Egly-Ouriet Les Vignes de Vrigny is a distinctive single-vineyard Champagne made entirely from Pinot Meunier. Produced from old vines in the Premier Cru village of Vrigny, it offers a rare and compelling expression of a grape variety that is often used as a supporting component in Champagne blends but is seldom given such a prestigious solo presentation.
Decanter: 93 Points
Fragrant and focused, with notes of fresh apricot, almond, ripe orange fruit and bright citrus. Decanter praised this 100% Pinot Meunier Champagne for its clarity, freshness and precise, energetic character.
Jeb Dunnuck: 93 Points
Fresh and energetic, offering notes of raspberry, strawberry, wet stone and freshly baked bread. The palate is inviting and finely textured, with chalky minerality, vibrant acidity and a long finish.
The Wine Advocate: 92 Points
Aromas of green apple, white flowers, freshly baked bread and crushed mint lead to a pure, vinous and beautifully precise palate with lively acidity and a savory finish.
Critic reviews may refer to different base vintages and disgorgements of this non-vintage Champagne.
The fruit comes from a single east-facing parcel of vines more than 50 years old in Vrigny, located in the northern Montagne de Reims. This sector is essentially an extension of the region's celebrated chalky slopes, providing the freshness, mineral character and structure necessary to produce a serious, age-worthy Champagne.
Francis Egly farms the vineyard according to practicing organic principles, with careful soil cultivation, low yields and close attention to fruit maturity. The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Unlike many of the estate's barrel-fermented cuvees, Les Vignes de Vrigny is fermented and matured in stainless steel, preserving the purity, brightness and aromatic character of the Pinot Meunier.
Malolactic fermentation is avoided to retain the wine's natural acidity and energy. Following secondary fermentation, the Champagne spends approximately three years aging on its lees before disgorgement. A very low dosage of approximately 2 grams per liter creates a precise Extra Brut style, while bottling without fining or filtration preserves the wine's texture, concentration and individual vineyard character.
Expressive and inviting, Les Vignes de Vrigny offers aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, red apple and ripe orchard fruit, accompanied by notes of dried flowers, fresh bread, hazelnut and gentle spice. The palate is energetic and beautifully textured, with a fine mousse, vibrant acidity and a distinctive combination of ripe fruit and chalky mineral tension.
Pinot Meunier provides generosity and immediate aromatic appeal, while the old vines, low dosage and extended lees aging bring impressive depth and structure. Notes of red berries, pear, citrus peel, toasted grain and savory spice unfold across the palate, leading to a persistent, dry and gently saline finish.
Les Vignes de Vrigny is an exceptional demonstration of the complexity and refinement Pinot Meunier can achieve when grown in a distinguished site and treated with the same care normally reserved for Champagne's most celebrated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards.
Excellent as an aperitif, it also pairs beautifully with charcuterie, smoked salmon, roast chicken, pork, duck, mushroom dishes, grilled fish and moderately aged cheeses.
Grape variety: 100% Pinot Meunier
Appellation: Champagne Premier Cru
Village: Vrigny, Montagne de Reims
Vineyard: Single east-facing estate parcel
Vine age: More than 50 years
Farming: Practicing organic
Fermentation: Indigenous yeasts in stainless-steel tanks
Elevage: Matured in stainless steel
Malolactic fermentation: Blocked
Lees aging: Approximately 36 months
Dosage: Approximately 2 grams per liter
Bottling: Unfined and unfiltered
Style: Extra Brut sparkling white Champagne
Bottle size: 750ml
Base vintages, reserve wine proportions, lees-aging period, dosage and disgorgement date may vary by release.
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