Billecart-Salmon at VOMO Fiji
Champagne Billecart-Salmon at VOMO Fiji
A truly magical experience, enjoying Billecart-Salmon champagnes at the exclusive VOMO Island Resort with a specially curated menu designed to highlight both the unique location and the premium champagnes.
Trade Masterclass & Lunch - “The Evolution of Billecart-Salmon: Purity, Patience, Precision”
Join us at Koji restaurant for an exclusive tasting, hosted by Sebastien Papin of Maison Billecart-Salmon and Brandon Nash.
During this masterclass and lunch, you will be guided through the evolution of this exceptional Grand Marque Champagne house, with a significant focus on their recent efforts to strengthen their house style and ensure quality always remains at the forefront of their endeavours.
Tasting Line-up:
- Welcome Drink:
- Charles le Bel 'Inspiration 1818' Brut
- Lineup:
- Billecart-Salmon Le Blanc de Blancs
- Billecart-Salmon Le Rosé
- Billecart-Salmon Le Réserve
- Billecart-Salmon 2013 Vintage Brut
- Billecart-Salmon 2008 Nicolas Francois cuvée
Seats will be limited. Please contact Brandon to reserve your spot today.
“When you make internationally renowned champagne for 206 years you don’t have to rock the boat, but that’s exactly what Billecart-Salmon has done with the new releases of their flagship non-vintage champagnes. If you’re already a fan of Billecart-Salmon, prepare to love them even more. If you haven’t tried Billecart-Salmon before, it’s time to discover this legendary Grand Maison.”
Philip Roufail
Learn more about the recent changes that guests will taste through before time over on our release, here.
All in a Name: Billecart-Salmon's New Visual Identity
All in a Name: Billecart-Salmon's New Visual Identity
A new look and improved quality for Billecart’s already legendary NV cuvées.
An old favourite, a new identity. In its unwavering pursuit of excellence, Maison Billecart-Salmon takes yet another step forward in the quality and precision of its blends.
“When you make internationally renowned champagne for 206 years you don’t have to rock the boat, but that’s exactly what Billecart-Salmon has done with the new releases of their flagship non-vintage champagnes. If you’re already a fan of Billecart-Salmon, prepare to love them even more. If you haven’t tried Billecart-Salmon before, it’s time to discover this legendary Grand Maison.”
Philip Roufail
The Process
At Billecart-Salmon, the release of each wine is approved by a dedicated tasting committee. It is composed of eight members, four of whom represent three generations of the Billecart family. The committee thus ensures that each champagne offers the best of the House’s style. The family is supported by talented collaborators such as Florent Nys, chief winemaker and Denis Blée, vineyard and wine director.
In 2019, the Tasting Committee embarked on a comprehensive re-evaluation of the ever-popular and ‘most impressive NV’ (according to Jancis Robinson) Brut Réserve cuvée. This aligned with the development of a ’library’ of reserve wines spearheaded by Florent in 2018.
This library allowed Billecart-Salmon to take a new approach to dosage. With more than 50 exceptional wines in a dedicated vat house and reduced doses of sugar (‘dosage’) allow them to release a finer and purer expression in their final champagnes.
Chief winemaker, Florent creates specific “liqueurs” from these reserves for each blend in order to magnify the character of the wines, which are then approved by the tasting committee during blind tastings.
William Kelley for Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate visited the House in 2022 and noted the work and their potential;
“Another development is investment dedicated to increasing the proportion of reserve wines, which now routinely surpasses 50% for the Brut Réserve (it was more like 35% not long ago). Recent releases from Billecart have been excellent and show all that work very clearly, and surely the upward trajectory will be perpetuated if the house continues to invest in agronomic improvements. Fans of Billecart’s elegant, pillowy but precise style will be delighted by everything…”
The Range
Billecart’s attention to detail extends beyond Brut/Le Réserve – their full range of non-vintage cuvées have been reviewed in the same vein;
- The Brut Rosé will become Le Rosé
- The Brut Sous Bois will become Le Sous Bois
- The Brut Blanc de Blancs will become Le Blanc de Blancs
Billecart-Salmon NV Le Réserve
Was ‘Brut Réserve’
What’s Different:
- An extended ageing time on lees, increased from an already astonishing average of 30 to 50 months. The minimum ageing requirement for NV cuvées in Champagne is just 15 months.
- A reduced dosage for greater purity and expression of terroir.
