1998 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee

The 1998 Brut Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvee (magnum) is a wonderfully racy wine laced with notable depth and richness in a seamless style. The fruit has taken on exotic, tropical notes, the oak has begun to integrate and pretty notes of smoke have developed, adding further complexity. The 1998 comes across as a relatively forward Coeur de Cuvee ideal for drinking over the following decade. A rich, creamy finish rounds out this delicious Champagne. The Coeur de Cuvee is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir aged in oak. Only the middle 800 litersof the pressing (the “heart”) is used for the wine. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2018. Proprietor Laurent Champs makes some of the most elegant, refined wines in Champagne. All of the wines are aged in oak ranging from large, neutral casks to small barriques, some of which are new for the top selections. Few producers have been able to find such impeccable balance using oak. A hint of Ramonet here, a suggestion of Leflaive there....simply put, these are majestic wines that no one who loves fine Champagne will want to be without. A Terry Theise Selection, imported by Skurnik Wines, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300

Bright yellow. Room-filling and utterly hypnotic aromas of ripe pear, quince paste, toffeed nuts, smoked meat, buttery brioche, potpourri and pungent flowers. Deep, round and rich, with powerful, densely concentrated orchard fruit flavors complicated by lichee, cherry pit, Asian spices, butter and toasted nuts. Firms up on the finish, with harmonious but substantial acids framing the deep fruit tones and the buttery note repeating on the back. This has the structure to repay many years in a cool cellar.