Egly-Ouriet Champagne

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“This range from Francis Egly is one of the most impressive I tasted. Egly farms eight hectares of old-vine plots, the lion’s share of which are in his home base of Ambonnay. The wines are made in a pure, unmanipulated fashion with no filtration in a style that clearly highlights the qualities of variety and terroir to the fullest. In short, I always look forward to drinking the wines of Egly-Ouriet, and I can’t recommend these Champagnes highly enough. ”—The Wine Advocate

Francis Egly, simply put, represents the pinnacle of artisanal winemaking in Champagne.

While we have tasted plenty of wines from excellent producers both big and small, we have been long convinced that few, if any, bottles approach the level of excellence that practically every bottle of Egly Grand Cru Champagne does. You’ll find Egly Champagne on the wine lists of the world’s three-star restaurants. You’ll also find it in the cellars of those who know that while Krug and other top producers can easily be had for a certain (often exaggerated) price, Egly Champagne is both rare and exceptional. It is produced in microscopic quantities; it has few peers in terms of quality; and if you appreciate fine Champagne, it is certainly worth going any length to acquire.

With vines in Bouzy, Verzenay and in the heart of Ambonnay, Francis Egly is able to craft rich, vinous Champagne with incredible character, grace and length. Most of his south-facing vines are 30 to 40 years old—ancient for Champagne—and are very low yielding. Egly’s work in the cellar too is unparalleled; most of his wines spend years on fine lees at the minimum, which contributes extra layers of concentration and a profound depth of flavor. Each label is marked with the date of disgorgement and just how long the wine spent aged on lees. It is this extra qualitative step that shows just how serious a winemaker Francis Egly is, and why his wines are always in high demand.

While it is no secret that demand for fine Champagne has always been great, today this is truer than ever. New markets and low-yielding vintages have resulted in a dearth of quality Champagne. What we are able to bring you, especially from a producer such as Egly, is limited. Egly produces very little wine from his 20 acres of land for the world, and he estimates that he has easily a third more demand for his Champagne than he has wine to offer. What does this mean for you? Fine Champagne is a worthy investment especially when you know that the quality of wine in the bottle, and the work that went in to make it so, is without peer. This is the always the case with Egly—if you are looking for the finest in Champagne, you’ve certainly found it here.

Almost weekly I get customers whom come through and make comments similar to this:

“We just returned from a trip to Europe and the wine was different than the wine in the U.S. No hangovers, headaches, stuffiness – we could drink considerably more wine than we can in the U.S. with absolutely no side effects! We were told by some friends that there are no sulfites added to French wine (though the U.S. makes them add them to any French wine imported into the U.S.) Is that true?”

Well, no, actually it’s not. Sulfites are a natural, organic preservative that humans have been using in wine and other foods for several thousand years. The only difference between France and the U.S. is that the U.S. requires a warning label, and warning labels create the unfortunate impression that where there’s a warning, there must be something dangerous afoot.

And in fact there is, but that danger threatens only a relative handful of individuals – sulfite-sensitive asthmatics – for whom any exposure to sulfites could trigger potentially fatal respiratory problems. But sulfite-sensitive adults already know what they must avoid – a list that includes wine, fruit juice, sausages, salad bars and many other foodstuffs that routinely use sulfiting in production.

If you get a headache or a stuffy nose after drinking wine, you may be allergic to something – very likely the histamines in some red wines, or in the case of hangovers, simple over-indulgence. But it’s not the sulfites.

So why do so many travelers (me, too!) report being able to enjoy a little harmless over-indulgence on vacation without the recriminations that would surely ensue at home? My guess, frankly, is that it’s mostly psychological. We’re traveling, we’re relaxed, we’re having a great time, and we shrug off minor irritations that would seem more bothersome on a working day. Whatever the explanation of this happy consequence, I can say one thing with certainty: It doesn’t have anything to do with sulfites in the wine. To repeat: The only difference between the wines we drink in France (or Italy, or anywhere else in Europe) and the wines we enjoy at home is the warning label.

