Characteristics and Tasting Notes of the Grand Cellier d'Or Brut 2020 Vilmart & Cie

Tasting

Color

The wine displays a lemon-gold robe with bright, luminous highlights, animated by a steady stream of fine, delicate bubbles that build into a persistent, silky mousse at the surface.

Nose

The nose opens on buttery and pastry-like notes, with hints of candied pineapple and cardamom, layered with toasted hazelnut and chalky minerality. Darker accents of blackberry and black cherry mingle with citrus zest and a touch of fresh ginger, giving the wine both richness and lift.

Palate

The palate is vinous and generous, carried by a silky, fine mousse and a firm backbone of acidity. Flavors of candied pineapple, dark berry fruit, citrus and warm spice unfold with a saline tension that keeps the whole ensemble lively. The finish is long and precise, leaving an impression closer to an extra brut than a classic brut despite its official dosage.

Food and wine pairings

This champagne pairs beautifully with white meats served with creamy mushroom sauces, such as roasted poultry. It is equally well suited to lobster or langoustines, as well as to caviar, whose richness and salinity echo the wine's own tension and texture.

Serving and cellaring

The Grand Cellier d'Or Brut 2020 was disgorged in July 2024 after a long rest on its lees. Thanks to its structure and acidity, it has further potential for cellaring and may also be enjoyed now, revealing its full aromatic complexity with a bit of air in the glass.

Other characteristics

With a dosage of around 7 grams per liter, this champagne falls within the brut category, yet its vivid acidity, reinforced by the absence of malolactic fermentation, gives it a tension and dryness reminiscent of an extra brut style.

A Champagne from the Montagne de Reims, Shaped by Barrel Fermentation and the Vilmart & Cie Style

The Estate

Vilmart & Cie is a family-owned champagne house founded in 1890 by Désiré Vilmart in Rilly-la-Montagne, in the heart of the Montagne de Reims. The estate has remained independent and family-run ever since, now led by Laurent Champs, Cellar Master and owner, joined since 2020 by his son Thomas. With 11 hectares of vines classified exclusively as Premier Cru, Vilmart & Cie is recognized for its systematic use of oak aging and its chardonnay-led style, a distinctive approach in this historically pinot noir region.

The Vineyard

The grapes for this cuvée come from fifty-year-old vines planted on Premier Cru plots in Rilly-la-Montagne and Villers-Allerand, on the north-facing slopes of the Montagne de Reims. The chalky, limestone-rich soils typical of this area favor good drainage while retaining enough moisture to sustain the vines through the summer. These old vines, combined with carefully controlled yields, contribute to the depth and concentration found in the finished wine.

The Vintage

The 2020 growing season took place against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, which shaped the organization of work in the vineyard and cellar that year. The resulting wine shows a ripe, energetic character, with pronounced citrus and spice accents alongside a subtle, fresh vegetal nuance characteristic of the vintage.

Winemaking and aging

The Grand Cellier d'Or Brut 2020 is fermented and aged for ten months in small 228-liter oak barrels, without undergoing malolactic fermentation, preserving a bright, taut acidity. After bottling, the wine rests for an extended period on its lees before being disgorged in July 2024, with a dosage of around 7 grams per liter.

Grape Varieties

This cuvée is composed of 80 % chardonnay and 20 % pinot noir.