Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru V.P. Disg July 25, Champagne

 
Vintages: 2017 (50%), 2016 (30%), 2015 (20%)
 
Bottling:  2018

Disgorgement: July 2025

Time on lees: 84 months

V.P. stands for Vieillissement Prolongé (prolonged aging), as this wine spends an extended period on lees—in the case of this release, 84 months. Like the Grand Cru Brut, this is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, and the fruit comes from Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay—all Grand Cru terroirs. Vinification and the initial maturation were in oak casks, and dosage for both wines was only 1 g/L.

Those who have tasted this cuvée in the past know the power of the fruit and extended lees aging grant so much harmony, length, complexity and texture. That’s precisely what you get: a vinous, powerful, super-pure Champagne. Intense and statuesque, yet with so much class. Already impressive, it’s still very young and deserves to be kept for a few more years before being opened.

Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru V.P. (Vieillissement Prolongé) is one of the most profound non-vintage Champagnes on the planet, a wine that blurs the line between prestige cuvée and vintage bottling. V.P. stands for prolonged ageing and that is the key to its grandeur. It is composed entirely of grand cru fruit from Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay, with Pinot Noir typically dominating the blend and Chardonnay bringing precision and lift. The base wine spends an exceptionally long time on lees, often well over 7 years before disgorgement, building remarkable texture, depth and savoury complexity while maintaining the tension and mineral drive of chalk rich terroir. This is a connoisseur’s Champagne that rewards contemplation.

The bouquet is expansive and multi-layered. Ripe orchard fruit, lemon curd and baked apple meet toasted hazelnut, almond pastry and brioche from extended lees time. Beneath the richness sit mineral notes of chalk and crushed stone, alongside hints of quince, dried flowers, spice and a faint oxidative nuance reminiscent of grand cru white Burgundy. As it opens, the wine reveals deeper tones of honeycomb, grilled citrus, cocoa and a whisper of smoke.

The palate is powerful and structured yet perfectly balanced, demonstrating the vinous style for which Egly-Ouriet is revered. Silky bubbles carry flavours of pear, peach skin, citrus oil and roasted nuts across a concentrated, almost creamy mid palate. A spine of bright acidity and chalky minerality draws the wine long, leaving a persistent finish of citrus zest, savoury brioche and fine saline tension. It is thrilling now but has the capacity to age gracefully for a decade or more, evolving into even greater complexity.

It excels with lobster, scallops in butter, roast chicken, truffled dishes, aged Comté or simply served as a statement bottle at a special celebration. This is Champagne for those who love intensity, texture and the unmistakable stamp of grand cru Pinot Noir.