Champagne Extra Brut
Millésime 2015

The Champagne Millésime 2015 by Egly-Ouriet originates in the Grand Cru of Ambonnay, regarded as the absolute pinnacle for Pinot Noir in Champagne, where the deeply chalky soils and old vines—averaging around forty years of age—endow the wines with a natural concentration and a rare intensity. This cuvée tells the most uncompromising story of the growers' Champagne: one of extremely low yields, respect for the terroir, and an almost monastic patience, in which every gesture is devoted to preserving the identity of each individual cru.

This edition, Millésime 2015, is built on a predominance of Pinot Noir, rounded out by 30% Chardonnay, with grapes sourced exclusively from old vines. Vinification and fermentation take place entirely in wood, naturally and with indigenous yeasts alone, followed by roughly a year of maturation during which the wine clarifies slowly, just as it was done fifty years ago—without filtration or fining. After bottling (tirage) come 96 months of ageing on the lees before disgorgement, and the final dosage of 1 g/l, in an Extra Brut style, lets the chalk (craie) and the fruit speak for themselves.

On tasting, it reveals a bold, luminous character, in which the nobility of Pinot Noir interweaves with a mineral backbone that traces its profile with crystalline clarity. On the palate the sip is enveloping and multifaceted, driven by a pulsing freshness that lends it nerve and elegance, while the extended ageing on the lees imparts a dense texture and a complexity that recalls the great terroirs of Burgundy. The finish, long and finely chiselled, unfurls notes of fruit and bread crust in impeccable balance, taking its leave on a savoury, saline return of rare persistence.