Champagne Ayala was created in 1860 by Edmond de Ayala in the town of Aÿ in the Champagne region of northern France. His brother Fernand helped build the business from London, introducing the wine to British society. In 1865 they introduced a wine that set it apart from most other Champagnes. Until the mid-1800s, most Champagnes were sweet. According to Hugh Johnson’s The Story of Wine (1989), the sweetness added to a Champagne before final bottling, called dosage, varied from 22 to 330 grams per liter. That is 2.2 percent to 33 percent 
sweetness…so we’re talking dessert wine territory. Ayala’s Champagne had 7 grams per liter or .07 percent dosage, a level that continues today.
The company’s heyday was in the 1920s when with 100 workers, they were producing over a million bottles a year. After World War II, business was quieter selling 400,000 bottles. In 2005 the Bollinger family, who have a bit of a reputation for their Champagne, bought Ayala.
Today Ayala is in the hands of two Bollinger alumni. Hadrien Mouflard is General Manager, youngest General Manager in all of Champagne. Caroline Latrive, the Cellar Master, is one of only four women in Champagne to hold that title. At Ayala the focus is on Chardonnay, and Latrive considers herself a major fan of Chardonnay. She is particularly pleased with the 2013 Le Blanc de Blancs ($76, Vintus) that she describes as the “essence of Chardonnay.” The grapes are from Grand Cru vineyards in Cramant, Chouilly and Le Mesnil-sur-Ogier and Premier Cru vineyards in Cuis and Vertus.
Brut “Majeur” ($45, Vintus) is the wine that defines the ‘fresh, elegant house style.” It is made from equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with 20 percent Pinot Meunier. Its elegant pale golden 
color shines with the tiniest bubbles and delightful aromas of apples, citrus, fresh flowers with yeasty notes. Flavors of apple, peach, lemon and a bit of freshly baked croissant are round and supple, while vibrant acidity and spirited bubbles bring focus and balance.
The Rosé “Majeur” ($57, Vintus) displays a pretty, golden pink color with luscious strawberry, raspberry, citrus, and chalky aromas that introduce round berry, citrus, and toasty almond flavors. The senses are enhanced with delicate bubbles tingling on the tongue. Fifty percent of the blend is Chardonnay. Pinot Noir is 40 percent, with six percent coming from still wine destined to impart the delicate pink rosé color. Pinot Meunier completes the blend. All three are Champagnes that richly deserve your attention.
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