Vilmart--Emotion and Coeur de Cuvee (select vintages), the meal anchored by Astrid (My House In The South OC): The cork stamp says 2010, so that may be the disgorgement year. I heard a # of positive comments about this wine last night, and fortunately I have enough for another glass tonight, so I can get one final impression. But, from last night's notes, at almost 24 years old, this remains fresh and lively. Yeah, some of the color has gone gold, but the flavor has not tired at all. Lime chew, juicy stone fruit, and a little light apple oxidation with persistent citrus to keep it lively........retasted again on Day 2 from what was leftover, and there is good CO2 remaining, too. Man, this is nice for a 20+ year old Champagne. Honeyed golden apple, toffee, savory lime and peach. Just a touch thick in texture but I don't mind it here. I'm feeling good that I was able to share this within a Vilmart dinner and have a # of people enjoy it, with one person saying to me today that he thought this might turn out to be one of the best wines he will have in 2024. Nice. And thank you to Steve Nordhoff who gifted me this back in 2018--thanks, brother.
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Pre-National Day drinks at Maison Dakota. Drank in Gabriel Standart. Quite oxidative with caramel, marzipan, and lots of orange flavours. Not rated and I reserve judement.
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Second bottle (and sadly my last) in a couple months..... this is sunshine in a bottle. Showing age with slight oxidation. Seems to be time on these bottles... Super nice champagne and wish I had more.
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Amazing juice.... I’m not sure if this is going to get better or if it’s time to drink that other bottle in the cellar. Definite tertiary notes of aged champy showing - a roasted honey kind of thing - yeah I know that sounds odd - it is what it is. Black tea, Meyer lemon. Long finish. Impeccable balance.... oh my.
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This is delicious and seriously good. Nice weight and depth, yet with good tension from the acidic backbone. Still young, but already showing good amount of complexity and nuances. Very enjoyable.
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Light gold. Great nose of ripe apple, pear with minimal brioche. Lovely on the palate with great length, depth and balance. Long, slightly sweet fruit finish. This is really good now, but will probably get even better with age.
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A lovely wine to toast the brand new CellarTracker site.
Lacy, light and airy. It was a bit flat and even felt a little ox'ed when first opened, but with some air and cooled down a bit it was positively electric. Stone and lemon curd on the mid-palate. Pith and grapefruit on a bittersweet finish. Yum!
Ming's Birthday (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): It was a privilege to have this beautiful Champagne for the second time in one year. While still really young, it was a smashing start to the dinner. Such an nose interesting here, with wafting scents of sour plums and slightly browned apples, some exotic spice notes reminiscent of green chili and tamarinds, a touch of vanilla and finally a drift of stony mineral accents. A really interesting, complex nose. The palate was no slouch either. Fresh from the bottle, it was very racy, with an energetic bead and livewire acidity springing through mellow appley flavours and brighter tones of lemon and lime peel. There was clearly plenty of substance, but it was just a bit one dimensional at first. With time though, a fleshier white-fruited background started emerging on the midpalate and a nice nutty, yeasty note started coming out as well. Finally, the little spicy notes picked up on the nose reverberated all the way at the finish - green chilis and peppercorns again, drifting away into the distance. This was such a nice, mouthwatering start to the dinner. Yummy, complex and interesting, and a superb pairing with chilled jellyfish in sesame oil too. Still very younthful though, it started out a bit slow and only really showed its chops as it warmed up and took on some air. It should pick up more depth and weight with time in the bottle and should make a beautiful Champagne in 3-4 years.
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Light yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with light beading. Nose of ash, ocean breeze and a bit of bread. Flavors of lemon, lime and tart yellow fruits. Bright acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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Yeast and floral notes on the nose, with apple and pear, and some baking spice at the end. Yeast and spice on the palate, with apple and pear on the mid-palate, and a good floral finish.
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Milton's Birthday Dinner (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): A brilliant Champagne. While not everyone on the table agreed, I preferred this ever so slightly to the excellent 2000 Dom Perignon that was served alongside. I thought this had a beautiful nose, with lots of lovely toffee and dried coconut notes, some topical pineapple hints - almost pineapple-tart aromas with little pastry notes along with some sweet, dried pineapple scents - and then red apples and some floral perfume and, finally, more savoury notes of white meat and touch of earth. A very expressive, complex nose for a Champagne this young. The palate was beautiful too. Here, a very vigorous bead and some mouthwatering acidity gave it a great sense of liveliness and energy as it zipped through the attack with lovely pure flavours of pears and apples touched with a little lemon and more pineapple notes on the midpalate. It was all wonderfullly integrated - bright and fresh, with a great sense of focus and precision, yet coming across as one nicely rounded whole. Lovely length on the back-palate too, where little pinpricks of minerality and a hint of spice tailing away in a long, detailed finish. A lovely wine. While it was delicious on the day, and will probably remain so from this point on throughout the rest of its life, it still clearly has its best days ahead of it. This was the last vintage where Vilmart made a Cuvée Creation I believe - a bit of a waste given how good this bottle was.