- More depth with 15 vintages in the bottle.
- A larger proportion of wines vinified in barrels, adding richness and density.
- A second wine (Inspiration 1818) was introduced to lift average quality across the board for the house NV range
Fans are already aflutter, with ‘Word on the Grapevine’ calling it “the new benchmark non-vintage champagne”;
“This scale of investment is largely unrivalled amongst grand marques, in part because so many are beholden to shareholders or management, being family-owned and managed liberates long-term vision from quarterly returns. The resultant Le Réserve is a showstopper… Don’t walk, run to taste this new benchmark non-vintage champagne.“
“When you make internationally renowned champagne for 206 years you don’t have to rock the boat, but that’s exactly what Grand Marque (Great Brand) Billecart-Salmon has done with the new releases of their flagship non-vintage champagnes. The Brut Reserve NV, soon to be called “Le [Réserve],” remains a blend of 40% Meunier, 30% Chardonnay, and 30% Pinot Noir, but now incorporates a perpetual blend (62%, 2006-2018) for the first time, adding depth and complexity, and the dosage has dropped from 8g/l to 3g/l, resulting in a much drier and refined style of champagne. In addition, the base vintage (38%) is from the fantastic 2019 “solar” harvest, which produced ripe grapes with high levels of acidity. The majority of wines (92%) were fermented in stainless steel tanks and a small but consequential amount (8%) were fermented in oak casks. Finally, the Brut Reserve only went through partial malolactic fermentation to preserve the freshness of the 2019 vintage. Disgorged in the spring of 2023. If you’re already a fan of Billecart-Salmon prepare to love them even more. If you haven’t tried Billecart-Salmon before, it’s time to discover this legendary Grand Maison.” – Philip Roufail
Billecart-Salmon NV Le Rosé
Was ‘Brut Rosé’
- 33% Pinot Noir, 43% Chardonnay, 24% Meunier
- Low-temperature vinification in stainless steel tanks
- Ageing on lees: 36 months
- Extra Brut dosage (4.7 g/L)
“Based on the 2020 vintage, Billecart-Salmon’s signature rosé appears to be on its finest form of recent years under cellar master Florent Nys, full of fragrant, crunchy redcurrant, red cherry and orange fruit with an alluring hibiscus-like floral lift and subtle green peppercorn spicing. The Meunier wraps the intensity of the vintage base in a little softness that keeps the focus on effortless ease (helped by the selection of delicate Chardonnays and young, fresh reserve wines), all adding up to a rosé of immediacy and charm, sweet-natured without sweetness and fragrant without overt fruitiness.”
– Decanter, 92 Points
“The NV Brut Rosé (base 2020) is another wine that points to the progress Mathieu Roland-Billecart has made here in recent years. Pliant, creamy and super-expressive, this edition is striking. It has a good bit of textural richness and is fresher than the 2018 tasted alongside it. Of course, some of that may be as simple as time in bottle. Pomegranate and grapefruit are laced into the brisk, finely cut finish.”
– Vinous
Billecart-Salmon NV Le Sous Bois
Was ‘Brut Sous Bois’
- 48% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 20% Meunier
- Low-temperature vinification in oak casks
- Ageing on lees: 5 years
- Extra Brut dosage (2 g/L)
“Based on the 2016 vintage with 26% réserve wines from eight different vintages, Billecart-Salmon’s NV Sous Bois exhales a delicate, toasty bouquet of mirabelle, tangerine, white fruits, ripe orchard fruits and baked bread, mingled with delicate notes of vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, round and creamy, it’s perfectly balanced with a vinous, fleshy core of fruit and a delicately toasty finish complemented with gastronomic bitterness… Since Mathieu Roland-Billecart’s arrival in 2018, the estate has expanded its barrel program, focusing on the best terroirs for cuvées like Brut Réserve and Brut Sous Bois…”
– Yohan Castaing for The Wine Advocate
Billecart-Salmon NV Le Blanc de Blancs
Was ‘Brut Blanc de Blancs’
- 100% Chardonnay from the four Grand Cru vineyards of the Côte des Blancs: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger.
