Among the ever-growing band of small-scale ‘grower’ Champagne houses—producers who own and grow all the fruit for their wines—Egly-Ouriet has become an unstoppable force and its looming price increase reflects that. That’s not to say the stunning wines of Francis Egly aren’t worth more—they absolutely are. All we’re saying is we won’t be able to offer it at this rate again because demand for this already small-production estate has soared, making it one of the hottest names on the world market. Really, just about the only sentiment Champagne lovers can unanimously agree on today is, “We want Egly!”
By meticulously crafting Pinot Noir-driven cuvées of unmatched depth and focus, Egly-Ouriet has climbed right up there with (and past) the luxury labels. His wines are opulent Champagnes with a booming voice, and today’s Brut Tradition is easily one of the greatest non-vintage wines in the entire region. It’s sourced from three Grand Cru vineyards, with Ambonnay’s powerful Pinot Noir fruit leading the charge, and after many years of aging in oak and bottle, what you’re receiving is an unforgettable sensory experience that competes with not just the greatest Champagnes but the greatest wines in the world, period. As always, our quantities for Egly are restricted, so buy what you can at a price that will soon be a fond memory!
When Francis Egly, a fourth-generation vigneron, took the reins from his father, Michel, back in 1980, organic farming was hardly fashionable in Champagne. Nevertheless, Francis and a few others—labeled crazy by their fellow Champenois—continued on with their vineyard-first approaches, and we couldn’t thank him enough for it! You really taste the Pinot Noir in Egly’s wines because he picks at extreme levels of ripeness, typically done after everyone else in Ambonnay has already finished their harvest. For 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.
The way Francis Egly tends his vineyards, which are all planted in Grand Cru villages (with the exception of his Premier Cru Vrigny vineyards), is remarkable. He uses organic fertilizers; prefers to plow rather than use herbicides; and restricts his yields for incredibly concentrated fruit. Francis even has a plowing regimen that aerates the incredibly deep, pure-chalk soils in which his vines are planted. At his winery, his multi-level concrete cellar allows the pressed juice to be fed into old French barrels via gravity. A natural fermentation follows and after a brief aging regimen, the wine is blended, bottled, and sent to rest for over 48 months. It was dosed with a judicious 5 grams of sugar upon disgorgement.
The Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition is incredibly delicious and consistent year after year. It displays a light golden yellow core moving to silver and green hues on the rim. The rich and intense aromatics are led by red plum flesh, creamed yellow apples, lemon curd, red berries, honeysuckle, white mushrooms, and crushed stones. The palate is almost full-bodied with amazing concentration of yellow cherry, yellow apple, preserved lemon, fresh cream, white mushroom, and brioche. The wine will continue developing more complex aromas for many years to come, so don’t be afraid to forget about this beauty in a dark corner of your cellar for the next five years. Ideally, consume this wine just under cellar temperature, around 50-55 degrees, in a large-mouthed Champagne stem, filled only halfway to the top, so the aromas can come together properly. Please use an all-purpose white stem or wide-mouthed tulip to avoid hindering its spectacular aromatics. If you haven’t treated yourself this year, now’s the time with duck breast and seared foie gras smothered in balsamic cherries. Or, if this simply sounds too good to pass up, treat yourself again—who’s keeping count anyway? Cheers!
