The NV (2017) Extra-Brut Blanc de Noirs Les Crayères (100% Pinot Noir) is a wild, exotic wine. Kirsch, orange peel, star anise, cinnamon and dried flowers all soar out of the glass. The aromatics alone are both beguiling and highly detailed, offering penetrating depth to play off the wine's approachable, engaging personality. In this release, the Crayères strikes me as a bit forward. I would prefer to drink it over the next handful of years. Dosage is 1 gram per liter. Disgorged: July 2024. ~ (94) Antonio Galloni , Vinous 2-1-2025

Year after year, Egly’s NV Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru Les Crayères remains one of the most compelling and reliable wines from the Montagne de Reims. Sourced from a south-facing lieu-dit in Ambonnay that was planted between 1946 and 1947 on shallow chalk soils with just 30 centimeters of topsoil, it was disgorged in October 2024 with a dosage of one gram per liter. This release blends the richer 2017 vintage with the taut, incisive character of 2016. Notably, prior to 2000, Francis Egly produced this cuvée as a single-vintage expression, only later opting for a two-vintage blend to buffer against the variability of any given season. The wine ascends from the glass with a bouquet of remarkable complexity—aromas of acacia, ripe pear, orange zest, toasted nuts and patisserie elements unfurl. Full-bodied, concentrated and layered, with ample chalky structuring extract and mouthwatering acidity, it concludes with a long, saline finish. While I often vacillate between Les Crayères and the Millésime as to which I favor, this year, Les Crayères stands as the most captivating wine in the cellar. It offers immense youthful appeal yet promises to evolve beautifully with age. Readers would be wise not to hesitate—it fully lives up to its reputation, and I’d gladly secure bottles for my own cellar. ~ (98) Kristaps Karklins, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 5-8-2025