The Champagne House Vilmart & Cie was founded in 1890 by Désiré Vilmart. Since then, the House has been leaded by passionate sons and sons-in-law who enabled this small House to become famous. It is in the heart of the Montagne de Reims that Champagne Vilmart established his vineyard, a few miles south of Reims, in the small village of Rilly la Montagne.
"When I think of finesse in Champagne, Vilmart is one of the first names that come to my mind." – Antonio Galloni, VINOUS
Vilmart owns 11 hectares of vineyards in and around the village of Rilly. The vineyards are planted with 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. Yields and working practises are strictly controlled. The terroir is composed of 35-year-old parcels, some are older than 50 years but they are exclusively used to produce the wine "Coeur de Cuvée".
The harvest takes place one hundred days after flowering in the middle of September after one year of hard work and doubts. Each bunch is delicately gathered with the hand in order to get the best ones so as not to damage them when they are carried out to the press machines.
People in charge of pressing fulfill the traditional pressing machines due to 4,000 kg of grapes i.e. one marc. This marc flowes slowly and 25 hl 50 of juice are recovered in two steps. The first juices (20 hl 50) - the noblest ones - are called «cuvée» and the left 5 hl are called «la taille» (sharpening).
During the pressing the must (i.e the freshly pressed grape juice) drips into small vats called "belons". Then the juice is left to settle about 24 hours to separate skins and other impurities from juice. It occurs naturally by gravity. Then the clarified or clear grace juice gets pumped into large oak casks and barrels. From October to July our cuvées are ageing into large oak casks and barrels so that the combination of wood and wine can bring roundness and finesse to our Champagnes.
Every year, at the same period, in the spring, an immutable rite called «blending» is performed by the cellar master. Thanks to his amazing sensory memory, he tastes and blends still wines and reserve wines from different villages and vintages to create or to recreate the consistent house style. The blended wine is bottled along with yeast and a small amount of sugar. It occurs in July.
Once again, natural yeasts are going to transform sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide but this time it takes place inside the bottle. Carbon dioxide is trapped inside the bottle. Thus still wine turns into sparkling wine. This second fermentation takes place very slowly (about 8 weeks) to get a persistent effervescence. The aging on lees - which brings complexity and vitality to our wines - do not stop there. The bottles are then allowed to rest and mature in the deep chalky cellars : from 3 to 4 years for non-vintage wines and from to 5 to 7 years for vintage wines.
After a week allowing the sediments of dead yeasts to settle onto the glass, the bottles are placed on «pupitres» and turned twice a day in a unique way, slowly pushing the bottle up right to get the sediment to the bottle neck underneath the cork. In order to get the sediment out from the bottle the necks are frozen in freezing brine. Turning the table up right and relaseasing the crown cork expels the "pellet" of sediment from the Champagne. After disgorgement a mixture of sugar and reserve wines called "liqueur de dosage" is added to give each wine its "brut", "dry" or "demi-sec" (semi-sweet) character. Each Champagne House has its own "recipe". Then the bottle is sealed with an oak cork tightly held in position with a muzzle.
How should Champagne be stored? When you buy a bottle of champagne, it has already been matured in the cellar so should be drunk within a few years. Your bottle should always be stored in a cool, dark, draft-free place out of direct sunlight. at a constant temperature between 10 and 12 degrees. Store your bottles in «horizontal position» (on its side) to prevent the cork from drying out.
At what temperature should champagne be served ?
Champagne must be drunk at the correct temperature, fresh but not frozen i.e between 9 and 11 degrees. Too cold, it loses its flavor , too hot the foam disappears. The wine must be chilled gradually. The best method is to chill a wine by immersing the bottle in an ice bucket. If necessary, the refrigerator can be used but only the least cold part but never leave a bottle in the freezer or in the ice bin.
How should a bottle of Champagne be opened?
When you want to open a bottle of champagne according to the rules, the cork must not leave the bottle with a bang. Hold the bottle in one hand and, with the other, unwind the wiring that secures the cork. (Support the base of the bottle against your right hip or side). Slowly begin turning the bottle back and forth with your right hand while holding the cork firmly steady with your left. Continue to turn more and increase the distance between your hands, as the cork turns. Slow down toward the end when the cork's almost out, allowing the cork to gently slide out.
Which glass should be used ?
Although pretty, «champagne coupes» are not recommended because they are too flared, let the effervescence escape and accelerate the oxidation. The champagne flute glass is recommended. It preserves the flavor and highlights the champagne foam. If you do not have flutes, a classic shapely glass can also be used. Another tip that should not be overlooked: Wash your flutes out with hot water but no soap so that the foam doesn’t come off.
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