Vilmart & Cie

Cellar Vilmart has been an artisan company for generations "Being precise determines a unique quality in taste and makes vision a form of freedom".

Since 1890, the year of the founding of Vilmart in Rilly la Montagne, a succession of heirs and important events, if anything not always positive, have allowed the Maison to grow and develop.

In 1963 it is the turn of René Champs to manage the company. He acquires the profession of winemaker following his father-in-law. Stubbornness, seriousness and perseverance earned him the recognition of Knight of the Order of Agrarian Merit.

Thirty years later, Laurent Champs, René's son, renews the production chain by bringing new knowledge and enological techniques to his wines, remaining faithful to the work already done by the four generations that preceded him.

The twelve hectares of vineyards are Premer Cru with an average age of forty years in the Rilly-la-Montagne terroir. The vineyard is mainly Chardonnay, the remaining Pinot Noir suitable for the production of the extraordinary champagne Cœur de Cuvée and Blanc de Blancs which reflect the terroir to which they belong.

The elaboration of the wines represents the most emblematic phase of development for Laurent Champs and the team, which leads to the achievement of excellence. The selection of the fruits, the decantation in vats and oak barrels for the first fermentation. The particular choice of wood gives the wines a unique character of fruitiness, softness and finesse; as well as the excellent acidity, finesse are important specificities due to the absence of malolactic fermentation: (characteristic fermentation event following alcoholic fermentation).

Still many months of fermentation and aging of the bottled wine, from five to eight years, in order to free the personality of the wine. All original, substantial and impactful cuvées, capable of transporting Vilmart to the top of the world wine scene.