Vilmart&CieGrandCellierd’OR2016

Vilmart & Cie is a grower champagne and family home that originated in 1890 by Désiré Vilmart and ever since, sons and sons-in-law have followed, always with this love of the profession, allowing this small domain to become what it is today in the heart of the Montagne de Reims a few kilometres south of Reims in the village Rilly la Montagne. Laurent Champs, 5th generation family member and Chef de Cave of Vilmart is one of Champagne’s unsung heroes, wine critic Tom Stevenson described Vilmart as “the greatest grower Champagne I know.â€?There are 11 hectares of Premier Cru vineyards in Rilly-la-Montagne which are planted with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The oldest vines are reserved for the Coeur de Cuvée and Blanc de Blancs champagnes. They have been farming biodynamically since 1989 and today are certified Viticulture Durable, Ampélos, and Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE) meaning farming is free of synthetic chemicals. The fermentations are entirely in oak, giving them a richness and complexity that really builds texture an unmistakably Vilmart character. rrAnother characteristic of Vilmart champagnes is the absence of malolactic fermentation. This preserves freshness, tautness and subtlety, as well as the pronounced identity of the aromas. After 10 months of vinification and resting on the lees in wooden barrels, the wines are bottled and left to age in the estate’s chalk cellars: three to four years for non-vintage champagnes, and five to eight years for vintages.rrWeather: The 2016 vintage was not without its challenges. There was frost in late spring and very low temperatures in the vineyards, followed by a wet May, June and July, which increased the threat of disease. Thankfully August was warm and dry, which saved the crop, and harvest began on schedule in September. Fruit-forward, lush wines with vibrant acidity. rrTechnical Information:rVineyards: 100% Premier Cru | Rilly la Montagne in the heart of the Montagne de ReimsrGrape Varieties: 80% Chardonnay & 20% Pinot Noir from 55 year old vinesrDisgorged: July 2020rAgeing process: Ten months into large oak casksrLees Ageing: 3.5 YearsrWinemaker: Laurent ChampsrDosage: 8 g/lrMalolactic Fermentation: 0%rrTasting Note: The 2016 Brut Grand Cellier dâ€?Or is a gorgeous, ethereal Champagne that is all about grace. Floral and citrus notes abound in a weightless, translucent Champagne that has so much to offer. The 2016 is not an obvious wine at all, but rather a Champagne that dazzles with nuance and understatement. I loved it.- Tasted by Antonio Galloni