Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Rose Extra Brut NV

Notes:

Producer: Egly-Ouriet is universally regarded as one of Champagne's benchmark grower-producers. Based in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay, Francis Egly has spent more than four decades transforming his family's estate into one of the region's most respected domaines. Farming approximately 17 hectares, primarily in Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzenay, and Vrigny, the estate is built upon old vines, exceptionally low yields, sustainable farming, and harvesting at full physiological ripeness. Every wine is fermented in barrel, aged extensively on its lees, bottled with minimal dosage, and produced without fining or filtration whenever possible. The result is a range of remarkably vinous Champagnes that combine depth, precision, and transparency of terroir, making Egly-Ouriet one of the reference points for grower Champagne today.
Vineyard: The Grand Cru Rosé is produced from vineyards in Ambonnay, with additional Grand Cru fruit from Bouzy and Verzenay, three of the Montagne de Reims' greatest villages for Pinot Noir. The blend consists of approximately 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, with roughly 5% still red Pinot Noir from old-vine parcels in Ambonnay added to provide both color and additional complexity. The deep Campanian chalk beneath clay-rich topsoils gives the wine its unmistakable mineral backbone while allowing the old vines to produce fruit of remarkable concentration and structure. Rather than emphasizing fruit alone, Egly-Ouriet crafts a rosé that faithfully expresses both the power of Pinot Noir and the elegance of these exceptional Grand Cru sites.
Winemaking: Fermentation takes place entirely in traditional French oak barrels using indigenous yeasts, with every parcel vinified separately before blending. Malolactic fermentation is generally avoided, preserving freshness and allowing the natural acidity to support decades of aging. The wine spends approximately 48 to 60 months on its lees, far longer than Champagne's minimum requirements, developing exceptional texture and complexity before disgorgement. Bottled as an Extra Brut with only 1 g/L dosage in the current release, the Champagne combines old-vine concentration, extended lees aging, and restrained winemaking into a rosé of extraordinary balance, simultaneously rich, vibrant, and remarkably precise.
Technical Details: Champagne Grand Cru AOC; Non-Vintage Extra Brut Rosé; approximately 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay; includes approximately 5% still red Pinot Noir from Ambonnay; Grand Cru vineyards in Ambonnay, Bouzy, and Verzenay; old vines; indigenous yeast fermentation; barrel fermented and aged; no fining or filtration; extended lees aging (approximately 48–60 months depending on release); 1 g/L dosage (current release); sustainably farmed.
Food Pairing: Duck breast, roasted salmon, tuna, lobster, veal, quail, mushroom dishes, aged Comté, Parmesan, and truffle-infused cuisine all pair beautifully with this Champagne. The wine layers wild strawberry, cranberry, blood orange, brioche, toasted hazelnut, white pepper, and crushed chalk over a palate that is broad yet remarkably focused. Its vinous structure and exceptionally low dosage allow it to perform as both an aperitif and a serious gastronomic Champagne, while its concentration and balance promise graceful evolution for many years in the cellar.