Vilmart & Cie 1er Cru Coeur de Cuvee Brut Champagne 2016

If you’re going to have a bottle of Champagne in your house, it might as well be the best. Vilmart was founded in 1872 in the Hamlet of Rilly, a town situated in the northern section of Champagne known as the Montagne de Reims. Over the years, Vilmart has achieved a “cult” following, especially when they switched to fermenting and aging their wines in oak barrels, a practice followed by a select few houses including Krug and Bollinger. Coeur de Cuvée is their greatest bottling, a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir that is fermented in barrique and spends a walloping six years on the lees before release. The “heart” of the blend, the first and last parts of the barrel are poured out so only the best of the pressed juice remains. The wine is silky smooth and rich, full of lemon curd, freshly baked brioche, cinnamon spice and a chalky minerality. With a ridiculously complex palate and never-ending finish, we’d be happy drinking just this one truly magical wine for the rest of our lives.