Les Crayeres, Ambonnay, Grand Cru, Blanc de Noirs, Brut, nv

Crisp, mineral, deep and intense. A great pure Pinot Noir cuvee with golden ginger spice and autumn raspberries. Deep, cleansing, powerful, long. Autolysis notes towards the finish, with autumnal fruit, candied lemon peel, and salt. Reverb, detail, breadth, layering, with complex fruit and this fine long finish that reveals notes of turkish delight and the haunting impression of a punnet of fresh raspberries.

An iconic and sensational Egly Ouriet cuvee, from a very special single vineyard of vines planted in 1946 and 1947. As the name would suggest, a very chalky site whose soils offer a spine of minerality that amplifies the typically red fruited Ambonnay character. Power, breadth, minerality all come together in this exceptional Blanc de Noirs.

A blend of the 2016 and 2015 vintages, the NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Crayères is an especially good rendition of this almost routinely sublime bottling. Unwinding in the glass with notes of pear, wild berries, clear honey, white flowers, praline and freshly baked bread, it's medium to full-bodied, beautifully layered and textural, with a taut, concentrated core, racy acids and a long, mineral finish. This chiseled, intensely flavored Champagne was disgorged this year with only one gram per liter dosage.