Francis Egly’s newest release of “Les Crayères” Blanc de Noirs is once again a precise mastery of Grand Cru Pinot Noir, with 98-point accolades to back it up. This is one of Champagne’s most vinous and jaw-dropping bottlings.
If Grand Cru Burgundy sparkled, this would be the gold standard. Why all of the hype with this one bottle? Egly-Ouriet is arguably one of the best grower-producers in Champagne, and this effort moves to the top of the pyramid for 100% old-vine Pinot Noir offerings.
Egly stands far apart from the competition, and with each passing year, one can expect intensified international acclaim, higher prices, and tighter allocations—this just-released “Crayères” is no exception. Out of the 100 cases that trickled into America, we managed a tiny fraction. Only two bottles per person, and two get you complimentary Ground Shipping.
In Ambonnay, Pinot Noir reigns as king because of its ability to produce deep base wines with enough character to shine through in sparkling form. You taste the Pinot Noir in Egly’s wines because he picks at extreme levels of ripeness, which is typically done after everyone else in Ambonnay has already finished. To Francis, picking ripe, or “late,” is the most important part of the process. He doesn’t consider himself a pioneer or a trendsetter; he just makes the finest quality wine he can—and that starts with perfectly mature, concentrated grapes.
“Les Crayères” is a small vineyard located on the eastern side of the village of Ambonnay, in Champagne’s Montagne de Reims region, which is famous for producing deep wines that showcase great Pinot Noir varietal character. The deep soils of Les Crayères are composed of the purest chalk on the planet. Vine age is now almost 80 years—almost unheard of in Champagne, where dedication to the land and its farming is still rarely seen in the region. Egly-Ouriet’s farming is all organic and necessarily meticulous: It’s hard to farm organically in Champagne, given the climatic conditions, not to mention the amount of extra work involved.
This six-years-aged, single-vineyard masterpiece is tightly coiled energy with profound delicacy. A full-bodied wonder that is deep, extremely rich, and precise. With proper aeration, multiple dimensions are revealed. Ripe, vibrant notes of yellow and red apple take center stage, followed by freshly picked Rainier cherries, apricots, currant, and salt-preserved lemon. Exotic spice, acacia honey, toasted hazelnut, dried herbs, crushed chalk, seashells, nougat, and vanilla bean also meld into the mix. No need to rush this one. It will get better as it warms up in the glass. Certainly a keeper for the cellar.
Press: 98 Points, Wine Advocate:
"The wine ascends from the glass with a bouquet of remarkable complexity—aromas of acacia, ripe pear, orange zest, toasted nuts and patisserie elements unfurl. Full-bodied, concentrated and layered, with ample chalky structuring extract and mouthwatering acidity, it concludes with a long, saline finish. While I often vacillate between Les Crayères and the Millésime as to which I favor, this year, Les Crayères stands as the most captivating wine in the cellar. It offers immense youthful appeal yet promises to evolve beautifully with age. Readers would be wise not to hesitate—it fully lives up to its reputation, and I’d gladly secure bottles for my own cellar." - Kristaps Karklins, May 2025
