Ayala NV Campagne Brut Majeur

COMMENTARY: In the world of non-vintage brut, the Ayala Brut Majeur has been one of the world's standard bearers of this prestigious category. TASTING NOTES: Today, I really loved the wine better than I ever have before. Perhaps it was the moment or the day before Saint Valentine's Day. This wine shines with elegance and complexity. Its intricate mix of tart apples, brisk minerality, and faint yeastiness prime it perfectly with seared scallops and a squeeze of fresh lime. (Tasted: February 13, 2018, San Francisco, CA)

Part of the Bollinger group, this nonvintage cuvée is sophisticated, with ripe fruit, acidity and tangy orange-zest flavors all in balance. A final fresh twist gives a great lift.

Peaches, dried raspberries, croissants, toasted hazelnuts, lemon curd and some honey on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied and round with bright acidity and fine bubbles. Flavorful, with ripe and honeyed character. Relatively dry. Chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Drink now.

Smoke and forest floor notes lead the way here, with the chalky texture carrying subtle flavors of grilled nut, lemon meringue and dried currant. Balanced, offering smoke details on the fresh finish.

Broad, expressive nose - lots of yeastiness on display, plus spice, floral and some toffee and caramel notes. The palate is clean and precise, showing elegant fruit characters and some burnt biscuit flavors too. Classic Champagne style, very conventional but decent complexity.

Luscious ripeness lends this wine a quince-like flavor, feeling round and generous against the chalky briskness of Champagne. For all its fruitiness, this is dry, firm and grounded, a clean aperitif or a first-course wine for a rabbit terrine.