The cuvée Grande Réserve is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from the Rilly La Montagne vineyards in Premier Cru. The grapes are harvested by hand, and Réserve wines from the last two years are added. As with all Maison Vilmart Cie cuvées, vinification takes place in 228 L oak barrels, bringing fruitiness, roundness and finesse to the wines. Malolactic fermentation is also blocked to preserve freshness and tension. The wines are then aged for a further ten months in wood. After bottling, they spend 3 to 4 years on fine lees, before receiving a dosage of 9 g/L after disgorging.
This Champagne offers a blond color with golden highlights, a mark of the majority Pinot Noir in the blend. The nose is beautifully intense, with gourmet notes of pear, cherry, ripe wheat and cookie. The elegance of iris, white pepper and the power of oak and celery envelop the palate. The finish is mineral and long, with a hint of smoky, toasted bread.
This cuvée Grande Réserve from Maison Vilmart & Cie will seek out the company of a tender texture, such as ballotines of chicken with fried peppers and paprika, friends will also accompany cooked cheeses to perfection, and particularly Abondance, Beaufort and Swiss Gruyère.
