Champagne Extra Brut Grand Cru

Score

95

"Although this appears as the 'house' non-vintage, in character it is more akin to a vintage wine that needs some time on cork. Tasted young, the saturated fruit – apricot, spiced apples, grilled lemons – is already expressive, yet not fully unsprung. Based on 2018 with 40% reserves back to 2016, the heat of 2018 is in the fruit profile rather than weight or grip, and is more about persistence than pure power, underlined by the oak élevage yet not coloured by it. 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay. 100% barrel fermentation."

Score

92+

"Based on the generously structured 2019 vintage defined by a concentrated and small yield, with 50% reserve wines from 2018 and 2017, Egly's latest NV Grand Cru was disgorged in October 2024 with two grams per liter dosage. As always, it was sourced mainly from Ambonnay, complemented by 20% of fruit from Bouzy, Verzenay and Verzy. Soaring from the glass with scents of pear, pastries, peach and honeysuckle mingling with orange zest, it is medium- to full-bodied, concentrated and rich, supported by tangy acidity and concluding with a long, saline finish. It is vinified entirely in wood."

Score

18

"Every time I lift this glass, I smell something else. At first it was toasted oats; then nectarines; then lemongrass. It's instantly obvious that it's more powerful, driven, intentional than Les Prémices. The timbre drops from alto to tenor, on the cusp of baritone. The cadence lengthens. The dynamics intensify. The wine is dramatically creamy with deep caramelised undertones, an adagio of brûlée swirled through the cream, through the peach purée of fruit, past the toasted-hazelnut crunch. It's complex and magnificent, demanding time, attention, and preferably a rare, marbled steak (from regeneratively farmed, pasture-raised beef). (TC)"