°7, in 2020, and N°14 in 2022.
Limited-numbered edition : 7 357 bottles
AYALA Collection N°16: a union of crus and grape varieties
N°16 is an outstanding Blanc de Blancs made entirely from Grands and Premiers crus from the Côte des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims. It is a limited edition cuvée which honours Champagne’s various white varietals through a blend of Chardonnay and the region’s old grape varieties: Arbane, Petit Meslier and Pinot Blanc.
« AYALA Collection N°16 expresses the willingness of the oenological
team in creating a unique cuvée blending crus and original grape varieties thanks to 2016 vintage.. »
Hadrien Mouflard, Managing Director at Maison AYALA
Aÿ & Arbane
Aÿ, with its rich, generous terroir and outstanding exposure, provides the perfect growing conditions for Arbane, which brings the wine notes of verbena and Mirabelle plum, tension, freshness and excellent ageing potential.
Avenay & Pinot Blanc
Pinot Blanc, the most aromatic grape in the blend, brings notes of fruit and honey. Grown on the Avenay terroir, which provides an ideal base for the blend, it flourishes in perfect balance, bringing a sense of fullness to the cuvée.
Cuis & Petit Meslier
The rich Cuis terroir brings notes of yellow fruits and reacts well to the energy of Petit Meslier, which brings aromatic richness balanced by fresh acidity and notes of flowers and exotic fruits.
Chouilly, Cramant, Oger & Chardonnay
Chardonnay, the House’s signature grape variety, combined at 3 crus from the Côte des Blancs will bring different facets to the wine. Chouilly, the House’s Vineyard, brings a silky texture, freshness and nuanced diverse aromas as well as a beautiful subtlety as in N°16. Cramant brings chalkiness and notes of white fruits. Oger brings tension, precision, outstanding ageing potential and notes of eucalyptus and menthol.
2016 viticultural year
2016 was a year of extreme weather in the Champagne region. After a sunny autumn and a mild winter, the spring was cool and extremely wet.
The scorching temperatures in the summer enabled the grapes to attain a nice balance and full maturity resulting in a magnificent harvest and perfectly balanced grapes with great ageing potential.
The words of our Cellar Master
« To the eye, a bright wine with silvery hues. AYALA N°16 unveils a complex nose and an expression of multiple fruit facets: mirabelle plum, candied lemon peel and white grapefruit. Notes of white flowers, honey acacia and fresh hazelnut will complete this subtle nose. The tasting is followed by a precise and acidulated attack with notes of apricot, yuzu and eucalyptus. A silky, elegant mouth with great freshness. This chiselled wine offers a great complexity and a lenghty, saline finish. »
Julian Gout, Cellar Master at Maison AYALA
A design that highlights the terroir expertise of the house
The new giftbox design for AYALA Collection N°16 was inspired by the cuvée’s unique blend. It features a map showing the crus of the blend.
A pared down design using shades of gold to showcase the diverse range of white champagne grape varieties of Champagne’s region that have gone into this cuvée. Each bottle is numbered to highlight how rare this new opus in the “Collection AYALA” truly is.
A 100% recyclable and local giftbox, made with certified raw materials, in line with the House’s CSR approach.
