80% Chardonnay
20% Pinot Noir
I haven’t touched this wine since Jan-2008, where I recommended 5 years of cellaring. But this is typical me – or maybe you suffer from the same curious fever, where you always end up drinking your wines too early, as you simply can’t keep your hands off?
Anyway, I was in for a surprise and a good one. From being a flowery and citrus shell back in early-2008, it has obtained a lot of oxidation signs and as always in the case of Couer de Cuvée some of this openness comes from delightful, appetizing and seductive oak perfumes. Hand in hand with notes of spice box, chocolate flavours and the sensual oak perfumes, it offers a spectacular mouth coating effect. Notes of honey, quince, vanilla and evening perfume is a part of the aromas escaping from the glass. On the palate it again has a lot of creaminess, but it’s fairly low in acidity. Where you can still fell the young side of this Champagne is the structure, which despite its creaminess offers dynamite concentration. You can discuss whether this Champagne is a bit too oak infected. You can also argue, whether the low acidity and the lack of mineral bite back is a minus. To some degree it’s problematic as the drinking experience can end up being a bit monotone, as barrel perfumes seldom holds enough complexity without an elegant partner – nor won’t the taste buds be “cleaned” properly by the lack of bright acidity. At least, that’s the standard answer – but I had the whole bottle to myself (home alone) and I was happy all the way. It’s one of these Champagnes where you simply just are in the mood of relaxing and this Champagne did it to perfection.
I believe the drinking window has started for this Champagne. The fruit and concentration is in solid condition and offers many layers. But, as the acidity is low and the oxidation has already occurred, I can’t see a reason why one shouldn’t just jump in now?
I tested it in 4 different glasses. The result was very different. This note is more or less based on Adina Red wine, which also takes the Champagne into a even more evolved stage, than in comparison with a glass like Zalto.
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6 comments:
Any thoughts on this wine, Thomas? (apart from it being very young)
/Ulrich
Hey Ulrich,
I will write a TN when I get some time...shouldn't take that long.
Best from,
Thomas
Hej Thomas,
Perfekt timet indlæg, da jeg i lørdags drak en flaske Vilmart Cuvee Creation 1999 og har grublet en del over den siden. Fadpræget var også meget tydeligt her (har de fået fornyet mange af deres fade i 99 eller er det stilen?), og mange af de smage og dufte du fremhæver var ligeledes kendetegnende for Cuvee Creation. Min konklusion indtil videre er "hedonist champagne" - ikke den mest komplekse, ranke, mineralske, elegante og finesserige champagne men dødslækker at drikke. Jeg synes klart at den gjorde det bedst i Spiegelaus vintage champagne glas (Authentis) der fokuserede vinen mere - i bourgogneglas fik den faktisk en lidt ærgerlig lugt af urent fad. Har kun smagt Coeur de Cuvee en gang tidligere, men finder den ikke nær så interessant som Creation, og mistænker lidt at det skyldes den større mængde Pinot Noir i Creation der bedre harmonerer med Vilmarts lidt "bassede" stil?? Endvidere virkede vinen ældre end forventet og du var selv overrasket over Coeur de Cuvees udvikling - skal Vilmart helst drikkes relativt ung?
Hvad er dine oplevelser Coeur de Cuvee vs Cuvee Creation og Vilmart generelt?
Med venlig hilsen,
Jes
Thanks, Thomas!
I'll leave it for 5-10 more years for it to lose some of the oak and get more oxidative notes. Once the fruit breaks down a little the acetic acids should make this more interesting and less soft.
/Ulrich
Hej Jes,
Jeg står så på den modsatte side af dig, hvor jeg kun har smagt Creation én gang tidligere og foretrak Coeur de Cuvée bedst. Så det hjælper os jo ikke meget ;-).
Det med, at Vilmart skal drikkes ungt er noget jeg også har tænkt lidt over. Både 1997 og 1998 var klart bedst fra frigivelse. Jeg vil vove den påstand at 1997 ikke blive bedre, men 1998 kan være i en sjov fase. ’97 på magnum er derimod vanvittig ung sidst jeg tjekkede den for 1 år siden. 2000 Coeur de Cuvée, som jeg kun har smagt én gang tidligere – er fuldkommen drikkeklar allerede fra frigivelse - en meget eksotisk CdC – med næsten oversøisk Chardonnay præg. Så ja, der kan være noget om snakken. Jeg tror det hænger lidt sammen med at Vilmart er så sindssyg charmerende – med de her ypperlig kælne fadtoner, at det er svært ikke at drikke dem unge, når syren ikke er specielt fremtrædende.
Ulrich – you could very well have the perfect plan. I really depends on what you like and how many bottles one have in the cellar. If you have more than 3btls, I would still suggest opening a bottle now. You know me – I will drink them too early as I am always thirsty for Champagne.
;-)
Skaskechampagne er mine ord. Den skal have lidt tid til at udfolde sig i glasset, som jeg foretrækker er et Riedel Vinum Extreme Champagne. Absolut en af mine favoritter, og har heldigvis en del flasker tilbage af 1999. Den træder helt klart uden for selskabet ved smagninger og er vinøs på en super interessant måde, meget forskellig som Egly Oriets måde at være fyldig på.
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