Champagne Vilmart & Cie’s Grande Réserve Brut is the estate’s flagship non-vintage Champagne from Premier Cru vineyards in Rilly-la-Montagne in the Montagne de Reims. It is built around Pinot Noir (about 70%) with Chardonnay (about 30%), and it’s made in a house style that favors definition and drive: the base wines are fermented and raised in large oak foudres for about 10 months and malolactic fermentation is blocked. Dosage is modest at about 6 g/L, and recent releases are based on the 2022 harvest with reserve wines from 2020 and 2021. Multiple reviewers note late-2024 disgorgement details, underscoring how current these bottles are.

The critical consensus is that Grande Réserve delivers immediate appeal without losing structure. Antonio Galloni (Vinous) calls it “terrific” and “immediately arresting,” highlighting “floral notes, spice and dried citrus,” and adds, “I especially admire the Grande Réserve’s energy and upfront appeal.” Wine Spectator’s Alison Napjus awards an excellent 91 points, describing “a vibrant Champagne, with a firm frame of acidity” and flavors of “crushed white cherry, tangerine peel, oyster shell and blanched almond,” finishing “fine and creamy.”

Jeb Dunnuck also rates it an excellent 91, emphasizing approachability and precision: “bright, refreshing, and pure,” with notes of “candied grapefruit, ripe pear, fresh flowers, and chalky earth,” plus a “refined, pinpoint mousse.” He finds it “highly versatile” and suggests a 2025–2035 window.

Kristaps Karklins (Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate) scores 90 and leans into the wine’s Pinot-driven breadth, noting that it is “medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy,” with “tangy acidity” and “a long, expansive finish.” He frames it as “a more generous, charming style of cuvée,” compared with the house’s Grand Cellier, attributing that warmth to the “powerful Pinot Noir component.” Overall, this is a balanced Premier Cru Brut that pairs energetic acidity with ripe fruit and a polished, creamy bead.