Champagne Egly-Ouriet Millésimé Brut Grand Cru 2008 (Magnum 1.5L)

Amongst Champagne lovers, Egly-Ouriet is a name that needs no introduction. Set amongst the rolling grasslands and hills of Ambonnay, the Egly family has been producing Champagne since the 1930s. Their holdings are small – only 29 acres total – yet precisely chosen, with mostly Grand Cru vineyards in Ambonnay, Verzenay, and Bouzy for their chardonnay and pinot noir holdings, and a bit of Premier Cru in Vrigny. The rise in quality and reputation can be attributed to one man, Francis Egly. Named for the founder of the estate, from three generations prior, Francis has guided Egly-Ouriet’s transformation – from obscure grower house, to the pre-eminent Grower Champagne house. Francis farms organically, and harvests the grapes by hand at full ripeness to ensure his vinous style that famed Champagne critic Peter Liem calls “Burgundy with bubbles”. And it truly is just that. I don’t know how Francis does what he does, but he does it better than almost anybody.

Would you believe us if we said this was only the second ever 100-point Champagne (and first ever for a “grower”!) in Wine Advocate history? How we got any of this is a miracle – no less, a handful of highly allocated MAGS – so, we highly suggest moving fast to secure the first ever 100-point grower Champagne! It’s true. Equally unsurprising, however, is that it is Egly-Ouriet! Egly's practice of harvesting very ripe grapes and aging in barrel for years longer than almost any other Champagne house are some of the practices that set his art apart from the rest, and in a spectacular vintage like 2008, it all came together magically.

The 750s are some of the hardest bottles of Champagne to find right now, and the fact that these are magnums make that doubly true here. Believe us, the price in the future will continue to rise. If you love world-class bubbles and need a celebration-worthy bottle, today is the day to STRIKE. We have but five bottles, and they will almost certainly be gone in a flash!