Vilmart Rose Emotion Brut 2012

60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay. Vilmart & Cie. traces its history back to 1890, when it was founded by Désiré Vilmart. Since 1989 the estate has been in the hands of Laurent Champs, the fifth generation of the family to take the helm of the house. The majority of Vilmart’s 11 hectares of vines lie in Rilly-la-Montagne, although there are a few plots just over the border in the neighboring village of Villers-Allerand. Vilmart is a member of Ampelos, an organization that promotes organic and sustainable viticulture, and Champs has never used any herbicides or chemical fertilizers since taking over the estate. All of the vineyards are planted with cover crops and plowed. Laurent ferments and ages all his wines in oak: large 2200–5500-liter foudre and demi-muid for the NV wines and smaller barrique as well as demi-muid for vintage wines. Malolactic fermentation is always blocked, giving the wines a crisp acidic structure coupled with the richness of the fermentation and aging regimen. This Rose Emotion comes from 60-year-old vines in Rilly-la-Montagne 1er Cru on limestone soil. After 10 months in barrel, the wine is aged for 5 years in bottle. Vilmart & Cie. is not only one of the greatest grower-estates in Champagne but one of the finest champagne producers of any type in the region.