Champagne Bereche Et Fils Brand Overview
Bérêche & Fils, based in the village of Ludes, just 15 kilometers south of Reims, stands as the premier grower-producer in this hidden gem of the Champagne region. The estate meticulously tends to 26 plots spread across 11.5 hectares, while also sourcing fruit from an additional two hectares in Ambonnay, Cramant and Trépail. Raphaël Bérêche joined his father, Jean-Pierre, at the estate in 2004, and in 2009, Raphaël and his brother, Vincent, fully assumed control of both the farming and winemaking operations. Their father officially retired in 2012. Although the family initially experimented with organic farming, they found it challenging to maintain consistent yields due to persistent mildew pressure. Today, the estate largely adheres to organic practices, with the exception of mildew control treatments.
The Bérêche family has employed sustainable agricultural methods for over two decades, utilizing lightweight tractors to prevent soil compaction and eliminating herbicides from their practices since 2002. In the cellar, fermentation occurs naturally, progressing slowly at cool temperatures. While some 30% of the vins clairs for their non-vintage Champagnes are vinified in tanks, the rest of their wines are aged in 350-liter barrels for eight to nine months. Before utilizing new barrels (as they do not purchase second-hand ones), they rinse them with tailles, which are subsequently sold off. Their winemaking approach eschews filtration, and racking is conducted by gravity. After barrel aging, the wines spend an additional two months in tanks, with minimal solids during this phase. For all cuvées, except the Brut Réserve, tirage is done using cork instead of a crown cap.