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this is now my favourite champagne, first time tasting a champagne that has that Burgundy nose of faint barnyard with so many bubbles. Still too young however i had to try one as this is the last Cuvee Creation The other 2 i shall wait a few more years. Spectacular wine though
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I was too busy letting my imagination wander whilst sipping this Champagne to keep any detailed notes, but I do remember being impressed with the sheer complexity of the nose on this one. Aromas I have rarely smelled in any wine and hard to put a finger on. All I know is they made me smile. :)
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Impressive as usual, featuring almost a blackberry type fruit on the finish. Interesting, considering the wine is predominantly Chardonnay. The usual honeyed/candied fruit is laced with vanilla, impeccably crafted and weightless on the palate. One to seek.
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2/17/2024 - Vinomark wrote: 96 Points
Stunning aged bubbles. Paired with JR’s scallop crudo, halibut & lobster & caviar apps.
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2/4/2024 - Frank Murray III wrote:
Vilmart--Emotion and Coeur de Cuvee (select vintages), the meal anchored by Astrid (My House In The South OC): The cork stamp says 2010, so that may be the disgorgement year. I heard a # of positive comments about this wine last night, and fortunately I have enough for another glass tonight, so I can get one final impression. But, from last night's notes, at almost 24 years old, this remains fresh and lively. Yeah, some of the color has gone gold, but the flavor has not tired at all. Lime chew, juicy stone fruit, and a little light apple oxidation with persistent citrus to keep it lively........retasted again on Day 2 from what was leftover, and there is good CO2 remaining, too. Man, this is nice for a 20+ year old Champagne. Honeyed golden apple, toffee, savory lime and peach. Just a touch thick in texture but I don't mind it here. I'm feeling good that I was able to share this within a Vilmart dinner and have a # of people enjoy it, with one person saying to me today that he thought this might turn out to be one of the best wines he will have in 2024. Nice. And thank you to Steve Nordhoff who gifted me this back in 2018--thanks, brother.
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9/23/2023 - Eric wrote:
Jason's birthday and old Bordeaux (Newcastle, WA): Started a bit funky, improved with air. Was a bit tired though, not quite what I was hoping for.
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8/8/2021 - Derek Darth Taster wrote:
Pre-National Day drinks at Maison Dakota. Drank in Gabriel Standart.
Quite oxidative with caramel, marzipan, and lots of orange flavours.
Not rated and I reserve judement.
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3/6/2020 - western Likes this wine: 95 Points
Still in amazing condition. Lovely brioche, biscuit, citrus. Fabulous fine bead, great fruit and long long finish.
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3/22/2019 - ovenmitt wrote: 93 Points
Second bottle (and sadly my last) in a couple months..... this is sunshine in a bottle. Showing age with slight oxidation. Seems to be time on these bottles... Super nice champagne and wish I had more.
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12/8/2018 - ovenmitt wrote: 95 Points
Amazing juice.... I’m not sure if this is going to get better or if it’s time to drink that other bottle in the cellar. Definite tertiary notes of aged champy showing - a roasted honey kind of thing - yeah I know that sounds odd - it is what it is. Black tea, Meyer lemon. Long finish. Impeccable balance.... oh my.
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7/29/2018 - western Likes this wine: 95 Points
Amazing !!
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6/10/2016 - Wine_lvr wrote: 94 Points
Simply amazing. What a shame this cuvee is no longer produced
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5/17/2016 - AHVinoFile wrote: 93 Points
[IWFS-Victoria Dinner at Lûme, Melbourne] Light golden straw color; lively mousse & persistent fine beads. Faint brioche nose amidst apple, pear, grapefruit bouquet with scents of mineral, white flowers, white peach, cherry pit, quince, lemon peel, roasted nuts, green peppercorn, baking spices & vanilla. Medium weight, buoyant & airy, quite deep, intense & concentrated orchard fruits with fresh acidity maintaining excellent harmony & imparting nice tension & great precision. Long racy finish.
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5/6/2016 - spacewrangler wrote:
Time to drink up, fruit losing it's snappy acidity.
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11/7/2015 - rnellans wrote: 93 Points
Apple, pear with some brioche...lovely balance...not quite as good as the 2004 Vilmart Coeur d Cuvee served alongside.
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5/31/2014 - sfqwino Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is delicious and seriously good. Nice weight and depth, yet with good tension from the acidic backbone. Still young, but already showing good amount of complexity and nuances. Very enjoyable.
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12/9/2013 - rnellans wrote: 93 Points
Light gold. Great nose of ripe apple, pear with minimal brioche. Lovely on the palate with great length, depth and balance. Long, slightly sweet fruit finish. This is really good now, but will probably get even better with age.
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12/2/2013 - awilliamson4 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really great from what i remember…everyone really enjoyed it.
