Wine Advisor
Egly Ouriet, Brut Tradition Grand Cru NV
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru (75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay) is made in a muscular, weighty style that reveals impressive richness and density in its fruit. The wine possesses outstanding persistence on the palate but finishes rather tight, suggesting at least a few additional months of bottle age are warranted. This is a distinctly fruit-driven, opulent style of Champagne. The Brut Tradition Grand Cru spent 36 months on its lees and was disgorged in July, 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2011. This range from Francis Egly is one of the most impressive I tasted. Egly farms eight hectares of old-vine plots, the lion’s share of which are in his home base of Ambonnay. The wines are made in a pure, unmanipulated fashion with no filtration in a style that clearly highlights the qualities of variety and terroir to the fullest. Readers will find more details as to the aging of the various bottlings and their disgorgement dates on the back labels. In short, I always look forward to drinking the wines of Egly-Ouriet and I can’t recommend these Champagnes highly enough. Importers: North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 336-9880; Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru, from the villages of Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay, spent 40 months on its lees. Here the oak is a bit more intrusive, as sweet vanilla and spices seems to cover some of the varietal character. Texturally the wine is quite pretty, but the wine lacks just that touch of balance that makes the best wines from this address so compelling. Disgorged November, 2008. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2014. Egly-Ouriet is one of the reference-point growers in Champagne, with a deep selection of wines that offer remarkable transparency to site, vintage and variety. The small, bare-bones winery is located in Ambonnay, one of Champagne’s 17 Grand Cru villages, best-known for yielding broad-shouldered, exuberant Pinot Noir-based wines. The house style is defined by first-class fruit, extended lees aging and no fining and/or filtration. These are among the most pure, unmanipulated Champagnes readers will come across, and the estate’s new releases are all highly recommended. Importer: North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 336-9880, Moon Imports, Genova, Italy; +39 010- 313849
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The Non-Vintage Brut Vieilles Vignes is a profound bottle of Champagne. A blend of two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay produced a rich, full-bodied Champagne with a wheat thin and honey-scented nose, and forceful, rich, boldly stated flavors that offer elegance as well as authority. The finish is dry and long. Still extremely young, this Champagne is capable of further development. The price makes it a steal. It was only recently that I discovered and began extolling the wines of Egly-Ouriet. I realize the large Champagne firms dominate Champagne sales in this country, but one of the most encouraging trends is that small, high quality estate bottlers are now beginning to receive some representation. Egly-Ouriet's Champagnes are so good that I have begun buying them to drink chez moi. The new releases are gorgeous examples of just how rich Champagne can be without being too heavy or cumbersome. Readers will be delighted to know that this small estate prints the date of disgorgement on each bottle, a practice that should be followed by all Champagne producers. Given the intensity of these exquisite wines, they should be drunk with food rather than served as an aperitif. North Berkeley Wines, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 848-8910 and (800) 266-6585; fax (510) 848-0841
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
This wine was recommended, but no tasting note was given.
Reviewed by: Pierre Rovani
The profound, intense aromas of the non-vintage Brut Tradition Grand Cru (Juillet 2005) offers scents of pears, yeast, and toast. A dense, medium to full-bodied wine that spent 37 months on its yeast, it reveals a lush personality of mineral and white pepper-powdered pears. A slight note of tangy apple appears in the finish providing some lift to this serious effort. Egly-Ouriet fashions wines of substantial richness, more suited to those who desire vinosity over vivacity. The estate’s consumer friendly back labels list both the number of months the bottle was kept on its yeasts as well as its disgorgement date. A Peter Vezan Selection, Paris fax #011-33-1-42-55-42-93, importers include North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (800) 266-6585; Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. 516-677-9300; and Dionysos Imports, Lorton, VA; tel. (703) 550-7980
Reviewed by: Stephan Reinhardt
The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from Ambonnay that is disgorged after four years on the lees. The recent release is based on the 2010 vintage and was disgorged in 2015 with three or four grams of dosage. It is a very clear and finesse-full, but also complex and firmly structured cuvée with grip, tension and a long finish.
Reviewed by: Stephan Reinhardt
Golden-yellow in color the, NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru is a deep, pure, extremely fine and complex assemblage of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay cultivated in three grands crus: Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay. The wine I tasted was mainly based on 2007 (50%), 2006 (30%) and 2005 (20%) ,and disgorged after 54 months in January 2014 with a dosage of three or four grams per liter. Super refined, fresh and pure but also deep, ripe and complex on the highly elegant nose, this superb champagne reveals a great elegance, balance and super finesse as well as complexity, structure and length on the palate. An admirable Cuvée!
