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Ratafia de Champagne is a liqueur aperitif, made with the juice of freshly picked Champagne grapes fortified immediately after pressing (to prevent fermentation commencing). This fortification comes via grape spirit distilled from Champagne grape skins. It’s a style of wine that belongs to the same family as Cognac’s Pineau des Charentes.
Having said all of that, as with anything that is bottled by this great grower, the Egly Ratafia is not your average example of the genre. Apart from the renowned work in the vineyard, Egly uses only perfectly ripe, 100% Grand Cru, estate-grown and sorted Pinot Noir fruit—while most producers of Ratafia use their weakest grapes and wines. This is also from a single vintage, in this case, 2018. The fruit was sorted and pressed gently and the finest of grape spirit or marc (distilled from Egly’s own fruit of course) was added. It then spent four years mellowing in barrel.
As we have come to expect, this perfectionist grower refuses to aim for anything less than greatness, no matter what he is making. As a result, this is a stunningly pure and intense expression of Ratafia that can be drunk on its own, over ice, with soda, or used to make a wonderful version of kir. It also stays fresh in the fridge for months. Bottled in 2023.