1999 Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru

The 1999 Brut Grand Cru is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from old vines in Ambonnay that spent a whopping 96 months on its lees. The wine exudes notable complexity in its dried apricots, peaches, baking spices, roasted nuts, ash, freshly baked cinnamon rolls and sweet toasted oak. This is a soft, creamy style of Champagne backed up with impressive structure. The oak notes are rather prominent at first, but then recede somewhat with air. Readers who prefer wines with less overt oak influence will probably enjoy some of the other releases more. This bottle was disgorged in July 2008.