Gimonnet Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Champagne Oenophile 2018

93 points Stuart Pigott (JamesSuckling.com): "For the extremely warm year this is remarkably fresh with very pure lemon blossom and white flower character. A thread of delicate chalky minerality runs through the focused palate, which the fine mousse accents beautifully. A cuvee of wines that are 45% from Cramant, 30% Chouilly, 22% Cuis and 3% Oger. Disgorged in February 2023. Drink or hold. (8/7/23)"

92 points Kristaps Karklins (Wine Advocate): "Hailing from nine lieux-dits scattered around Cramant, Chouilly, Cuis and Oger, the 2018 Extra-Brut Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru Oenophile Non Dosé was disgorged in October 2023 without dosage. Unfurling from the glass with scents of citrus, green apple, and white flowers, it’s medium-bodied, elegant and perfectly balanced without a trace of austerity. “It may be less concentrated than the 2019, but the profile of the 2018 is perfectly suited for a brut nature,” admits Didier Gimonnet, and I agree. Pillowy and bright, it concludes with a long, mineral finish. Drink: 2024-2034. (12/19/24)"

92 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(tasted in 2023 in France; 100% chardonnay; 45% Cramant, 30% Chouilly, 3% Oger, 22% Cuis; aged more than 3 years on lees; zero dosage; 7,500 bottles). Even in this warm and ripe vintage, there is a pale, bright straw hue projected here, that Didier Gimonnet attributes to blanc de blancs from the north of the Côte de Blancs. There’s absolutely no need for dosage here, the ripeness of the season setting out a beautiful array of grapefruit, lemon and nashi pear, carried by prominent saline minerality on a very long finish. A standout Oenophile. (Edition VII; 2024)"

92 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2018 Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Oenophile Non-Dosé is a blend from the Grand Crus of Cramant, Chouilly and Oger and then Cuis, which is a 1er Cru. The 2018 offers lovely complexity in the vintage's relatively soft, understated style but displays good depth and creaminess that add balance. Citrus confit, spice, hazelnut and dried flowers all meld together effortlessly. The non-dosé style is not especially evident, as the wine's balance is impeccable. Disgorged: November, 2022. Drink: 2023-2033. (Nov 2023)"

92 points Essi Avellan, MW: "100% Chardonnay. A blend of three grands crus (Cramant, Chouilly and Oger), plus Gimonnet's home terrain Cuis, this 2018 cuvée has spent more than 48 months on lees. This is the 20th time that Gimonnet has created a millésime non-dosé since the inaugural 1985. There is some depth to the lemon colour. The pristinely fruity nose has gentle toasty and flinty layers over pure white fruit: ripe pear and lemon profile with floral delicacy. The mouthfeel is rounded, but there is a chalky feel to the texture at the bone-dry finish. (Feb 2023)"

91 points Tom Hewson (Decanter): "Didier Gimonnet's zero dosage blanc de blancs is a wine with a long track record of poise and balance, and the 2018, from Cramant, Chouilly, Oger and Cuis makes for a particularly forward iteration thanks to the year's natural ease and low acidity. Sweet, juicy pear and slightly pithy lemon ride a measured, smooth texture that stays clear of some of 2018's chunkier, chewier heat, even pulling through with some stony length and carry that is never guaranteed in this vintage. Zero dosage blanc de blancs in this super-clean style can be a tricky act to pull off, but this assemblage is a winner. Drinking Window: 2024-2029. (3/2/24)"

91 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "The 2018 Champagne Cuvée Oenophile Non Dose pours a shimmering straw hue and is entirely Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs Grand Cru villages of Cramant, Chouilly, and Oger as well as the Premier Cru of Cuis. Fresh and minty, it lifts with crushed chalk, lime blossom, and green apple aromas. A refined mousse frames the wine well, with a balanced if not somewhat delicate and dilute feeling in its structure (especially poured side by side with the 2018 Cuis Premier Cru), although it’s quite pleasing. I would rather drink this in its youthful stage, but I imagine it will hold up over the coming 6-8 years. Drink: 2023-2031. (11/17/23)"