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11/26/2012 - Eric Likes this wine: 92 Points
A lovely wine to toast the brand new CellarTracker site.
Lacy, light and airy. It was a bit flat and even felt a little ox'ed when first opened, but with some air and cooled down a bit it was positively electric. Stone and lemon curd on the mid-palate. Pith and grapefruit on a bittersweet finish. Yum!
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8/30/2012 - Alex H wrote: 89 Points
Fresh apples and green chili with touch of fresh biscuits. Very fresh racy style. Young alive and kicking. A monilithic pure expression. Needs time
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8/25/2012 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Ming's Birthday (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): It was a privilege to have this beautiful Champagne for the second time in one year. While still really young, it was a smashing start to the dinner. Such an nose interesting here, with wafting scents of sour plums and slightly browned apples, some exotic spice notes reminiscent of green chili and tamarinds, a touch of vanilla and finally a drift of stony mineral accents. A really interesting, complex nose. The palate was no slouch either. Fresh from the bottle, it was very racy, with an energetic bead and livewire acidity springing through mellow appley flavours and brighter tones of lemon and lime peel. There was clearly plenty of substance, but it was just a bit one dimensional at first. With time though, a fleshier white-fruited background started emerging on the midpalate and a nice nutty, yeasty note started coming out as well. Finally, the little spicy notes picked up on the nose reverberated all the way at the finish - green chilis and peppercorns again, drifting away into the distance. This was such a nice, mouthwatering start to the dinner. Yummy, complex and interesting, and a superb pairing with chilled jellyfish in sesame oil too. Still very younthful though, it started out a bit slow and only really showed its chops as it warmed up and took on some air. It should pick up more depth and weight with time in the bottle and should make a beautiful Champagne in 3-4 years.
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6/10/2012 - wineismylife wrote: 90 Points
Saturdays at One - Farewell to mmurry!: WIML90
Tasted non blind. Opened and served immediately.
Light yellow color in the glass, clear looking throughout with light beading. Nose of ash, ocean breeze and a bit of bread. Flavors of lemon, lime and tart yellow fruits. Bright acidity, full bodied. Drink or hold.
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6/10/2012 - mmurry Likes this wine: 94 Points
Yeast and floral notes on the nose, with apple and pear, and some baking spice at the end. Yeast and spice on the palate, with apple and pear on the mid-palate, and a good floral finish.
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5/31/2012 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Milton's Birthday Dinner (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): A brilliant Champagne. While not everyone on the table agreed, I preferred this ever so slightly to the excellent 2000 Dom Perignon that was served alongside. I thought this had a beautiful nose, with lots of lovely toffee and dried coconut notes, some topical pineapple hints - almost pineapple-tart aromas with little pastry notes along with some sweet, dried pineapple scents - and then red apples and some floral perfume and, finally, more savoury notes of white meat and touch of earth. A very expressive, complex nose for a Champagne this young. The palate was beautiful too. Here, a very vigorous bead and some mouthwatering acidity gave it a great sense of liveliness and energy as it zipped through the attack with lovely pure flavours of pears and apples touched with a little lemon and more pineapple notes on the midpalate. It was all wonderfullly integrated - bright and fresh, with a great sense of focus and precision, yet coming across as one nicely rounded whole. Lovely length on the back-palate too, where little pinpricks of minerality and a hint of spice tailing away in a long, detailed finish. A lovely wine. While it was delicious on the day, and will probably remain so from this point on throughout the rest of its life, it still clearly has its best days ahead of it. This was the last vintage where Vilmart made a Cuvée Creation I believe - a bit of a waste given how good this bottle was.
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5/14/2012 - pointrob wrote: 94 Points
this is now my favourite champagne,
first time tasting a champagne that has that Burgundy nose of faint barnyard with so many bubbles. Still too young however i had to try one as this is the last Cuvee Creation
The other 2 i shall wait a few more years.
Spectacular wine though
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4/12/2012 - Tulloch wrote: 94 Points
Best champagne I've had from this vintage. Shame it wasn't made thereafter....
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2/8/2012 - drycab wrote:
Candied and thin, not at all what I expected. Honeyed and a little odd, maybe a little mistreated in transit.
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1/29/2012 - Jack Cranley wrote: 92 Points
I was too busy letting my imagination wander whilst sipping this Champagne to keep any detailed notes, but I do remember being impressed with the sheer complexity of the nose on this one. Aromas I have rarely smelled in any wine and hard to put a finger on. All I know is they made me smile. :)
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1/21/2012 - spacewrangler wrote: 93 Points
Impressive as usual, featuring almost a blackberry type fruit on the finish. Interesting, considering the wine is predominantly Chardonnay. The usual honeyed/candied fruit is laced with vanilla, impeccably crafted and weightless on the palate. One to seek.
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6/3/2011 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Lovely, rich, creamy Champagne with a fair bit of detail and class. It has a very fine bead, is lively and quite complex and finishes with good cut.
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