Alain Bernard Champagne 1er Cru 2013

Alain Bernard Champagne 1er Cru Millesime 2013 is a vintage Champagne crafted from carefully selected Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes grown in premier cru vineyards. This 2013 release captures the character of a cooler, structured year in Champagne, offering precision, finesse, and depth. As a millésimé Champagne, it is produced only in particularly good vintages, making each bottle a reflection of a singular growing season rather than a blend of multiple years.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, this Champagne shows a luminous pale gold colour with fine, persistent bubbles forming a delicate mousse. The nose opens with notes of crisp green apple, lemon zest, and white flowers, followed by hints of brioche, toasted almond, and subtle mineral tones that speak to its premier cru origins. On the palate, the Chardonnay brings tension, citrus brightness, and elegance, while the Pinot Noir adds texture, red-fruited nuance, and structure. Expect flavours of ripe orchard fruits, citrus oil, stone fruits, and lightly toasted pastry, with a chalky, saline edge and a long, precise finish. The 2013 vintage typically delivers fresh acidity and good backbone, giving this wine both immediate appeal and the capacity to evolve beautifully over time. With proper cellaring, it should continue to develop more complexity and autolytic (brioche, hazelnut) notes over the next 5–10 years.

Production
Sourced from premier cru vineyards in the Champagne region of France, this cuvée reflects classic Champagne terroir: chalk and limestone-rich soils that contribute to natural freshness, finesse, and a distinct mineral line. Grapes are harvested by hand to ensure careful selection of bunches and to preserve the integrity of the fruit. The base wines are vinified separately by variety, typically in temperature-controlled stainless steel to retain purity of fruit, before being blended into the final cuvée. After the secondary fermentation in bottle, the wine is aged sur lie for several years, allowing the fine bubbles to develop and the flavours to gain depth and complexity prior to disgorgement and dosage.

Food & Serving
This vintage 1er Cru Champagne pairs beautifully with refined dishes such as oysters, scallops, delicate white fish, sushi and sashimi, or soft-rind cheeses like Brie and Camembert. Its balance of freshness and richness also makes it a superb match for roast poultry, creamy risottos, and light truffle dishes. Serve well chilled at around 8–10°C (46–50°F); if possible, pour it into white wine glasses rather than narrow flutes to let the aromas fully express themselves. A brief 10–15 minutes in the glass, or a short decant in a chilled carafe for more mature bottles, can help open up the wine’s aromatic complexity.

Producer
Alain Bernard is a traditional grower-producer based in the historic Champagne region of France, focusing on wines that express the character of their individual vineyards and villages. Working with premier cru sites, the estate emphasises careful vineyard management, hand-harvesting, and long lees aging to craft Champagnes with both finesse and depth. Known for their commitment to quality over volume, the domaine’s vintage (millesime) bottlings, such as this 2013 1er Cru, showcase the nuances of a single harvest and highlight the house’s classical, terroir-driven style within Champagne.

We deliver within 2 - 6 business days. You can choose whether it should be to a parcel shop or home delivery. Free delivery to both parcel shops and your front door. Our store partners primarily use GLS, DPD, UPS and DHL for deliveries. We cover deliveries to the majority of countries in Europe.