Pre Arrival Egly-Ouriet Champagne 1er Cru "Les Vignes de Vrigny" Extra Brut (R22)

Notes:

Producer: Egly-Ouriet is based in Ambonnay and is one of the defining grower estates of modern Champagne. Francis Egly works primarily with old vines and low yields, with an emphasis on ripe fruit, long lees aging and low dosage. While much of the domaine’s reputation was built on its Grand Cru Pinot Noir holdings in Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay, Les Vignes de Vrigny is one of the most distinctive wines in the range. It is devoted entirely to Meunier, showing how seriously Egly treats a variety that historically received less attention than Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Champagne. The domaine practices organic farming, and extended lees aging is a central part of its cellar philosophy.
Vineyard: Les Vignes de Vrigny comes entirely from Vrigny, a Premier Cru village in the Massif de Saint-Thierry sector of Champagne. It is 100% Meunier, making it a Blanc de Noirs and setting it apart from the Pinot Noir-dominant wines that form much of the Egly-Ouriet range. The cuvée comes from a single parcel of mature vines, and importer information describes the vineyard as east-facing with vines more than 50 years old. Egly-Ouriet has roughly two hectares of Meunier in Vrigny, and this fruit is reserved for this dedicated bottling. It is a particularly important expression within the range because it gives Meunier the same serious treatment—low yields, careful farming and long maturation—that Egly applies to the domaine’s celebrated Grand Cru sites.
Winemaking: Egly’s approach to Les Vignes de Vrigny is deliberately straightforward and allows the Meunier and vineyard to remain at the center of the wine. The fruit is fermented and aged in stainless steel, rather than the oak used for several other Egly-Ouriet cuvées. Fermentation takes place with indigenous yeasts, and malolactic fermentation is blocked, helping preserve acidity and definition. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. Extended maturation on the lees before disgorgement adds texture and complexity, while the dosage remains very low. This combination—ripe old-vine Meunier, stainless-steel élevage, blocked malo and Extra Brut dosage—has made Les Vignes de Vrigny one of Champagne’s particularly distinctive pure-Meunier bottlings.
Technical Details: Champagne AOC; Premier Cru; Extra Brut; Base 2022; 100% Meunier; Blanc de Noirs; Vrigny, Massif de Saint-Thierry; single-parcel fruit; indigenous-yeast fermentation; stainless-steel vinification and élevage; no malolactic fermentation; unfined and unfiltered. The exact disgorgement date and dosage can vary by release, so I would leave those off the product page unless confirmed from the bottle. What remains consistent is the identity of the cuvée: pure Meunier from Vrigny handled with the same rigorous approach found throughout the Egly-Ouriet range. Gault & Millau also identifies the wine as Extra Brut, Premier Cru and entirely Meunier.
Food Pairing: The breadth and vinous character of Meunier make this particularly suited to the table. Roast chicken, pork tenderloin, duck, mushrooms and richer seafood such as scallops or lobster are natural matches. The wine’s low dosage and firm acidity also make it a strong partner for charcuterie and aged cheeses such as Comté. It has enough structure to carry through a meal rather than being limited to an aperitif, and serving it in a white-wine glass will give its aromatic and textural character more room to develop.

Vins Rare

Egly-Ouriet Champagne 1er Cru "Les Vignes de Vrigny" Extra Brut (R22)

Name: Egly-Ouriet Champagne 1er Cru "Les Vignes de Vrigny" Extra Brut (R22)
Brand: Vins Rare
SKU: 102630
Price: 79.00 USD
Availability: OutOfStock