Egly-Ouriet Extra Brut Champagne Grand Cru (formerly Tradition) NV

96 points James Suckling: "Tight, almost austere. Very chalky and mineral, showing strawberries and fresh apples with tarte tatin complexity. Violets, ginger and vibrant citrus as well. Medium-bodied with pinprick bubbles and some vinous character on the structured palate. Depth, energy and singed-bread flavors. Refined finish. 70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay. So elegant. Drink or hold. (7/17/25)"

96 points/'Le Coup de Coeur,' La Revue du Vin de France: "The extra-brut grand cru is at the dawn of its peak, but already impresses with its maturity, density, and balance. (2026)"

94-96 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(70% pinot noir, 30% chardonnay; 70% Ambonnay and the remainder Bouzy, Verzenay and Verzy; entirely wild fermented and aged in oak casks; aged 4 years on lees; 2g/L dosage; 50-60,000 bottles). Formerly named 'Brut Tradition' when it was effectively the entry non-vintage of the house, now ascending the ranks (not least in price) with not only Vignes de Vrigny below it but now also Les Prémices and Les Vignes de Bisseuil. Nonetheless, this is where Egly proper commences, from its glorious home slopes of Ambonnay and surrounding grand crus of the south-eastern and north-eastern Montagne de Reims. The mesmerising depth and fragrance of pinot noir triumphs in the hands of Egly, even in the challenging 2017 base vintage. Deep black and red cherry fruit is bathed in spice and all the texture and mystique of barrel fermentation, accented with a nuance of charcuterie. Chalk minerality and vibrant acidity drive a long finish. The 2016 base has delivered a brilliant, signature Egly, the essence of Ambonnay and of Egly-Ouriet. This fabled grower is distinguished for his ability to preserve exacting precision and outstanding chalk mineral focus in the midst of magnificent generosity. This is a vinous wine of calm authority, carrying the full grandeur and complexity of carefully tended, old-vine pinot noir on four of Champagne’s most revered grand crus, with the reverberating depth of Ambonnay and Bouzy freshened with the lift of Verzenay and Verzy. Testimony to Egly's fanatical attention to detail this release is fresher and more pure than ever, and yet more complex too, basking in the textural presence of long lees age. It's alive with fantastic red cherry purity and rose petal fragrance, framed in brilliant chalk mineral freshness and wonderful acid drive that carries a sensational finish of brilliant line and length. (Edition VII; 2024)"

95 points Tom Hewson (Decanter): "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. Drinking Window: 2025-2035. (1/6/24)"

94 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "A youthful straw color, aged for four years on the lees before disgorgement, the NV Champagne Grand Cru Brut is composed of 70% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay. It comes from the historical vineyards of the family in Bouzy and Verzenay, as well as those located in Ambonnay. I love this wine, with its notes of wet stones and black raspberries. Based on 2020, it has more focus and tension; the mousse is spritely and energetic, with a nice level of clarity and pithy citrus. Drink 2025-2040. (12/15/25)"

94 points Bettane & Desseauve Guide (2025).

93 points Essi Avellan, MW: "(70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay; base 2018). The name change from Brut Tradition to Brut Grand Cru has certainly given the wine the prestige it deserves. Truly the essence of Egly, here Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay fruit mix in harmony with a third of Chardonnay bringing freshness and lift to the intense whole. Here we experience another level of power with a fragrant juniper wood tone marrying perfectly with complex pencil shaving, fruit salad, apple compote and spicy aromatics. The rich and textured palate is enlivened by the wine’s brisk acidic backbone and salivating minerality. This 2018 based blend is almost chewy in its impressive concentration, overt and enjoyable already but it comes with all the building blocks of ageing. (Feb 2024)"

92+ points Kristaps Karklins (Wine Advocate): "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. Drink: 2026-2037. (5/8/25)"