21715 customer reviews

Champagne Ayala - Brut Majeur

Name: Ayala Champagne - Brut Majeur
Brand: Ayala Champagne
Rating: 4 (55 reviews)

Champagne|Sparkling wine

4/5 (55 customers)

1*Étoile

Hachette

94/100

James Suckling

91/100

Decanter

91/100

Jeb Dunnuck

91/100

Gault & Millau

90/100

Robert Parker

floral

balanced

elegant

appetizer

"A unique blend, crafted from the finest vintages of the House of Ayala and the perfect expression of authentic craftsmanship"

“This wine charms with its subtle yet rich nose, featuring notes of pastries, vanilla, and white fruits, followed by a fresh, powerful, and lingering palate with a slightly herbal finish.” (Le Guide Hachette 2025).

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Rated site

21715 reviews

-20€

Starting at €99 on your first order

Estate

Champagne Ayala

Vintage

Brut Majeur

Designation

Champagne

Region

Champagne

Grape Varieties

55% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier

Regions

Limestone

Viticulture

Traditional and refined

Grape Harvest

Manuals

Wine Production

Traditional Champagne method, small-batch winemaking in 120 small stainless-steel tanks

Livestock Farming

3 years on the lees

Alcohol content

12.5%

Residual sugars

6 g/l

Eye

Light gold color, abundant and fine bubbles

Nose

Open, expressive, and delicate, with notes of citrus, flowers, and white-fleshed fruits

Palate

Well-balanced, combining freshness and winey character; precise, fruity, with a lovely finish and mineral notes

Serve

At 10°C

Drink before

2028

Food and Wine Pairings

The perfect aperitif champagne, it also pairs well with white fish, shellfish, poultry, and a cheese platter...

More information at Champagne Ayala

More information at Champagne

Bettane & Desseauve

4-Star-Rated Estate (Producers of the very highest quality, the pride of French viticulture)

About the estate:

Founded in Aÿ in 1860, this house was acquired by its neighbor Bollinger in 2005. This powerful alliance provides it with premium grapes—particularly Pinot Noir—from approximately 100 hectares, with more than 90 percent of the vineyards classified on the cru scale. The house’s core values—excellence, purity, and integrity—have been reaffirmed. These are champagnes for connoisseurs, characterized by low dosage levels, with the disgorgement date clearly marked on each bottle. This confirms the house’s outstanding form, as it certainly ranks among the greats of Champagne, yet with prices that remain very accessible, particularly for the excellent Brut-Majeur.

Decanter

Wine rated (2024 guide) 91/100

About the wine:

Ayala’s recent efforts to increase the Chardonnay content and enhance the freshness of its entry-level cuvée have paid off: it is now a very solid buy. Sun-kissed yellow stone fruits and succulent clementine evoke a zesty, brilliant Chardonnay, perfectly complemented by a soft, fluid mousse, subtly underpinned by a touch of Pinot Noir structure and notes of light, crisp bread. An excellent find for lovers of delicacy and finesse, this wine continues the tradition of the house’s great non-vintage wines.

Guide Hachette des vins

Wine noted (guide 2025) 1*Star (Very successful wine)

Rated Estate: Award-Winning Wines (This producer's wines regularly receive awards from the guide)

About the wine:

The house’s signature non-vintage brut is aged for 3 years in the cellar. Its blend has been slightly modified to further increase the proportion of Chardonnay, which makes up 55% of the blend, complemented by Pinot Noir (30%) and Meunier. It is a blend of 70 crus. Its dosage is on the borderline of extra-brut. Blending four vintages (2019 through 2016), this version captivates with its subtle yet rich nose, featuring notes of pastry, vanilla, and white fruits, followed by a fresh, powerful, and persistent palate that leads to a finish with a hint of herbaceousness.

About the estate:

Based in Aÿ, the Ayala house was founded in 1860 following the marriage of Raphaël-Edmond-Louis Gonzague de Ayala, the son of a Colombian diplomat, and Berthe-Gabrielle d'Albrecht, the niece of the Viscount de Mareuil. Owned by Champagne Bollinger since 2005, its cellar master is Caroline Latrive.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

Wine rated (2025 guide) 91/100

About the wine:

On the nose, it remains subtle, yet reveals notes of lemon zest, honeysuckle, pear, and rose. On the palate, the wine entices us with a refreshing attack that keeps us engaged thanks to its chalky character. Its slightly buttery texture and its finish, which highlights the sweetness of the nectarine, add complexity. A seductive and pleasing balance that will make your finest aperitifs shine.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

Wine rated (2024 guide) 90/100 (Excellent wine)

About the wine:

The NV Brut Majeur offers a fresh, minty bouquet of lemon oil, pear, white peach, and herbs. Moderately full-bodied, fresh, and crisp, it is incisive with lively acidity and a long, ethereal finish. This blend of 55% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, and 15% Pinot Meunier is a lively and harmonious champagne.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide to the Best Wines of France

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

Rated Estate (2024 Guide) 1*Star (Up-and-coming stars or high-quality winemakers producing wines of a high standard—you won’t be disappointed when you taste the wines from these estates)

About the estate:

This venerable Aÿ-based brand, founded in 1860, has been owned by its neighbor Bollinger since February 2005. The brand, led by Hadrien Mouflard and his team—including head winemaker Caroline Latrive—is rebranding itself around a fresher style of champagne, available in a low dosage (6 grams per liter) and a non-dosage version, with malolactic fermentation helping to round out the edges. Ayala has now clearly found its own style, which is very different from that of its parent company—a style that is more vinous and distinctly Pinot Noir-driven.

Wine Enthusiast

Estate rated "Recommended" (Wine producer recommended by Wine Enthusiast)

James Suckling

Wine rated (2024 guide) 94/100

About the wine:

An intense and elegant nose of strawberries, lemon zest, and fruit pulp, with a subtle, brioche-like character. Fine bubbles with a long, crisp acidity and plenty of substance on the mid-palate. The body is medium to full, but the finish is refreshing and polished. Ready to drink now, but will be at its best in 5–6 months, once it has developed more complexity.

Jeb Dunnuck

Wine rated (2024 guide) 91/100

About the wine:

Champagne Brut Majeur NV showcases the beautiful fruity and floral profile of the 2020 vintage, with aromas of fresh peach, almond flour, white flowers, and linen. Medium-bodied, it is refreshing and pure, with a lively effervescence and a clean, mineral finish. It is elegant and delicately rounded throughout the tasting, with an elegant freshness. Best enjoyed between 2025 and 2035.

Customer Rating

4/5

based on 55 reviews

Review by Mr. BRUNO R. Published on February 16, 2020

I was very disappointed because the corks on two bottles were dry... the T... the taste was off... That's not quite normal... There were definitely two different batches.