- Low-temperature vinification in stainless steel tanks
- Ageing on lees: 5 years
- Extra Brut dosage (1.7 g/L)
“The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is showing beautifully today, with aromas of confit citrus, pear, herbs, orchard fruits, pastry and brioche. Medium to full-bodied, it is round and supple with the delicate, bright tension that is the signature of Billecart-Salmon. Perfectly balanced and offering a vinous, toasty and elegantly long finish, it’s based on the 2017 vintage with 23% from 2016. Vinified and matured in stainless steel, it spent five years on the lees in bottle before being disgorged with a dosage of 1.7 grams per liter.”
– Yohan Castaing for The Wine Advocate
My Origin
Unlock the secrets of your cuvée with MyOrigin.
Your digital tool to discover the Champagne you’re about to taste, down to every last detail: grape varieties, dosage, disgorgement date, number of vintages contained in each cuvée, total sugar and food pairings. Billecart-Salmon reveals everything in full transparency thanks to the 6-digit number located on the back label of your bottle.
Rendez-Vous N°6 by Billecart-Salmon
Rendez-Vous N°6 by Billecart-Salmon
A Limited Global Release
“Precise, New, Bold, each new release will epitomise an exceptional terroir and a champagne grape variety as well as the art of a meticulous winemaking”
Billecart-Salmon website
Hold on to your hats, Champagne aficionados, because this brand new release from famed Billecart-Salmon may be the most profound Blanc de Blancs of your life!
When it comes to champagne, at D&N we fall very hard for mineral, incisive Blanc de Blancs. The chalkiness, the electrifying acidity, the sense that you’re practically drinking the region’s limestone soil. We can’t get enough of it.
Now, our prestigious champagne Maison, Billecart-Salmon has intensified those extraordinary Blanc de Blancs qualities and shot them into another stratosphere with its limited global release of Rendez-Vous N°6
“Billecart-Salmon is in the very top echelon of Champagne houses – it is one of only four awarded the 10/10 rating”
Tyson Stelzer, Acclaimed Champagne Specialist
We know Champagne is never just a simple glass of fizz… As soon as the cork flies, the first sip reveals a wine of fascinating complexity. For even the most modest cuvée, a bevy of blending decisions, multi layers of history and the incalculable climate of this northern corner of France all come into play.
This is never truer than at prestigious champagne Grande Marque Billecart-Salmon where, the maison has been on a 7 generation quest for excellence, by constantly experimenting with new ideas and methods to highlight the unique quality of its wines and terroirs.
About the Billecart-Salmon Rendez-vous Collection
Mathieu Roland-Billecart, explains: “Billecart-Salmon experiments all the time, whether it’s in the vineyard or in our vinification process. What that means is that we try new things to further improve the quality wherever we can [ ]” And this is what the Rendez-Vous series is all about.
Launched in 2020, the range was created after cellar experiments conducted by the House’s Tasting Committee to assess the evolution of select grape varieties and exceptional terroirs. The most remarkable were chosen and highlighted through this Collection, offering a unique tasting experience in a very limited edition.
The N°6 champagne is made from grapes from one of the most emblematic Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs. The wines of Mesnil-sur-Oger are remarkable for their great tension. This is Chardonnay of unequalled purity and minerality. This stunning release may just be Champagne in its most thrilling form.
“The Billecart family doesn’t rest on its laurels.”
– Decanter, Stephen Brook
Marrying Precision with Purity in Chardonnay
The Billecart-Salmon Rendez-Vous N°6 series release was created to provide a platform for Champagne’s exceptional terroir and a premier grape variety, Chardonnay, and the meticulous art of winemaking.
Precision and Purity of Identity is at the very core of Rendez-Vous N°6. Crafted with an attentive focus on fruit purity and flavour balance, it stands out with its aromatic nose of ripe fruit and spring blossoms. On the palate, tension and tactility emerge, elevated by a seductive chalky imprint and radiant complexity. It is characterized by a pale gold colour with green tints that delights in the glass.
Remarkably, this is fruit taken exclusively from the 2014 vintage. This wine benefits from a slow and meticulous ageing on lees during a period of 82 months. A very selective approach is used, based on the concentration of the fruit and achieving the ultimate balance of flavours.
Let’s talk about the 82 months cellaring!
Billecart-Salmon is famously slow to release all their wines – with over three to four years in cellars the non-vintage champagnes really blossom, staying around twice as long as the fixed regulations of the appellation. The vintage cuvées patiently wait ten years before they begin to reveal their maturity. Allowing time to play its role is behind the grandeur of all Billecart-Salmon champagnes.
