Egly Ouriet 1er Cru Les Vignes de Vrigny NV (Base 18, Disg July 2022)
Vintages: 2018 (50%), 2017 (30%), 2016 (20%)
Bottling: 2019
Disgorgement: July 2022
Time on lees: 36 months
As always, this is 100% Pinot Meunier from a single 40-year-old, south-facing vineyard in Vrigny, a commune located on the Petite Montagne de Reims (next to Gueux, where Jérôme Prévost is based). Straight Pinot Meunier remains a rarity in Champagne and in Egly’s hands it is something truly unique. Low yields, old vines and ripe fruit make this one of the most intense, layered and opulent Meunier wines kicking around. Bottled without filtration, the dosage for this bottling was a tiny two grams per litre.
100% Pinot Meunier. A variety that is oft overlooked in the region with producers like Jerome Prevost and Egly-Ouriet showing what the variety is capable of in caring hands. Soft and more gentle than the other cuvees, yet still driving acidity. A red fruited core, it's elegant, fine and has a lovely pillowy mouthfeel. An outstanding Meunier Champagne. FWC.
“Based on the 2018 vintage, Egly’s newly disgorged NV Brut Premier Cru Les Vignes de Vrigny bursts with aromas of white peach, crisp orchard fruit, apple blossom and wet stones. Medium to full-bodied, ample and vibrant, with a pure, seamless profile and a precise, saline finish, it’s an immensely charming wine produced from Pinot Meunier vinified in tank.” 91 points, William Kelley, The Wine Advocate