Aubry Premier Cru Brut Champagne

Aubry's Premier Cru Brut is a non-vintage Champagne from a family-run grower estate based in Jouy-lès-Reims, made from Premier Cru fruit and bottled at 12% ABV. The house style is fresh and fruit-driven, with fine bubbles. Because it is a grower bottling and not a large-house blend, expect it to taste more of its village and fruit than of a long-standing house formula. In the glass, a Brut Champagne from this part of the Montagne de Reims usually shows crisp orchard and citrus fruit, such as green apple, pear and lemon. Many also carry a touch of brioche or toasted bread from time on the lees. The Brut level means the dosage is low enough to read as dry, and the acidity is what gives the wine its freshness and a clean, lifted finish. Oak is not a defining feature of fruit-driven Champagne in this style, so expect no obvious wood influence. There is no tannin to speak of. The body should be light to medium, with a fine, persistent mousse rather than large, aggressive bubbles. That acidity and delicacy make it a flexible table wine. It suits oysters and other raw shellfish, smoked salmon, and sushi. It also works with fried foods such as tempura, fish and chips, or fried chicken, where the bubbles and acid cut through the oil. For richer pairings, try soft, creamy cheeses like Brie or a young Comté, or a simple roast chicken. It is dry enough to start a meal and sturdy enough to carry through a first course. Serve it well chilled, at roughly 6 to 8°C (43 to 46°F). A couple of hours in the refrigerator, or about 30 minutes in an ice bucket filled with ice and water, will get it there. Colder than that mutes the fruit, and warmer makes the bubbles feel coarse. Decanting is not needed and tends to flatten the mousse. A tulip-shaped white wine glass or a universal wine glass shows the aroma better than a narrow flute or a wide coupe, because the bubbles stay lively and the fruit has room to open up. As a non-vintage bottling made in a fresh style, it is meant to be opened now, while the fruit is bright, and not cellared for years.