Champagne aficionados will truly appreciate that this a major commitment to our drinking pleasure. A prestige bottle really only starts to strut its stuff after the innumerable calculations of the tasting team and the cellar master indicates that the Champagne is entering its most exciting drinking window.
All the crystalline precision you expect from Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs is here in the Billecart-Salmon Rendez-Vous N°6 along with a serious amount of power.
We didn’t get much, so secure some for yourself before it’s gone – Don’t hesitate – Go deep.
Since 1818, over 7 generations of the Billecart-Salmon family, each member has endeavoured to continue the family tradition, staying faithful to the same motto:
“Give priority to quality, strive for excellence”.
Billecart-Salmon Rendez-Vous N°6 NVChampagne, France
Appearance
Its luminous gold colour offers a radiant, sparkling finish that gives way to a fine persistent bubble.
Aroma
Its sensory development leans on distinguished aromatic floral notes, which speaks to its great minerality of fruits (white roses, jasmine and the flesh of citrus fruit). Its sensual, meringue flavour is based on white pome fruit (tart pear and clementine juice). It is the perfect expression of subtly disciplined Chardonnay, meticulously matured on the lees.
Palate
A captivatingly tense tactile sensation is dominated by a chalky, seductive spirit (double cream, almond powder and tender nougat). A radiant complexity combined with a characteristic touch of salinity of the great terroirs of the Côte des Blancs. A delicate finish with hints of bergamot, iodine and white pepper
- From – Florent NYS, oenologist and Billecart-Salmon’s Chief Winemaker.
- 100% Chardonnay from Mesnil-sur-Oger from the Côte des Blancs, year 2014
- 100% Grand Cru
- Vinification in stainless steel tanks
- Maturation on lees / in cellar: 82 months
- Dosage: 5.6 g/l
Vintage Billecart-Salmon Champagne: Wines of Distinction
Soaring, Suave, Sophisticated Vintage Champagne - True Wines of Distinction
Vintage is IN, and never more so than at famed Champagne House, Billecart-Salmon
We love Champagne! And we know you do too, our loyal Dhall & Nash fellow fine wine imbibers.
But then sometimes you absolutely need to impress, even if the one to impress is yourself. Time to reach for the stars and pull out a bottle of Vintage Champagne that is fully draped in the prestige, tradition, and elegance of one of the most accomplished boutique houses in Champagne: Billecart-Salmon. They are the masters of vintage champagne – the ultimate luxury libation – the supernova of sparkling wines!
Clearly, the mystique of Billecart-Salmon’s vintage champagnes has reached far and wide – this is blue-chip buying after all. Vineyards, vintages, and producer are all best-in-class here. This is champagne like no other – favoured by wine collectors, investors, wine geeks and of course, the rich and famous.
“The Billecart family doesn’t rest on its laurels.”
– Decanter, Stephen Brook
And fortunately, as part of the upcoming Dhall & Nash Distinction Series Events, we would like to acquaint your palates with mesmerising, show-stopping masterpieces of vintage Billecart-Salmon Champagne.
This is a rare chance to treat yourself like a superstar and book a pair of highly coveted seats at our Distinction Series tastings. A circle-the-calendar event for every fine wine lover.
A Brief History of Champagne Billecart-Salmon
During the 17th century, Pierre Billecart, an esteemed winemaker, and ancestor of Nicolas François Billecart, was summoned by King Louis XIII who authorised him to create his own coat of arms. Thus, when the Champagne House of Billecart-Salmon was born in 1818 from marriage of Nicolas-François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, his descendants proudly reinstated them.
Situated in the village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, near Epernay, Champagne Billecart-Salmon is still a family-run organisation with seventh generation Mathieu Roland-Billecart overseeing business. Alongside the family members are a dedicated team of people who hold the House values dear to them such as Chef de Cave François Domi who retired in 2016 after 30 years with Billecart and handed over to his deputy Florent Nys who started with the business in 2005. The vineyards are overseen by Denis Blée, and all of the team are members of the eight strong “tasting committee” along with 6th generation François Roland-Billecart and Antoine Roland-Billecart and fifth generation Jean Roland-Billecart. By 2020 production had expanded with grapes now coming from 300 hectares and 40 crus mostly within 20 kms of the winery.
Always conscious to improve the quality of their champagne, in the fifties the House established the technique of chilling the must combined with the use of stainless-steel tanks for a longer fermentation at a lower temperature. Over time, the wines conserve their freshness, and the aromas intensify, allowing Billecart-Salmon champagnes to deliver all they promise.
