2016 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée

“When I think of finesse in Champagne, Vilmart is one of the first names that come to my mind.”
Antonio Galloni

“The Wines of Pierre Péters & Vilmart are some of Champagne’s finest, although not its best known.”
Huon Hooke, The Real Review

95+ Points - Kristaps Karklins, The Wine Advocate
With crystalline purity and more tension than any other wine in this year’s lineup, Vilmart’s 2016 Coeur de Cuvée has put up a stellar performance. Disgorged in September 2022 with a dosage of seven grams per liter, it hails from 60-year-old vines in the lieu-dit Les Blanches Voies—the same five-hectare vineyard that provides their Blanc de Blancs. Matured in 228-liter barrels, mostly from Damy, it wafts from the glass with a deep bouquet of lemon zest, white flowers and green apple. Taut and incisive, with impressive mid-palate amplitude, racy acidity and ample chalky structuring extract, it culminates with a long, saline finish. This is an elegant Champagne that will captivate purists, offering greater precision and nuance than the 2017 vintage of this cuvée. As ever, it’s crafted from the least fruit-forward, most acid-driven press fraction—just 68%—representing the heart of the cuvée.

95 Points -Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator (2024)
Notes of honeysuckle and lime blossoms, blood orange peel, anise and cardamom are a fragrant overtone heralding this fresh Champagne, which shows good tension and drive. The refined, chalky mousse is lacy in texture, buoying finely meshed flavors of ripe apricot and quince paste, raw almond, vanilla wafer and candied ginger. Ends with a long, mouthwatering finish. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Disgorged September 2022. Drink now through 2036. 75 cases imported.