Bereche et Fils Les Beaux Regards Blanc de Blancs Champagne 2022

This Blanc de Blancs comes from Bérêche's home ground in Ludes, a Premier Cru village on the cool northern side of the Montagne de Reims, with limestone soils and chalk close to the surface. Two Chardonnay plots go into it: Les Beauxregards, which gives the wine its name, and Les Clos, both with vines more than half a century old. The grapes ferment with native yeasts in barrel and skip malolactic fermentation, then rest three years on the lees under natural cork; the dosage is minimal. The 2022, from a sunny, generous vintage, marks the return of the cuvée, and only 4,273 bottles were made. A stony core carries candied citrus, spice, and wildflowers; the palate is rich and full, dense in texture yet lively, with very soft bubbles and a long, briny finish. It has years of aging ahead of it, though a dozen oysters make a strong case for tonight.