Paul Bara Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut “L’Audacieuse” Grand Cru 2016 is a rare and daring Grower Champagne produced from 100% Chardonnay grown in the Grand Cru village of Bouzy in Champagne’s Montagne de Reims. Bouzy is celebrated primarily for its powerful Pinot Noir — making this pure Chardonnay cuvée an especially unusual and audacious expression of the village’s terroir.
The Chardonnay comes from the Mont des Tours vineyard, where Bouzy’s predominantly chalky soils provide excellent drainage and contribute freshness, precision and a pronounced mineral character. The name L’Audacieuse — “the audacious one” — reflects the house’s bold decision to produce a Blanc de Blancs from a terroir traditionally associated with Pinot Noir.
The 2016 vintage displays a luminous pale-gold color and a fine, persistent mousse. The expressive bouquet offers aromas of green apple, pear, white peach and fresh citrus, joined by delicate white flowers and chalky minerality. With air, more complex notes of fresh almond, brioche, dried herbs and subtle honey begin to emerge.
On the palate, L’Audacieuse is lively and precise, combining vibrant acidity with an elegant, gently creamy texture. Ripe orchard fruit and citrus are balanced by chalky tension and delicate autolytic complexity. The finish is long, clean and refined, with lingering saline and mineral notes that emphasize the purity of the Chardonnay.
The wine spent approximately eight years aging in bottle before release, allowing its freshness and fruit to develop greater depth, texture and complexity. Finished as an Extra Brut with a very low dosage of ~3 g/L, it remains dry, focused and beautifully expressive of its Grand Cru origins. Production of the 2016 vintage was extremely limited — only 3,935 numbered bottles produced.
Wine Details
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Producer: Paul Bara
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Cuvée: L’Audacieuse
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Style: Vintage Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
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Vintage: 2016
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Country: France
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Region: Champagne
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Subregion: Montagne de Reims
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Village: Bouzy Grand Cru
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Vineyard: Mont des Tours
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Grape: 100% Chardonnay
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Dosage: Extra Brut, ~3 g/L
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Aging: ~8 years in bottle before release
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Alcohol: 12.5%
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Production: 3,935 numbered bottles
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Serving Temperature: 48–52°F
About Paul Bara
The Bara family has cultivated vines in Bouzy since the nineteenth century. Today, Champagne Paul Bara farms approximately 11 hectares divided among 33 parcels, all located within the Grand Cru village. The estate combines traditional craftsmanship with sustainable vineyard practices, producing Champagnes known for their structure, elegance and clear expression of Bouzy’s chalk-rich soils.
Why We Like It
L’Audacieuse is a genuinely rare bottle — a Blanc de Blancs from Bouzy, a village that almost never produces one. Eight years on the lees, a single vineyard source, and fewer than 4,000 bottles worldwide make this one of the most compelling and collectible Grower Champagnes we carry. For the serious Champagne lover, it is simply unmissable.
Food Pairings: Oysters, caviar, sashimi, scallops, lobster, grilled prawns, roasted sea bass, citrus-accented poultry, creamy risotto and aged goat cheese.
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