There’s no doubt about it, Egly-Ouriet Champagnes are a class act. Established in 1930, the estate now accounts for 15 ha of top vineyards in Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzenay, Vrigny, and most recently Bisseuil. The heart of the operation however, lies in their impressive old vine Pinot Noir holdings in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay. For three generations the family have consistently refined their plantings through massale selection to create a rare treasure trove of old vine plots populated with the region’s finest Pinot Noir clones. In the cellar Francis employs not one but two of the finest, most precise (and most expensive) presses available, truly the Rolls Royces of their world, allowing for extremely gentle extractions and continuous pressing at harvest time, thus quicker time from vine to juice, less oxidation and minimal need for sulphur dioxide. The cellars are kept exceptionally cool allowing for further reduction in SO2 usage while stabilising the wines prior to fermentation. Elevage takes place in barrel, without malolactic fermentation and the wines are given long ageing sur lie – from 4 years to ten years depending on the cuvee. Dosage is low, ranging from just 2g to 4g.
Today we are thrilled to release the 2017 disgorgements, a crystal clear set of releases that includes a new iteration of Grand Cru Brut Tradition, based on the wonderful 2012 vintage; a Vieillissement Prolongé (V.P) cuvee comprised of equal parts ’07, 08’ and ‘09 vintages; and a beautiful Les Crayeres VV Blanc de Noirs composed of the ‘09 and ‘10 vintages.
Read MoreThe style here is vinous, powerful, classical and pure. Intense bright fruit flavours speak of great ripeness while the winemaking techniques are all about precision and transparency, designed to allow the qualities of base wine to shine through. Francis Egly’s meticulous approach to winemaking is entirely deserving of the cult following his wines engender- quite simply Egly-Ouriet is one of the top addresses in all of Champagne.
“There are plenty of highlights among these new releases from Egly-Ouriet. A move towards maintaining greater freshness in the wines, including a tendency to reduce the percentage of wines that undergo malolactic fermentation, is resulting in wines with more energy and tension than was the case just a few years ago. Readers will find much to admire in this range of stellar, captivating Champagnes.” Antonio Galloni, The 2017 Summer Preview