The Grand Cellier d’Or is Vilmart’s “regular” vintage wine (an understatement by a mile). It is a spicy and linear wine, barrel aged but non-malolactic. The blend is composed of 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir classified Premier Cru, from vines in Rilly-la-Montagne which are 50 years of age or older.

The base wine is aged for ten months in oak barrique. It spends 42 months on the lees, in the cellar after bottling, before disgorgement. It is rather dry, with 7 grams/litre dosage.

Immediately intense to the eye, it glimmers gold and yellow, and shows a fine, persistent bead. The palate displays fresh butter, lemon custard, candled pineapple, cardamom and pepper. Notes of chalk and roasted lobster shell evolve along with cinnamon and gingerbread. The finish is long and wraps up with flavours of grapefruit and praline. At once luxurious and tense, the wine is ready to drink now, but will evolve well.

“The 2018 Brut Grand Cellier d’Or is surprisingly vibrant for the year. Light hints of tropical fruit are the only clue this is a warm vintage. Otherwise, the 2018 retains terrific freshness. Lemon confit, mint, white flowers, salt and crushed rocks all run through the 2018. I would prefer to cellar this for a few years. Dosage is 7 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 2022.”
93 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media, March 2023