Pre Arrival Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut (R21)

92 WA

Notes:

Based on the 2021 vintage and incorporating 50% reserve wines from 2020 and 2019, Egly's NV Grand Cru was vinified entirely in wood and disgorged in 2026 with a dosage of two grams per liter. As always, it derives largely from Ambonnay, complemented by fruit from Bouzy, Verzenay and Verzy. Opening in the glass with aromas evocative of Granny Smith apple, nashi pear, rooibos, nectarine and citrus oil, it is medium-bodied, nicely concentrated and chiseled, with a cool-climate profile underpinned by incisive acidity. It concludes with a long, chalky, lemon-tinged finish. It is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. - Kristaps Karklins 92

Producer: Egly-Ouriet is based in Ambonnay on the Montagne de Reims and has become one of Champagne’s benchmark grower-producers. The domaine is particularly associated with Pinot Noir and with the Grand Cru villages of Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay. Francis Egly’s approach emphasizes ripe fruit, low yields, extended élevage and low dosage, producing Champagnes with unusual vinous depth while retaining precision and freshness. This Grand Cru Extra Brut sits at the heart of the range and is an excellent introduction to the house style: Pinot Noir-led, entirely Grand Cru and built with substantially more élevage than a typical non-vintage Champagne.
Vineyard: The Base 2021 release is sourced from Grand Cru vineyards on the Montagne de Reims, principally Ambonnay, with additional fruit from Bouzy, Verzenay and Verzy. These chalk-rich sites are particularly well suited to Pinot Noir, which forms the majority of the blend. The 2021 base gives this release a distinctly cool-vintage foundation, while reserve wines add additional breadth and maturity.
Winemaking: The blend is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, with the 2021 harvest forming the base and approximately 50% reserve wines from 2020 and 2019 incorporated into the final assemblage. The wine is vinified entirely in wood, an important part of Egly-Ouriet’s approach and one that contributes texture and breadth without obscuring the chalk-driven character of the Grand Cru fruit. The combination of a cool 2021 base, two warmer reserve vintages and extended maturation gives the cuvée a balance between freshness, concentration and developed complexity.
Technical Details: Champagne AOC; Extra Brut; non-vintage with 2021 base; 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay; approximately 50% reserve wines from 2020 and 2019; Grand Cru fruit from Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzenay and Verzy; entirely vinified in wood. The Base 2021 release reviewed by Wine Advocate was disgorged in 2026 with a dosage of 2 g/L, placing it firmly in the Extra Brut category. The finished wine is particularly notable for the way the cooler character of 2021 comes through within Egly-Ouriet’s typically concentrated style: there is plenty of substance, but the structure is driven by incisive acidity, chalk and citrus-toned freshness.
Food Pairing: This is a Champagne with enough structure to work throughout a meal rather than solely as an aperitif. The Pinot Noir component and barrel vinification make it particularly well suited to richer seafood such as lobster, scallops or roasted turbot, while the low dosage and chalky finish work beautifully with oysters and other shellfish. It would also pair well with roast chicken, pork, mushroom dishes, aged Comté or Parmesan. Serving it in a white-wine glass rather than a narrow flute will give the wine more room to open and show its vinous character.