Billecart-Salmon is discreetly but significantly continuing to evolve. Since 2010, a new cellar has housed some 400 barrels for vinification and élevage, and since 2018, another cellar is home to oak foudres retaining some 80,000 litres of reserve wine. Meanwhile, Billecart’s wines are spending longer and longer sur lees, and fruit sourcing is changing—with more grand cru fruit replacing premier cru fruit—while volumes remain the same. Based on the trials underway in their emblematic Clos Saint-Hilaire, the next frontier will be the vineyards.
The Billecart-Salmon Winning Style
The House style is intensely bright and fruity with an increasingly oxidative tone brought about by the recent re-introduction of oak. The Billecart-Salmon portfolio is vast, but they are best known for their prestige cuvées, Cuvée Nicolas-François, Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé, and Cuvée Louis Salmon.
The jewel of the estate, however, is the single-vineyard champagne Clos Saint Hilaire: a monstrously powerful cuvée (luckily D&N still has some of the 2005 and 2006 in extremely limited quantities.)
In 1999, Cuvée Nicolas-François 1959 was awarded ‘Champagne of the Millennium’ by the world’s number one champagne expert, Richard Juhlin, and a committee of critics at a 3 day blind tasting involving 150 vintages from the most illustrious champagne producers. The 1961 vintage, for its part, came second! Outshining Dom Perignon, Ruinart and Krug. WOW!
In his book ‘The Great Tasting’, Richard Juhlin wrote of the winner:
“The perfect champagne, 1959 Billecart-Salmon, had everything one would expect of a luxury champagne, but in a seldom seen concentration and simultaneously with harmonious balance. A totally perfect champagne in its category, with a smoky, honey-smooth extremely long taste of walnut, orange blossom and chocolate. All who ever get to drink this fabulous wine just have to love the pleasure it grants. When you study the end results it is striking to see how obvious the victory was.”
It was awarded a final mark of 98.5 out of 100.
Obviously for the true aficionado, vintage means everything when it comes to champagne. The personality of the different vintages is one of the champagne taster’s greatest joys. Some are most fond of the powerful alcoholic vintages with excess heat such as 1947, 1959, 1976, 1989, 1990, 2003 and 2015, while others prefer vintages that gave cooler, tart, elegant and fine-tuned champagnes, such as: 1919, 1952, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1979, 1981, 1985, 1988, 1996 and 2008. Regardless of which years are preferred, the different vintages reveal a rich variety that makes wine tasting even more fascinating.
The Extraordinary ‘Distinction Series’ Event Vintages
Dhall & Nash is elated to offer an array of stunning events across the country, tasting a number of Billecart wines, but see some highlights below.
2008 Billecart-Salmon Nicolas François Brut
Poured at all Distinction Series Events
2008 A brilliant “bullseye” vintage. The 2008 vintage is widely considered one of the top two vintages of this century so far. Fast on the heels of the renown and legendary 2002. The growing season got off to a rocky start with an unusually cool and damp spring. The cool weather persisted throughout much of the summer, but September brought idyllic weather that sped up ripening. By harvest, the grapes were in near-perfect condition. They had high levels of both sugar and acid, and growers were extremely happy with the results. Subsequent tastings have proven the wines to be of exceptional quality. The vintage is defined by its crisp, linear structure and racy, energetic taste profile. Given its exceptional structure and balance, 2008 is estimated to be one of the longest ageing vintages.
“It pours a rich straw hue and is layered and long with aromas of truffle, apricot, croissant, floral orange blossoms, and marmalade. Full-bodied, it’s supple in texture, with a rounded mousse, and has a long-lasting, mouthwatering finish. Exceptionally well-balanced, it comes together seamlessly on the finish. This will be a wine to enjoy over the next three decades.”
Jeb Dunnuck, 98 Points
“Complex, lively and direct with a core of intense citrus fruit (lemon and lime) with some subtle apple, toast and honey notes adding interest and depth. There’s a bit of structure here and great acidity, and some notes of cherries, plum and lime. Very fine and expressive, this is an immense wine. Thrilling.”
Jamie Goode – 97 Points
“It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioche and pastry with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and crystalline, with racy acids and a chalky texture, the palate is tense and the finish is long, penetrating and salty. It exhibits perfect Billecart style, yet tension is present, a sign of the vintage.”
Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate – 96 Points
2005 Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint Hilaire
Poured at Distinction Series Tasting Events (Not Dinners)
This is it, the creme of the crop. The top wine from this top producer. This unique Blanc de Noirs vintage comes exclusively from the Le Clos Saint Hilaire vineyard, named after the patron saint of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. This one hectare Clos meets strict standards: a single plot, enclosed and in one piece. Aged on lees for 170 months, less than 5,000 bottles were produced and each bottle is individually numbered.
“The colour gives a very real guide to the volume of fruit in the engine. It is a stunning old gold with pale green hints and softer amber hues. A decadent perfume captures the senses with layers of mandarin, honey, wax and patisserie shot with faint red cherry highlights, and this means that I spent as much time sniffing my glass as I did sipping this wine. Over the course of an hour, the nose broadened further with more exotic tones and even hints of spice. The palate follows a similar theme, with ultra-fine bubbles teasing the taste buds but not distracting from the overall persistence of the depth of fruit notes.
This is a rich, mouth-coating wine, and the acidity does all it can to hold it in perfect equilibrium. Of course, it is drinking now, but there is enough of a battery pack to last at least a decade, and I wonder if it won’t make two decades with ease. It is hard to tell because the luxurious ballgown of flavour hides the mineral and acid tones so cleverly. This is another sensational LCSH, and they all have such distinct characters it is truly a wine of the soil and the vintage, and this makes it one of the most honest and thought-provoking of the super-premium Champagnes.”
Matthew Jukes, 19 Points
“The 2005 Brut Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is sublime. Silky and understated, the 2005 is a model of class. The mousse alone is utterly captivating. Dried pear, gentle hints of spice, dried flowers and mint are some of the many notes that grace the 2005. In this vintage, Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is quite soft and medium in body, a Champagne of refinement more than power. Orchard fruit, white flowers and bright saline undertones frame the long, very pure finish.”
Vinous – 98 Points
“Richly complex nose of spiced yellow plums, brioche, toasted lemons, butterscotch, baked apples, strawberries, coffee cream, praline, earthy mushroom and truffle hints. It’s creamy, layered and generous, with soft bubbles. Complex toasty and spicy elements carry through to a long finish. Opulence and sophistication.”
James Suckling – 98 Points
2006 Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint Hilaire
Poured at Distinction Series Tasting Events (Not Dinners)
One to make you weak in the knees, the 2006 top Blanc de Noirs from this enclosed 1Ha vineyard parcel was aged on the lees for 159 months, over 13 years, and it’s reception upon release has been nothing short of monumental…
2006: A complicated vintage in Champagne. The vines suffered a mixed summer with a scorching July followed by a particularly rainy August. The rain in September then compromised the sanitary state of the grapes. The harvest had to be picked very quickly. Luckily for Clos Saint-Hilaire, Pinot Noir had the most success this year, rivalling Meunier and even Chardonnay.
“A baby. It was unfair to ask this wine to perform on a stage so crowded with opinionated and excellent wines, but 2006 LCSH didn’t bat an eyelid and, in fact, opened up exponentially over the hour that I managed to spend glued to this glass. With more perfume than I expected and crammed with chypre and white smoke details, these exotic details are perfectly counterpointed with terrific complexity and thousands of layers of fruit and spice. Quieter and more closed than the others, but complex, calm and blushingly pretty, there is a lot of power and potential hidden in the folds of this wine, and while they are reluctant to emerge, it is possible to get a sense of their potential already. While the depth of fruit is extraordinary, I am only seeing the tip of the iceberg today. I can only imagine the difference a year makes, let alone ten, twenty or thirty! I hope I am here to taste this wine to realise its potential. Either way, this is a staggeringly serious vintage for LCSH, and it might well prove to be another flawless release given time.”
Matthew Jukes, 19.5 Points
“Baked raspberries, salted yellow plums, figs, walnuts, orange zest, mahogany and some toasted vanilla on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with beautifully integrated, very fine bubbles. Dry, with exciting and unique white-pepper and sea-salt notes. Seamless. So harmonious. Salty and spicy clove notes evolving at the end. Amazing precision.”
