Winemaker Notes
Few winemakers plant Pinot Meunier on premier cru land; fewer still on terroir that is essentially an extension of the noble Montaigne de Reims. This 100% Pinot Meunier spent 38 months on its lees, way more than any other Pinot Meunier wine in the region. (For most Champagne houses, this is the time they give their very top cuvées; for Egly, this is the minimum.) Remarkably fresh and citrus-driven. Aromas of red currants, roses and lively, warm notes of lemon curd on toast. Rich, fresh and extraordinarily complex on the palate; Mirabelle plums and peaches combine with a peppery energy. A classic Champagne that has no peer.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Fresh style with purity of fruit yet not without complexity. Red apples and strawberries with spicy redcurrants, walnuts and chalk. Fine mousse. Vinous on the palate, showing oranges, ginger, crisp acidity and a polished finish with a touch of minerals. Good substance and balance. 100% pinot meunier.
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Wine Spectator
Bright and deeply golden in color, with a rich nose of roasted nut and a fine, pointillist bead carrying notes of dried raspberry, white truffle, quince paste, chamomile and oyster shell. Soft orange peel acidity and a tang of salinity keep this fresh on the palate and drive the long, creamy finish. Reminiscent of Spain's Vina Gravonia Rioja Blanco, but with bubbles. Disgorged November 2021. Drink now through 2030. 75 cases imported.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Made from 50% reserve wine with the base 2018, the NV Champagne Les Vignes de Vrigny is fruity and fresh with great energy in its notes of raspberry, strawberry, and wet stone. The palate is medium-bodied and inviting, with fresh yeasty bread dough and a granular. chalky texture. Entirely Meunier, it’s long and has a spine of acidity.
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Vinous
The NV Brut Les Vignes de Vrigny 1er Cru is gorgeous in the way it balances the natural depth of Meunier with real energy and vibrancy. Dried pear, spice and crushed flowers all open in the glass, but what impresses me about this release of Egly's pure Meunier is its translucence and finesse. The Vignes de Vrigny is so expressive and gorgeous in this release. Disgorged: July, 2020. Drinking window: 2021 - 2030
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Issuing from four parcels planted with Pinot Meunier in 1970 and vinified entirely in tank, Egly's latest release of the NV Les Vignes de Vrigny is based on the 2020 vintage and incorporates 50% reserve wines (from 2019 and 2018). Offering up an expressive bouquet of pear, rye bread and red cherry, it is medium- to full-bodied, fleshy and fruit-forward, with ripe but racy acidity and an expansive finish.
A term typically reserved for Champagne and Sparkling Wines, non-vintage or simply “NV” on a label indicates a blend of finished wines from different vintages (years of harvest). To make non-vintage Champagne, typically the current year’s harvest (in other words, the current vintage) forms the base of the blend. Finished wines from previous years, called “vins de reserve” are blended in at approximately 10-50% of the total volume in order to achieve the flavor, complexity, body and acidity for the desired house style. A tiny proportion of Champagnes are made from a single vintage.
There are also some very large production still wines that may not claim one particular vintage. This would be at the discretion of the winemaker’s goals for character of the final wine.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’