2011 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee

The 2011 Brut Coeur de Cuvée has put on a bit of weight since I tasted it last, and that is not a bad thing at all for a year in which the wines are a bit light. Tangerine oil, marzipan, pastry, lemon confit and a touch of sweet oak give the 2011 tons of complexity. Beautifully perfumed and nuanced, the 2011 is once again positively stellar. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: March, 2018.

Aromas of confit citrus, pear, fresh pastry and English walnuts preface Vilmart's 2011 Brut Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée, a full-bodied, muscular and incisive wine with a deep core, racy acids and a delicately nutty finish. Disgorged a few months ago, it is a terrific effort that transcends the vintage, even if it won't go down as one of the great renditions of Coeur de Cuvée. Champs told me that he picked five or six days after his neighbors, and that appears to be borne out by the wines body and structure.

The 2011 Coeur de Cuvée is gorgeous, especially within the context of the year. Translucent and airy, the 2011 is a Champagne of real elegance. Sage, mint, dried flowers, orchard fruit and lemon peel all grace this super-expressive and pretty Champagne. These 60-year-old vines handled the challenges of 2011 well. Harvest took place in August, which after 2003 and 2007, is not as freakishly unusual as it would have been a generation ago. The 2011 is undoubtedly terrific. Even so, I would not push my luck on aging given the inherent fragility of the year. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: March, 2018.