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Even though it was only Disgorged: a few months ago, the NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru is super-expressive. The Brut Tradition brings together parcels in Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay that, together, yield a Pinot-driven Champagne with tremendous breadth as well as cut. Red fruit, dried flowers, mint, spice and lemon confit are some of the aromas and flavors that build in this wonderfully open-knit, inviting Champagne from Egly-Ouriet. Disgorged: July, 2020.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Egly's NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru is another stellar wine in this range. Rich Pinot fruit and a hint of oak give the Brut a decidedly exotic aromatic profile that follows through to the palate. Sweet wild flowers, spice, brioche, red plum and kirsch all open up in the glass. The Brut Grand Cru deftly balances a rich expression of Ambonnay fruit with notable vibrancy and freshness, which makes for an absolutely compelling and enticing NV Champagne. Egly gave the Brut Tradition 48 months on the lees, which is on the long side for a Champagne in its peer group. Disgorged: July, 2019.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Tradition is rich, resonant and super-expressive, with striking textural richness and depth. Dried pear, spice, ginger and dried flowers are just some of strands that are woven throughout this incomparably elegant non-vintage Champagne. This edition is 50% 2012 and 50% reserve wines from 2011, 2010 and 2009. In this release, the Brut Tradition is especially strong. Disgorged December 2017. Dosage is 4 grams per liter.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru is gorgeous. Rich, resonant and expressive on the palate, but with the freshness that is now part of the house style, the Brut Tradition is wonderfully complete. Dried pear, smoke, crushed flowers and chamomile are finely-knit in this super-appealing, mid-weight Champagne. The current release spent 54 months on its lees, which is decidedly on the long side for a wine in its peer group. Then again, long aging is one of the things that distinguishes these very special, artisan Champagnes from the pack. Disgorged: January 2017.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Tradition is a gorgeous wine that captures the essence of the Egly-Ouriet house style. White flowers, mint, chalk and green orchard fruit abound in a Champagne endowed with notable freshness and vivacity. This release is based on 2011, with 50% reserve wines from 2010, 2009 and 2008. It is also one of the best 2011-based Champagnes I have tasted so far. Dosage is 4 grams per liter. Disgorged December 2016.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru is superb and also a terrific introduction to the house style. Creamy and layered in the glass, with lovely aromatic nuance, the Tradition captures the generosity and resonance that is such a signature of the Egly-Ouriet Champagnes. Most importantly, the Tradition is quite strong for a NV Champagne based on the 2011 vintage. This release is 50% 2011, 30% 2010 and 20% 2009. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 2016.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Grand Cru Tradition is weightless, airy and gracious, all of which make it an excellent choice for drinking now and over the next few years. Freshly cut flowers and orchard fruit are nicely delineated throughout. In this release, the Brut Tradition is a bit lighter than it usually is, but all the elements are well balanced. Francis Egly adds that 2010 was looking like a superb vintage through mid-August until 150mm of rain fell in the span of two days. The fruit was harvested in early September. The Brut Tradition is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, 50% vintage 2010, 20% 2009, 20% 2008 and 10% 2007. Disgorged November, 2015. Dosage is 3-4/ grams per liter.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Grand Cru Tradition is all class. Suave, silky and expressive on the palate, the NV Grand Cru Tradition is quite pretty, with lovely brightness and freshness to balance the wine's inherent richness. Red stone fruits, hazelnuts, white flowers and mint are all pushed forward in this deceptively understated Champagne from Egly-Ouriet. This release is 50% 2010, 16% 2009, 16% 2008 and 16% 2007, aged in equal parts neutral oak and tank. Dosage is 4 grams/liter. Disgorged: July 2015.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Grand Cru Tradition is bright, powerful and focused. Beams of acidity and mineral push the flavors forward and give the wine much of its pulsating energy. Candied lemon, smoke, crushed rocks, mint and dried pear are some of the notes that meld into the sculpted finish. Given the wine's tension and punch, I might cellar the Brut Tradition for another 6-12 months. This is a terrific showing. In this release, the blend is 50% 2009, 30% 2008 and 20% 2007. Dosage is 4 grams/liter. Disgorged: November 2014.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Grand Cru Tradition is super-expressive. A wine of texture and harmony, the Tradition impresses for its exceptional balance and seamless, inviting personality. Although most of the fruit is Pinot from Ambonnay and Bouzy, the flavors are bright, precise and beautifully lifted in the glass. Chalky notes support the striking finish in this deceptively structured, tightly wound Champagne from Egly-Ouriet. The Tradition spent a full 48 months on the lees and was disgorged in July 2013.