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Sparkling dry
One of the most impressive and profound champagnes from Egly-Ouriet, crafted from some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines growing in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay. This Blanc de Noirs not only reveals the power and structure of Pinot Noir, but also expresses it with remarkable elegance and mineral precision.
On the nose, concentrated aromas of black cherries, raspberries, plum skins and dried flowers unfold, complemented by notes of brioche, hazelnut butter, caramelised almonds, white pepper, and a striking chalky minerality.
On the palate, the champagne is powerful yet impeccably precise, with a creamy texture and finely integrated bubbles. Flavours of mature fruit, lemon cream, red berries and autolytic notes merge with an intense chalk-driven minerality. The acidity is vibrant and structured, giving the wine tension and outstanding ageing potential. The finish is very long, dry, saline and exceptionally чист.
This champagne is made from 100% Pinot Noir, grown on the Grand Cru slopes of Ambonnay, from vines approximately 95 years old – a true rarity in Champagne. The chalky, clay-rich soils provide exceptional depth, structure and a distinct mineral backbone.
The wine is aged 4–5 years on the lees, and the Extra Brut dosage (2 g/l) allows the true intensity, structure and purity of terroir to shine through.
Serve at 10–11 °C, with duck breast, truffle risotto, or aged Comté cheese.
Year after year, Egly’s NV Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Crayères remains one of the most compelling and reliable wines from the Montagne de Reims. Sourced from a south-facing lieu-dit in Ambonnay that was planted between 1946 and 1947 on shallow chalk soils with just 30 centimeters of topsoil, it was disgorged in October 2024 with a dosage of one gram per liter. This release blends the richer 2017 vintage with the taut, incisive character of 2016. Notably, prior to 2000, Francis Egly produced this cuvée as a single-vintage expression, only later opting for a two-vintage blend to buffer against the variability of any given season. The wine ascends from the glass with a bouquet of remarkable complexity—aromas of acacia, ripe pear, orange zest, toasted nuts and patisserie elements unfurl. Full-bodied, concentrated and layered, with ample chalky structuring extract and mouthwatering acidity, it concludes with a long, saline finish. While I often vacillate between Les Crayères and the Millésime as to which I favor, this year, Les Crayères stands as the most captivating wine in the cellar. It offers immense youthful appeal yet promises to evolve beautifully with age. Readers would be wise not to hesitate—it fully lives up to its reputation, and I’d gladly secure bottles for my own cellar.
Deep and complex, showing candied fruit, quince and lanolin with chalky minerality, strawberries and a bit of horseradish, slightly honeyed. Medium-bodied. Fine bubbles are tight, intense and long. Savory and tasty, pure and energetic. Drink or hold. Wednesday, Jul 16, 2025
Egly-Ouriet is one of the most distinctive names in Champagne, representing not only exceptional quality, but also a deeply individual philosophy of Champagne making. These are wines conceived not as simple aperitifs, but as true expressions of terroir, often compared to the great wines of Burgundy.
At the heart of the estate’s philosophy lies the vineyard. Francis Egly spends most of his time among the vines, firmly believing that great Champagne is born in the vineyard, not in the cellar. All grapes come exclusively from Premier and Grand Cru villages, where chalk-rich soils provide remarkable minerality and precision.
What truly sets Egly-Ouriet apart is the decision to harvest fully ripe grapes, a bold contrast to the earlier harvesting practices traditionally associated with Champagne. Francis Egly believes that only perfectly ripe fruit can express the true character of place, resulting in Champagnes that are deeper, more powerful, and texturally richer, with remarkable natural concentration.
A defining element of the house style is oak aging. Unlike most Champagne producers, Egly-Ouriet uses old Burgundy oak barrels, in which the wines mature for up to eight months. This approach does not add overt oak flavors, but instead enhances structure, depth, and aromatic complexity. Fermentation occurs with wild yeasts, the wines are neither fined nor filtered, and the decision regarding malolactic fermentation is made individually each year, depending on the character of the vintage.
Another hallmark of Egly-Ouriet is its slightly lower pressure than standard Champagne, allowing the wines to express themselves with greater finesse, texture, and clarity. The result is Champagne that feels vinous, layered, and profoundly expressive of terroir.
