Vilmart Brut Champagne Coeur de Cuvée 1er Cru 2010

95+ points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "The 2010 Coeur de Cuvée is marvelous. Deep, dense and powerful, the 2010 packs a serious punch. Slate, crushed rocks, white pepper, orchard fruit, mint and green pear give the 2010 its bright, vibrant personality. A hint of reduction adds freshness and complexity without being dominating. Laurent Champs nailed the vintage with this superb Coeur de Cuvée. The long, persistent finish is a thing of beauty. I can’t wait to taste the 2010 with a little more bottle age. Even today, though, it is impressive, especially within the context of a year that had its share of challenges. Disgorged January 2017. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Drink: 2020-2030. (Jul 2018)"

95 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(disgorged December 2016; 80% chardonnay, 20% pinot; from Vilmart’s oldest vines of 60 years of age, yielding under 45hL/hectare, less than half of Champagne’s average; only the heart of the pressing, 1400L, instead of 2050L; fermented and matured 10  months in 228L barriques of 1–4 years of age; no malolactic fermentation; aged 6 years on lees; 7g/L dosage). ‘From the heart of the vines, the heart of the press and the heart of the maker,’ says Laurent Champs of his Coeur de Cuvée. From his best plots on the Montagne de Reims, with south-south-east exposure on the most exposed chalk, he obtains the highest maturity. ‘And hence we are pushing the winemaking more.’ Taking just the heart of the cuvée, 1400 litres, rather than the permitted 2050 litres, yields juice of increased concentration and expression. A wonderfully spicy cuvée that unites tension with power, this is a masterful testimony to Laurent Champs’ wizardry, and a terrific result for a season he describes as ‘not an easy vintage’. The complexity and presence here are pronounced, packed with golden fruit cake, fig, dried fruits and spice. Such exuberance is drawn decisively yet effortlessly by the honed precision of malic acidity, at once tense, yet impeccably ripe and never for a moment austere. Its persistence is a marvel, drawn out long and even by fine chalk minerality and that delightful acidity. Season in, season out, the consistency that Champs upholds with this cuvée is something to behold, and I have greatly admired every release for the past decade. That he can maintain his own lofty benchmark even in 2010 is a mighty achievement indeed. (2020-2021)"

94 points Wine Spectator: "[$151 list] This elegant version offers seamless integration, draping a vivid frame of acidity with a fine, satiny texture and layered flavors of black currant, chopped almond, candied lemon zest and biscuit. Focused and graceful throughout, with a lasting, spiced finish. Disgorged January 2017. Drink now through 2028. 200 cases imported (12/15/18)"