Champagne Billecart-Salmon, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru, Brut

100% Chardonnay from four grands crus on the Côtes de Blancs: Avize, Cramant, Chouilly and Mesnil-sur-Oger.

An exceptionally elegant, silky and surprisingly delicate champagne. I was expecting power, but this is like a mouthful of shimmering ribbons—an unusual floral fragrance, like the elusive scent of lily of the valley in an early-morning garden. Rich citrus weaved into a baked pear, tingling with green apple sherbet. The bubbles float over the wine like cashmere lace—tremendous purity. And the wine develops in the glass in a way I was not expecting, becoming richer, more dense, beginning to taste of violets and fresh-churned pink clay, of bread-yeast starters and sleepy pools of candlelight—a poet's champagne.

Drink 2022 - 2028

The current release of the NV Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut is based on the 2015 vintage and pours a pale straw colour. The nose is clean and pure, with a sun-kissed ripeness, and reveals fresh aromatics of candied green apple, lime, and bread dough. The mousse is elegant, and the wine is ripe, with a rounded feel, and fresh with ripe green apple, lemon-lime, and chalk, followed by a balanced and fairly long finish. It is straightforward, approachable, and classic. 

Mathieu Roland-Billecart assumed the position of CEO at this estate in 2019 and represents the seventh generation in his family. The house is based in Maureuil sur Ay, which is also the location of the monopole vineyard of Clos Saint-Hillaire. They source from approximately 300 hectares of vines, owning a third. French and Stockingur barrels with medium toast are purchased new and seasoned at the house for three to five years before use. 

About 80% of production is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Only the best plots are fermented in barrels at cold temperatures before being transferred to stainless steel tanks for ageing after no more than six months. None of the wines are aged in barrel, and they never allow for malolactic fermentation to occur in barrel.

Drink 2022 - 2037

A full-bodied sparkling with sliced cooked pears and apples. Dusty chalk and some mineral and stone undertones. Full-bodied with firmness and tightness at the end. Linear and compact on the palate. Tangy finish.

Drink or hold

Based on the 2015 vintage and dominated this year by Mesnil sur Oger, Billecart's NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru was disgorged in July 2021 with seven grams per litre dosage. Exhibiting aromas of citrus oil, tart stone fruit, freshly baked bread and white flowers, it's medium to full-bodied, pillowy and layered, its sweet core of fruit framed by racy acids and chalky structure.

Drink 2025 - 2043