Champagne Vilmart & Cie. Rilly la Montagne, Champagne

The story of Vilmart begins in 1872, with Desire Vilmart, founding a small Champagne company in the hamlet of Rilly in the Montagne de Reims. Five generations later, Laurent Champs has built Vilmart up to be regarded as 'arguably the best of the "grower" Champagnes.' Like Krug, Vilmart believes that fermentation and élevage in oak is the most effective means of developing a full spectrum of aromas, tastes, and textures. Celebrated importer/writer Terry Thiese raves about this house. "It's clear to me Vilmart is a Champagne house of unassailable consequence, a must-have for anyone interested in the possibilities of this most suavely powerful and graceful of all wines. Casks are hardly the point anymore. Organic viticulture, (truly!) low yields, remarkable polish of fruit, and the deliberate patient pursuit of perfection makes Laurent Champs' estate a gemstone gleaming among the chalk." In the May 2007 issue of Decanter, Tom Stevenson writes, "When I first tasted Vilmart in 1981 it was nothing special. But after it introduced oak in the late 1980s, a sea change in quality occured. By 1991, I declared Vilmart to be "poor man's Krug", "mini Krug" and "The greatest grower Champagne I know."

Grand Cellier N/V "As always two-thirds Chardonnay to one-third Pinot Noir (Vilmart uses a strikingly high proportion of Chardonnay for an estate on the Montagne de Reims), and most important, all cuvée; i.e. all free run juice. The essential "Grand Cellier" fragrance is lobster stock, saffron, and brioche, the wine is livelier and more neon than usual, with almost a Riesling zing and playfulness along with an ore-like minerality and a cool note of white irises, yet there's the whipped-cream fluffiness one anticipates from fine Champagne." Terry Thiese, importer and wine writer "Silver-straw. Pungent apple, pear and nut aromas; in a yeasty, lightly oxidative style strikingly reminiscent of a sous voile wine from the Jura. Deep and rich, with powerful apple, pear and walnut skin flavours and a refreshing, almost salty mineral tang. Drink this singular, wild Champagne with full-flavoured or washed rind cheeses, or even blues." 91 points, Josh Raynolds, International Wine Cellar "Alluring, toasty aromas of vanilla, coconut, and coffee mingle with fresh citrus, rhubarb and red currant flavours. Beautifully integrated with a fine mousse, this lingers with citrus and spice notes on the lomg finish. Drink now through 2011." 93 points, Wine Spectator, Nov 15, 2008

Coeur du Cuvée 2000 "From the heart of the free-run juice, from whose 2000 liters the first and last couple hundred are removed. This is regularly one of Champagne's great wines, though a certain patience is asked for; disgorged 11/07 and available late Summer 2008, there's a burning leaves aroma at first, and then a massive and esoteric concatenation of green and mineral fragrances so bound together you can hardly extricate them; it's still secretive (Laurent says "hermetic") but it has moves you ain't seen, my friend, and you'll want to be there when it chooses its moment." Terry Thiese, writer and importer "Montrachet with bubbles!" - Tom Stevenson, Decanter May 2007

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All wines are available by the unmixed case to Licensees and Private Consumers, subject to availability.

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