'the only problem with these wines is finding them...' PETER LIEM

Lilbert makes classic Côte des Blancs champagnes of great purity, finesse and expression. They emphasize a brisk raciness and intensely chalky minerality, and while both the Perle and the vintage wine demonstrate the intensity and complex depth of old-vine chardonnay, they are focused much more on elegance and harmony than on power. The only problem with these wines is finding them, as the tiny production is eagerly snapped up upon release by a near-cult following of clientele around the world. PETER LIEM

Bertrand Lilbert’s wines have long been insider favourites, particularly the intensely characterful, clean-cut and aromatic Cramant Chardonnay, and the Perle – which follows a tradition in the village of reducing the pressure of the mousse by one third to give finer, creamier bubbles…TOM HEWSON, decanter.com

This historic 3.5-hectare Cramant grower has been estate bottling for a long time, with their first recorded sale in 1907… The style here is chiseled and intensely flavored, invariably rewarding bottle age, and Lilbert enjoys a discreet celebrity among savvy collectors. At home, I've been drinking the 2007 vintage with immense pleasure over the course of this year. WILLIAM KELLEY

The Lilbert family have been champagne growers since 1746 and today Georges Lilbert produces just 30 000 bottles of blanc de blancs from 3.5 hectares spread across 15 low-yielding plots, largely in the grand crus of Chouilly, Oiry and, most of all, Cramant. These are high-strung, structured wines that are matured for at least five years before release and appreciate much longer to show at their best… TYSON STELZER

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We were in the cellars of a favourite producer in Meursault when I spotted a few boxes in the corner of Lilbert Champagne. ‘Oh I love Lilbert,’ I said. The couple, Francois and Isabel Buisson were astonished we knew this tiny house and were quick to tell me it was their special Champagne, wink wink nudge nudge.

Later the parallels between Buisson in Meursault and Lilbert in Cramant came to me. Both are servants to their terroir, delivering intense and depth-defying chardonnays letting their unadulterated origins shine through. The cut, precision and boldness on both are endearing, making them delicious when young but also highly ageable. They’re both a galaxy away from mass-manufactured formulaic wines. Once you taste Lilbert, it’s hard to shake.

Fast forward a few years and we’ve managed to bring in a small shipment from this minute yet mighty producer. Believe the critics, Lilbert has a cult-like following the world over. When they’re available, don’t let them pass you by.

It’s a tiny estate on the Cote de Blanc. Based in Cramant this Grand Cru village forms the nucleus of their offerings. Cramant (alongside Avize) is the historical heart of the Cote des Blancs – the first villages to be classified Grand Cru. The delicacy and nimble execution of blanc de blancs Champagne is on full show in these wines, with a twist.

The Extra Brut is nearly all Grand Cru Cramant fruit with a splash of Choiry. An ample 50% comes from reserve wines, a perpetual blend started in the 90s. It delivers the energy and precise minerality you’d expect from one of the top houses. As Tom Hewson from Decanter says, ‘It's singular, yet harmonious; a blanc de blancs that takes care of the simple pleasures, yet hides rather a lot under the bonnet.’

Perle is an ode to the Champagne style ‘cremant’ (not to be confused with the village Cramant) made in the 19th and 20th centuries. A style made with lower pressure to emphasise a finer and creamier texture. Mumm and Pierre Peters both make a lower pressure style, as do a few others. Named Perle, they make just 165 cases a year – a mere drop in the Champagne ocean.  It’s one of their most identifiable wines, coming from old vines in Cramant, Chouilly and Oiry. There’s a smokey richness with a hint of brioche and a pulsating line of limestone minerality. It’s decadent yet finessed, a bomb of pleasure.

Their vintage wine, 2017 Vintage Champagne comes from two parcels of some of the oldest vines in Cramant; Les Buissons and Les Moyens. Cramant is a large amphitheatre with gentle slopes of chalk and clay which bathe in the sun for most of the day. Towards the west it’s a touch cooler, injecting more tension into the wines. This is a beautiful blend of the east and west, ‘full of natural tension and verve, this is a blanc de blancs of considerable character,’ says Tom Hewson.  And it’s very well priced - $155 in a 6 pack. This needs time in the cellar, tuck it away.

Lilbert's Champagnes deliver the energy and the precisely detailed chalky minerality that makes Côte des Blancs some of the most captivating chardonnays around. They’re full throttle in terms of harmony, complexity, and elegance.

All the wines are released with about five years of age across the board. Time is on their side, they all cellar beautifully, especially the Perle and old vine vintage statement.

We’re sure you’re going to love these as much as we do. They’re loaded with value and charisma. Actually, I may have gone a little lean on the margin here as I want you all to taste these. I still remember the first time I had Lilbert, it was about 20 years ago at a wine bar in Collingwood. Don’t remember who I was with, but I remember the bubbles. As I said, Lilbert is hard to shake.

Cheers

Gabrielle Poy