Egly-Ouriet is the grower that champagne lovers mention in the same breath as Selosse. Francis Egly makes dense, winey, Pinot Noir driven champagne from grand cru vineyards in Ambonnay, ages it far longer than the rules ask, and doses it lightly. The range runs from Les Prémices to Les Crayères, the Millésimes and a still Ambonnay Rouge.
Egly-Ouriet: a grower champagne estate in Ambonnay
Ambonnay, on the south-eastern flank of the Montagne de Reims, is Pinot Noir country. The Egly family has farmed vines here for four generations, but the estate as we know it took shape when Francis Egly took over from his father Michel in the early 1980s and began bottling everything under the family name instead of selling grapes to the big houses.
The grand cru vines sit in Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay, with Chardonnay in a supporting role. Two premier cru sites add something different: Vrigny, planted with Pinot Meunier, and Bisseuil on the Marne side. Grown and made by the family: that is grower champagne.
Why Egly-Ouriet champagne tastes the way it does
Three choices shape the style. Much of the wine ferments in oak barrels rather than steel, which gives breadth and a nutty, savoury depth. It then spends years on the lees, even for the non-vintage cuvées, where the law asks for fifteen months, and that is where the creamy texture comes from. And the dosage is kept low, so ripe Pinot fruit carries the wine rather than sugar. The result drinks more like a great white Burgundy with bubbles than an aperitif champagne, and it loves the table: roast chicken, mushrooms, aged Comté.
The Egly-Ouriet range, from Les Prémices to Les Crayères
Les Prémices, Brut Grand Cru and Extra Brut Tradition
Les Prémices is the way in, the freshest and most approachable bottle in the range, also in magnum. The Brut Grand Cru and Extra Brut Tradition are the heart of the estate: Ambonnay Pinot Noir with a share of Chardonnay, long aged and full of energy. The Grand Cru Rosé, in bottle and magnum, adds red fruit and a little grip.
Vignes de Vrigny and Vignes de Bisseuil
Vignes de Vrigny is a premier cru made from Pinot Meunier alone, round and spicy, and a fine argument for an underrated grape. Vignes de Bisseuil gives a premier cru take on the house style from outside the Ambonnay heartland.
Les Crayères Blanc de Noirs and the Millésimes
Les Crayères is the icon: a grand cru Blanc de Noirs from a single plot of old Pinot Noir vines in Ambonnay, planted in the 1940s, and the most sought after wine the estate makes. The Blanc de Noirs Vieilles Vignes label is the same old-vine Pinot Noir. The Millésime Brut runs from 2008 (in magnum) through 2012 to 2016, with Extra Brut Millésimes from 2015, 2016 and 2017 for those who like it bone dry.
Ambonnay Rouge: still Pinot Noir from Champagne
The surprise in the cellar is red and still. Coteaux Champenois is the appellation for Champagne's non-sparkling wines, and Egly-Ouriet's Ambonnay Rouge Cuvée des Grands Côtés, from old vines, is one of its most respected examples. Pale, cool and fine boned, it sits close to Burgundy.
Explore more champagne, Pinot driven Blanc de Noirs champagne, the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, or fellow Ambonnay grower Champagne Marguet.
Egly-Ouriet champagne FAQ
Is Egly-Ouriet a grower champagne?
Yes. The family grows its own grapes and makes and bottles the wine itself, unlike the large houses that buy most of their fruit.
Which Egly-Ouriet should I start with?
Les Prémices shows the house style at its most open. The Brut Grand Cru or Extra Brut Tradition is the natural next step, and Les Crayères is the one to save for a special evening.
What is Egly-Ouriet Les Crayères?
A grand cru Blanc de Noirs, white champagne made only from Pinot Noir, from an old-vine plot of that name in Ambonnay.
How long can Egly-Ouriet champagne age?
The non-vintage cuvées drink well on release and for several years after. The Millésimes and Les Crayères easily hold a decade or more, gaining toasty, honeyed depth.