rating A+
standout rosé!
about founded in 1818 after the marriage between Nicolas François Billecart and Elizabeth Salmon. Innovation by Jean Roland-Billecart in the 1950s and 60s saw a longer fermentation at cooler temperatures, still practised. The Brut rosé, Billecart-Salmon’s flagship wine, was first made in 1970, also by Jean. The 1990s saw a focus on premium outlets rather than supermarkets, cemeting Billecart’s position as luxury champagne. In 2018, oak foudres were introduced for the base wines. Fruit is sourced from all over Champagne. The overall style is one of elegance and finesse.
wines tasted
Brut Réserve NV ($60)
40% Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. 30 months lees ageing. 8g/l dosage, preventing the wine from being too thin. A wine whose reputation had suffered, especially in comparison to the rosé, but quality has arguably improved over the last ten to fifteen years.
Brut Rosé NV ($90)
One of, if not the finest, pink champagnes. 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Meunier. Three years on the lees. Barely noticeable 9g/l dosage. Pale pink in appearance, for a refined, elegant, subtle, concentrated wine, with lees well integrated.
Sous Bois NV ($95)
Vinifying and ageing the base wines in oak casks was once common before the introduction of stainless steel tanks. It’s a practice returning, and Billecart-Salmon make it the central focus of this blend of the three Champagne varieties. The wood gives the wine a rich, round mouthfeel, quite distinct from the producer’s other wines. It spends six to seven years on the lees, complementing the oak base.
Elizabeth Salmon Brut Rosé Millésime ($250)
55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay, with under 10% red wine addition. Ten years on the lees, with dosage of 7g/l. This isn’t just one of the greatest rosé champagnes, it’s one of the finest wines of the world, with elegance, purity of fruity, finesse, complexity from fruit, lees, and the long lees ageing, and a long, lasting finish.
Nicolas Françoise Brut Millésime ($230)
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay, mostly Grand Cru fruit. A drier style, with 2.9g/l dosage. Ten years on the lees. There’s a richness to the wine from the Pinot Noir and the long lees ageing, balanced by acidity and the fine complexity of the fruit and winemaking, with an elegance characteristic of the overall Billecart-Salmon style.
website https://www.champagne-billecart.fr/en/
phone
address 40 rue Carnot, 51160 Mareuil-sur-Aÿ
