Shay A

9.2

Opened during the WB virtual taste with Thomas Champs of the Vilmart family.

Disgorged April 2022; 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot noir; 7g/dosage; no malo; 10months in oak

While I’ve had Vilmart before, I’ve not focused on the wine and its history before the way I did with this virtual taste. Normally 7g/l dosage starts to cause me to pause, but this is another example of how dosage plays so many different instruments aside from sweetness. Beautiful texture and precision. Slight reduction upon opening. Brioche, lemon cream, honeycrisp apple (not tart; ripe), sea salt, faint honey. The mineral/chalk profile is upfront and the mousse is really nice and soft/creamy. A wonderful balance in acid, fruit, texture.

Followed over two days, and I may have enjoyed day two a small bit more! Always an incredible value. — 12 days ago

Matt Perlman

9.3

This was really really cool, had not tried a ratafia before. Somewhere between doux champagne and brandy — 5 months ago

Barberry Garden

9.0

Emotion unveils orange oil, red berries, bruised red apple, barberry, almonds, wet mouldy cellar and sausage roll (sic!). A bit disturbing and tempting at the same time. Pointy, oily and racy. Nice chalky finish.

Disgorged in May 2018
60 months on lees

Tasted on 2023-07-06 — 2 years ago

Remco Boer

9.0

Fresh, nice citrus. Leave to air a bit — 10 days ago

Andrea Watt

9.1

Classic dry and crisp champagne with tiny bubbles, lemon, and cream over a touch of minerality. — 4 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Vilmart is a producer that I don’t see posted often. I visited this property in 10/22. Ate the fruit they left behind two- three weeks after they picked the Pinot Noir in their Clos des Goisses vineyard. So bloody delicious. Once you’ve had a steady diet of vineyard grapes, you can no longer eat table grapes. The thing to know about Vilmart, they embrace neutral wood barrels. It’s what makes their cuvées so complex…the wood & air. This is one of their entry level cuvées.

Tonight is a four-course…finishing w/ apple tart from the farmers market. Pairs nicely. The palate is; golden & green bruised apple, Bosc pear, tropical fruits-green melon, kiwi, pineapple juice, lemon & lime flesh, tangerine hues, saline/sea spray, toast, brioche, vanillin, cream, touch of ginger, moist, fine chalkiness, grey volcanic minerals, beautiful acidity, yellow lilies, jasmine, well balanced and polished finish that lasts minutes. From 375ml. — 2 years ago

Brandon Boesch

9.5

Smells clean, forest after a rain, pepper, a bit of fruit. Palate is bigger than nose but so god with food. Cedar, cassis, dried cherries, pine, great tannin, earth. Just wonderful. — 4 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Dark ruby color with purple highlights and a slight garnet rim. Savory aromas of wet earth, ripe black fruit and coffee. Ripe blackberry, black currant and blueberry lead the palate with additional hints of espresso, charcoal and Asian spices. Long and very earthy finish. Extremely concentrated, vibrant and well balanced. Settling in to its “sweet spot.” — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

It’s well known that I will bring bubbles to nearly any occasion. However, when a meal presents a particularly difficult pairing, such as traditional Thanksgiving dinner, bubbles are a no brainer. Besides, we’re celebrating gratitude!

This bottle of the 2018 Grand Cellier d’OR was popped, poured and enjoyed over the course of dinner. The wine pours a straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing; bright with remarkable notes of lemon/lime citrus, green apple, tropical fruits, raspberries, and minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with high acid like fricken laser beams. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long, delicious and…*ahem*…chalk-full (sic) of minerals. This is a lovely example from Vilmart who, at this point, really need no introduction. Drink now through 2038. Disgorged July of 2022. — 5 months ago

Roberto Carli

9.5

Chablis-like restraint in a very good way. Nose is tense, citrus and lots of limestone, an almost reductive floral nose and a touch of silky softness to balance. Acidity is high but not crazy, strange considering the house style is supposedly to inhibit all malo. Great stuff, I want to drink lots of it — 3 years ago