2007 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee

The 2007 Coeur de Cuvée is drinking very well, opening in the glass with a lovely bouquet of crisp green apples, beeswax and citrus oil, complemented by spicy top notes of cinnamon and ginger. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, vinous and incisive, with a textural attack that segues into a tangy, acid-driven core and a mouthwatering, saline finish, set off by an ultra-fine pinpoint mousse. While this Champagne's energy and integration make it a lovely drink today, it will reward more than a decade's bottle age.

The 2007 Coeur de Cuvée Premier Cru Brut was disgorged in May 2014 and offers a deep, ripe and rich bouquet with hazelnut, and some ginger and floral flavors. Rich and creamy on the palate, this is a round, very elegant and firmly structured Champagne; it has good grip and fruit intensity in the finish. Although, it is a bit austere in its youth right now.

Interestingly, the 2007 Coeur de Cuvée comes across as a bit more youthful than the 2008 tasted alongside it. Another year in bottle seems to have only brought out the wine's freshness and energy. Freshly cut flowers, pears, mint and almonds are some of the signatures, but it is the wine's vivacity that I find most striking today. The 2007 is a bit less creamy and multi-dimensional than the 2008, but it is impressive just the same. Disgorged May, 2014.