Winemaker Notes
Pale gold in color, highlighted with flecks of silver, followed by fine and elegant bubbles, creating a delicate cord. On the nose, the primary aromas are floral notes of honeysuckle and orange blossom, associated with the freshness of apple, peach wine, pear and nectarines. On the secondary aromas, there is greater complexity and richness with toasted almonds, butter biscuits expressing the maturation of this wine. Once on your palate, it is characterized by a greater complexity. Intertwined acacia honey aromas with apricot jam, candied mango and hazelnut. The finish expresses a great minerality with a remarkable length.
Blend: 80% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Deeper and more autumnal, the 2017 Champagne Premier Cru Coeur De Cuvée Brut comes from 60-year-old vines. It has a shimmering medium golden yellow color and is expressive and ripe on the nose with notes of honey, powder, ripe croissant, baked apples, and honey. Full-bodied, it begins with bitter citrus, mouthwatering saltiness, and persistent savory length. It shows more mature notes and has a fine, zesty mousse. The oak influence appears subtly with notes of toast and savory brine.
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Vinous
The 2017 Brut Coeur de Cuvée is fabulous. Although disgorged in February of 2023, two years ago, the 2017 remains very tight. Citrus peel, chalk, mint, slate and white pepper all race across the palate. This is a rare vintage in which Laurent Champs was among the first to pick in Rilly La Montagne, which turned out to be very well chosen. The 2017 offers terrific focus, cut and delineation. Coeur de Cuvée emerges from 60+ year-old vines in Blanches Voies. Give it a few years in bottle. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: February 2024.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Disgorged in February 2023 after five years sur lattes, with a dosage of seven grams per liter, Vilmart’s 2017 Coeur de Cuvée is a commendable achievement in what was a challenging vintage. Laurent Champs harvested between the first and eighth of September, narrowly avoiding the rain that plagued many wines of this vintage. Composed of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir from Les Blanches Voies, it reveals aromas of pear, vanilla and pastries mingled with subtle spices. Richer and more demonstrative than the 2016 edition, it showcases a textured palate marked by tangy acidity and chalky undertones, leading to a lingering finish.
Representing the topmost expression of a Champagne house, a vintage Champagne is one made from the produce of a single, superior harvest year. Vintage Champagnes account for a mere 5% of total Champagne production and are produced about three times in a decade. Champagne is typically made as a blend of multiple years in order to preserve the house style; these will have non-vintage, or simply, NV on the label. The term, "vintage," as it applies to all wine, simply means a single harvest year.
Associated with luxury, celebration, and romance, the region, Champagne, is home to the world’s most prized sparkling wine. In order to bear the label, ‘Champagne’, a sparkling wine must originate from this northeastern region of France—called Champagne—and adhere to strict quality standards. Made up of the three towns Reims, Épernay, and Aÿ, it was here that the traditional method of sparkling wine production was both invented and perfected, birthing a winemaking technique as well as a flavor profile that is now emulated worldwide.
Well-drained, limestone and chalky soil defines much of the region, which lend a mineral component to its wines. Champagne’s cold, continental climate promotes ample acidity in its grapes but weather differences from year to year can create significant variation between vintages. While vintage Champagnes are produced in exceptional years, non-vintage cuvées are produced annually from a blend of several years in order to produce Champagnes that maintain a consistent house style.
With nearly negligible exceptions, . These can be blended together or bottled as individual varietal Champagnes, depending on the final style of wine desired. Chardonnay, the only white variety, contributes freshness, elegance, lively acidity and notes of citrus, orchard fruit and white flowers. Pinot Noir and its relative Pinot Meunier, provide the backbone to many blends, adding structure, body and supple red fruit flavors. Wines with a large proportion of Pinot Meunier will be ready to drink earlier, while Pinot Noir contributes to longevity. Whether it is white or rosé, most Champagne is made from a blend of red and white grapes—and uniquely, rosé is often produce by blending together red and white wine. A Champagne made exclusively from Chardonnay will be labeled as ‘blanc de blancs,’ while ones comprised of only red grapes are called ‘blanc de noirs.’