Vilmart & Cie 'Grand Cellier d'Or' 1er Cru Champagne 2020

95 points -Jeb Dunnick

"The 2020 Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier D'Or Brut is gorgeous and open on the nose, with perfumed floral and pastry notes of fresh pastry dough, lemon verbena, citrus blossoms, fresh hazelnut, and fresh peaches. It™s mainly Chardonnay with 20% Pinot Noir, from 50-year-old vines, and it was fermented for 10 months in 228-liter barrels and aged 42 months on the lees in the cellar after bottling. Elegant and medium to full-bodied, it™s more rounded, finessed, and open with this release. The palate is round but again has driving, stony mineral persistence and structure that is characteristic of the mousse, which is refined and adds just a bit of energetic electricity to the wine. The second tasting was more taut and tension-driven. The mousse is pillowy and inviting, and its acidity is refreshing and bright. It™s approachable now but should have a wide window for drinking over the next 15 to 20 years." 12/16/2025