Egly-Ouriet Brut Champagne Blanc de Noirs Vieilles Vignes NV

100 points Bettanne & Desseauve (2024).

98+ points William Kelley (Wine Advocate): "A blend of the 2016 and 2015 vintages, the NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Crayères is an especially good rendition of this almost routinely sublime bottling. Unwinding in the glass with notes of pear, wild berries, clear honey, white flowers, praline and freshly baked bread, it's medium to full-bodied, beautifully layered and textural, with a taut, concentrated core, racy acids and a long, mineral finish. This chiseled, intensely flavored Champagne was disgorged this year with only one gram per liter dosage. Drink: 2025-2040. (12/14/23)"

98 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(2012 base fintage with 50% 2011 reserves; aged 72 months on lees; 100% pinot, from a single lieu-dit, 'Les Crayères', planted in 1946 in shallow 30cm-deep soils in a warm, south-facing amphitheatre high up the Ambonnay slope; fermented and matured in barriques; 3g/L dosage). Francis Egly describes the grapes of Les Crayères as ‘very small and very aromatic’, producing a champagne ‘for gastronomy, with presence and structure’, quoting with pride that others have dubbed it ‘Burgundy with bubbles’. This warm amphitheatre high up the Ambonnay slope epitomises the golden sunlight, glowing warmth and magnificent mineral expression of Egly-Ouriet and gives birth to his finest cuvée of all. In sheer length, line and juxtaposition between exacting chalk mineral focus and grandeur of other-worldly depths, this is one of the greatest sparkling pinots on the planet. An anthem to pinot noir, the depth and complexity on parade here are of grand cru Burgundian proportions, welling up from a deep core of black cherries, black plums and figs, erupting with hedonistic layers of violets, plum liqueur, fruit mince spice, dark chocolate and vanilla nougat. (2020-2021)"

98 points La Revue du Vin de France: "With Les Crayeres, we reach the holy grail: the nobility of pinot noir takes on its full meaning, we find the hint of stone and a magnificent autolysis. The palate is a perfect blend of power and fine texture. (2025)"

97 points Sarah Mayo (The Wine Independent): "The only single vineyard cuvée produced by Egly Ouriet, the Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs NV comes from an old-vine plot in Les Crayeres with very deep chalky soils. 50% of this barrel fermented cuvée is from the 2016 vintage with the other 50% from 2015. Light rose gold in color, it explodes from the glass with wonderfully complex and expressive red berry, black cherry, wilted rose, yuzu confit, toasted brioche and honey aromas. Medium-bodied with abundant ripe citrus and red currant concentration, the super fine mousse is infused with racy, filigreed acidity that adds finesse to the exceptionally long and chalky finish with hints of lemon peel. Disgorged July 2023 and finished with two grams per liter dosage. Alcohol 12.5%. Drink: 2023-2040. (11/8/23)"

96 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "The NV Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut is incredibly expressive and complete aromatically. It pours a golden hue and has a perfume of red flowers, kirsch, brioche, and a delicate touch of smoke. This is a wine that evolves in the glass and develops almost espresso-like richness with time. It is full-bodied but remains elegant, with good concentration and a long finish. It feels sunny. It spent 72 months on the lees before disgorgement in July 2021. (11/17/23)"