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Champagne AYALA is one of the longest-established champagne Houses; it has been based in Aÿ, at the heart of the great champagne vineyards, since it was founded over 150 years ago. Independent and family-owned, it is still today the archetype of a great and historic House, producing top quality wines which are enjoyed throughout the world for their freshness and elegance.
Edmond de Ayala, founder of the House in 1860, came from a family that had always aspired to go one step further. His ancestors bequeathed him with a sense of excellence and a taste for adventure that drove him to settle in Aÿ in order to learn about winemaking. From the very beginning, the House quickly became a reference both in France and overseas. As a young champagne House, Champagne AYALA owed its rapid expansion in large part to Fernand de Ayala, Edmond’s younger brother, who in 1863 settled in London where he mixed with British aristocracy and introduced the House’s unique flavour profile to British connoisseurs, notably with the 1865 vintage that had a very low dosage for the time. During the same period, the House was one of the founding member of the Syndicat des Grandes Marques in 1882 and also contributed to the creation of London’s Benevolent Trust in 1886.
Champagne AYALA has always been a small, independent and family-run business. After the Second World War the House went through a rather quiet period as its leaders occupied important positions in Champagne trade associations. In 2005 the Bollinger family bought this fine estate, with the intention of restoring it to its former glory. This was the start of a resurgence for Champagne AYALA, with complete restoration of winemaking facilities and the arrival of new staff. The House employs today about 15 people, keeping the family spirit of its origins.