Now to the labeling, “organic sulfite free,” terminology that requires a little explanation. Under relatively recent federal regulations governing organic labeling, a wine made with organic vineyard practices but using sulfites as a natural preservative must be labeled “Made with organically grown grapes.” To qualify for the label “organic sulfite free,” it must have no sulfites added during production; however, it may contain up to 10 parts per million naturally occurring sulfites, a small dose that occurs as a byproduct of fermentation. In short, “sulfite-free” isn’t, really, although the sulfites are at such a low level that even sensitive individuals shouldn’t be able to detect them.

-Special Thanks to R Garr for this information-

I can’t say enough about the quality and breadth of the wines that David O’Reilly produces from Washington and Oregon Fruit. There is something for everyone, in every price range from $12 – $50. I struggle to think of a domestic wine producer we carry here at Avon Liquor that caters to all pocketbooks and has so much exciting and high quality vino for all of the aforementioned pocketbooks.

His flagship label, Owen Roe, features two delicious Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs around $45; a Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon for $45; two beautiful but rare Cabernet Francs for $45; Yakima Valley Red, a fantastic right bank Bordeaux styled wine for $45; Sinister Hand, a Southern Rhone styled blend for $28; the rich and full-bodied Ex-Umbris Syrah for $28; and a super tasty 10-varietal blend called Abbot’s Table for $28. I can confidently say that each of these wines, starting at nearly $30/bottle, are stiff competition for many bottles priced twice as much, and this fact continues right through to each and every wine he produces.

There are two wines in the popular Sharecroppers line, essentially a second label for Owen Roe. The  Willamette Pinot Noir is a regular best seller in the store and does well as a by-the-glass pour for many of my fellow Sommelier’s in the Vail Valley. A Yakima Valley Cabernet Sauvignon also delivers great value, with both of these wines priced in the low $20 range.

The O’Reilly tier features three wines of impressive value; a $19 Oregon Pinot Noir, $15 Columbia Valley Pinot Gris, and a great Yakima Valley Riesling for $13. These wines are unbeatable for the price, buy with confidence.

A new project for David is Corvidae, a winery that used to be a dairy plant in the Sunnyside, Washington area. The two wines I’ve had that are currently available from this exciting project are the Mirth Chardonnay at $12; which is a blend of Oregon & Washington Chardonnay that uses no malo-lactic conversion(the buttery character found in many domestic Chardonnays) and a scant 5% neutral oak aging(think Pacific Northwest style of Chablis), and a Cabernet-Syrah-Merlot called ‘Rook’; a super-smooth, easy-drinking blend for $14. These two wines are currently best sellers here at Avon Liquor, and David spoke of other wines to come in this range with me over dinner last month. I can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve! -Kevin Lawrence

The economy is posing a challenge to all wine drinkers to find wines that are in a more affordable price range that are still of good quality.  The good news is; there are a lot of amazing wines under $15.00 if you are willing to experiment with some different countries.

  Spain leads the way with soft and supple Riojas, Ribera del Dueros, Monastrells, and Grenaches. Argentina has wonderful Malbecs from $7.99 and up.  Chile is a great country to look for Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot Noir.  Australia continues to make killer Shiraz, Grenache, Cabernet and blends that are easy on your pocket book.  Don’t forget Italy with well priced blends of Sangiovese and Cabernet, Tuscano wines and Pinot Grigio still is a value.

  Cary at Avon Liquor suggests:

Spain: Castillio de Monseran Garnacha- 100 year old vine Grenache for just   $8.99

Argentina- San Palo Auka Malbec -$11.99

Chile- Artesi Pinot Noir- $10.99

Australia- d’Arenberg Stump Jump-Grenache/Shiraz/Mouvedre blend- $12.99

Italy- Fossetti Rosso Toscano- $13.99

ENJOY!!