Egly-Ouriet Brut Champagne Blanc de Noirs Vieilles Vignes NV

99 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Aged 72 months on lees, fermented in barrel with full malo, the NV Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs Brut Les Crayères Vieilles Vignes is just a heavenly bottle, offering a kaleidoscope-like nose of buttered citrus, orange blossom, flowers, green almonds, and salty minerality. These flow to a full-bodied, rich, deep, and incredibly layered palate Champagne that flirts with perfection. It’s stunning today yet it should easily evolve for another 20 years. Drink: 2020-2040. (Nov 2020)"

99 points Bettanne & Desseauve: "Nose worthy of the great flavors between cherry, raspberry, fresh greens, anise, butter and hazelnut. Sweet spices and fresh vegetation round out this complex composition. Palate of kirsch, sappy with fatty bitters. Incredible length. (2022)"

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)"

96+ points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The NV Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Crayeres Grand Cru explodes from the glass with a range of Pinot aromas and flavors that is just breathtaking. Bright acids and beams of saline intensity offer striking contrast. Even though it has just been Disgorged:, the Crayeres is just stunning. For readers who want to know what Pinot from Ambonnay tastes like, well, this is it. Hints of Mirabelle plum, red plum and dried flowers linger on the substantial finish. Disgorged: July, 2020. Drink: 2022-2032. (Nov 2020)"