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Grand Cru Tradition, Egly-Ouriet's entry-level Champagne, is terrific. Rich, burnished and beautifully expressive, the Grand Cru Tradition flows across the palate with succulent yellow stone fruits, spices, dried flowers and rosemary. The broad, resonant style is hugely appealing and so typical of the Egly-Ouriet house style. This is a great showing. The Grand Cru Tradition is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, all from sites in Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay. The bottle was disgorged in November 2012 after having spent 52 months on the lees, an exceedingly long time for a straight NV Champagne.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Egly-Ouriet's NV Brut Tradition often punches above its weight. That is certainly the case here. Extended aging on the lees – an Egly signature – along with a majority of Pinot Noir gives the Brut Tradition much of its breadth, power and richness. The personality of Ambonnay in all of its glory comes through loud and clear. This edition is based on 2007, with 50% reserve wines from 2006, 2005 and 2004. We are off to a great start.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru possesses gorgeous warmth and openness in a radiant, broad-shouldered style that is impossible to resist. Deep and textured through to the finish, the Tradition Grand Cru combines richness and minerality with notable finesse. Spice and smoke nuances add complexity on the dazzling finish. The Brut Tradition Grand Cru spent 36 months in its lees prior to being disgorged in July, 2010.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru, from the villages of Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay, spent 40 months on its lees. Here the oak is a bit more intrusive, as sweet vanilla and spices seems to cover some of the varietal character. Texturally the wine is quite pretty, but the wine lacks just that touch of balance that makes the best wines from this address so compelling. Disgorged November, 2008.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru (75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay) is made in a muscular, weighty style that reveals impressive richness and density in its fruit. The wine possesses outstanding persistence on the palate but finishes rather tight, suggesting at least a few additional months of bottle age are warranted. This is a distinctly fruit-driven, opulent style of Champagne. The Brut Tradition Grand Cru spent 36 months on its lees and was disgorged in July 2008.
Reviewed by: Ian d'Agata
I indulged in two classics, the NV Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Brut Tradition and the 2014 Domaine Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Ampodium. The former was its usual delightful self; not just a great way to start off the meal, but also lovely throughout the entirety of the dinner. I found that the red fruit, dried pear, ginger and sweet spice flavors and rich texture nicely stood up even to the duck meat.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
(75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay, from fruit grown in Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay; disgorged in July, 2013 after 48 months on its lees; roughly 5 g/l dosage): Light yellow-gold. Musky pear skin and honey scents are lifted and sharpened by suggestions of lemon pith and candied ginger. Smoky and expansive on the palate, offering toasty, lees-accented orchard and pit fruit flavors that are given spine by juicy acidity. The toasty note comes back on the finish, which lingers with strong, stony tenacity. I really like the interplay of power and finesse here.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
(75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay, grown in Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay; aged on its yeasts for 52 months and disgorged November, 2012): Limpid gold. Fresh redcurrant and nectarine scents are complicated by notes of fresh rose, toasty lees and quinine. Densely packed red berry and orchard fruit flavors are given a refreshingly bitter edge by a note of blood orange and pick up a smoky nuance with aeration. Closes spicy and long, with lingering smokiness and very good focus.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
(70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay from Ambonnay and Verzenay; disgorged July, 2011 after 48 months on its lees): Bright gold. An exotic bouquet calls forth peach pit, pear skin, chamomile and vanilla, with a spicy topnote. Fleshy, expansive and deeply pitched orchard and pit fruit flavors gain energy with air, picking up notes of lemon pith and licorice. Closes broad and long, with resonating spiciness and very good punch.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
(disgorged July, 2006) Pale gold. Ripe pear, melon, peach pit and honeysuckle aromas, with a gentle mineral accent. Subtle notes of lees and marzipan complement fresh pear and white peach flavors. A nicely focused, midweight Champagne with a bright citrus peel element carrying through the finish. Vibrant and refined.
About the Producer
Francis Egly sets the standard for wine-growers throughout the Champagne region, with his stringent work ethic, levels of stock that allow long fermentation on lees, and precise labeling that states the date of dis-gorgement and the duration of that fer-mentation on lees. The warm soils of Ambonnay bring the pinot noir to peak ripeness, maintaining a consistent level of quality in his grapes for the past ten years. Egly's two most outstanding cuvees are, first, the incredible, uniquely opulent non-vintage Blanc de Noirs: and the Coteaux Champenois, a wine made in pitifully small quantities but arguably the very best avail-able in Champagne today. But even at entry level, the deliciously subtle, 100 per cent pinot Meunier Les Vignes de Vrigny puts on exemplary performance. This is, in short, the most complete, homogeneous range of wines ever from this exceptional producer, who now boasts ultramodern facilities that should allow him to raise the bar even higher.
