Cuveé 3A (Avize Aÿ Ambonnay) Grand Cru Extra Brut

An Extra Brut where the dosage is pared back so far that origin does the work: precision over richness, savour over sweetness. The three villages in the name remain distinguishable in the glass.

Avize, on the Côte des Blancs, stands for Chardonnay grown on chalk; Aÿ, in the Vallée de la Marne, for powerful, spicy Pinot Noir; Ambonnay, on the Montagne de Reims, for its concentrated, deep side. All three are Grand Cru. De Sousa itself is based in Avize and farms 9.5 hectares; the average vine age at the estate exceeds 45 years.

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Extra Brut here means fewer than six grams of residual sugar per litre, so the fruit stands with no cushion of sweetness. Erick De Sousa was among the first in Avize to vinify in oak barrels, not for oak aromas but for the texture and depth they bring. The cellars are cut into the chalk and held at a constant 10 °C, which slows ageing. 12.5% ABV.

Pale golden yellow, with a fine and persistent bead. On the nose, white blossom, lemon and green apple, with brioche and chalk beneath. The attack is taut, the acidity vibrant, the texture creamy. The finish brings lemon zest and a saline minerality, very dry and long.

Oysters and scallops, raw fish and sushi. For richer dishes: pan-seared turbot, veal sweetbreads or aged Comté.

De Sousa converted to organic farming in the late 1990s, gaining organic certification in 2010, followed by Demeter recognition for biodynamic farming in 2013; the Demeter logo appears on the label. The estate is now run by Charlotte, Valentin and Julie De Sousa.