James Suckling – 99 Points
“The 2006 Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is fabulous. In this radiant year, the Clos Saint-Hilaire has a touch more mid-palate sweetness and generosity, but that’s a good thing, as it balances some of the more austere leanings that can make young vintages hard to appreciate upon release. Apricot, lemon confit, ginger, graphite, spice and crushed rocks are strands in a gorgeous, captivating tapestry that dazzles right out of the gate. The precision here is just mind-blowing. Billecart’s 2006 Clos Saint-Hilaire is a very special Champagne, that much is very clear.”
Vinous – 98 Points
2009 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé
Poured at all Distinction Series Events
Meet our Dhall & Nash poster-girl of vintage champagne – she’s all class. The 2009 Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé cleverly marries the raciness of the outstanding 2009 vintage to the richness and power of the old vine Pinot that gives this wine its colour.
The 2009 Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé is made mostly from Grand Cru vineyards, but it is the Premier Cru that goes into it that makes it so special. The red wine that gives this rosé its colour comes from a small plot of 80-year-old Pinot Noir in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ called the Valofroy. This parcel, adjacent to the Clos des Goisses, faces due south and directly down at the Marne. The production from this ancient site is the limiting factor for the production of this rare tête de cuvée.
2009 An admirable vintage following the brilliant 2008. After a bit of a challenging start with cold temperatures and minimal rain the rest of the year enjoyed a good, consistent growing season. No rain during harvest cemented the quality of the wines which show great elegance, poise, and balanced acidity. In terms of profile the wines are very similar to the 2008s, while coming from very different growing conditions. Unlike the 2008s, they are more accessible in the near term with many of the wines drinking beautifully upon release.
“A slightly flinty and vibrant bouquet alongside complex aromas of red berries, herbs and lemon, with fresh menthol notes coming through with some air. The palate is wonderful and elegant, with a vinous texture and a superb, calcareous finish.”
Decanter, 98 Points
“Billecart’s 2009 Brut Rose Cuvee Elisabeth Salmon is showing beautifully, delivering fragrant aromas of plums, stone fruits, petals, sweet spices, and marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegant, it’s seamless.”
The Wine Advocate – 96 Points
“The 2009 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is such a joyous Champagne. Intensely floral and effusive, the 2009 is a real charmer.”
Vinous
2009 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Louis Salmon Blanc de Blancs
Poured at all Distinction Series Events
This cuvée was named in tribute to Louis, Elisabeth Salmon’s brother, who was passionate about oenology and highly involved in winemaking from the earliest creation of the House. Originating from the best parcels of the Côte des Blancs, the Blanc de Blancs vintage is endowed with purity and minerality. This vintage was aged on the lees for an astonishing 144 months (12 years).
“A seductive wine that’s almost identical in appearance to the 2017 Blanc de Blancs, this 2009 jumps from the glass with a buoyant personality in its perfume of lemon custard, honeysuckle, fresh brioche, a hint of almond, and juicy pear. Full-bodied, its wonderfully rich texture coats the palate with citrus oils, and it has a finish that won’t quit. It balances its warmth and solar feel with a lovely embrace and retains a powerful yet balanced finish.”
Jeb Dunnuck, 97 Points
“2009 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis Salmon reveals aromas of pear, lemon oil, mandarin oil, white pepper, pastry and almonds. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and long, it has a crystalline yet vinous texture with a fresh, salty finish. It is a quintessential representation of Billecart’s style, characterized by racy acids and a lively palate.”
The Wine Advocate – 95 Points
“This is showing an array of almonds, frangipani, dried lemons, apricots, pastries and white chocolate, evolving to salted caramel. Fantastic complexity and all in balance, with firm focus yet open and delicious. Creamy, very fine bubbles. Salty, turning chalky and mineral at the end.”
James Suckling – 96 Points
What’s the big deal with vintages in Champagne?
Perhaps no other wine region on earth is as vintage driven as Champagne. Because of its location in north-eastern France this region really pushes the envelope for grape growing – it’s marginal here. Many of the harvests in any given decade are not suitable for the production of top-quality, single-vintage Champagne.
Most of the Champagne produced is non-vintage, meaning that the wine is a blend of grapes grown during many different vintages. Single-vintage Champagne is usually only produced three or four times per decade and makes up less than 5% of total Champagne production. The rarity of these top vintages makes the great years even more special, with exceptional and rare vintages commanding high prices at auction. With climate change, Champagne has seen a string of roller-coaster vintages during the past decade.
Nevertheless, a Champagne’s vintage remains one of the most important factors for collectors and lovers of fine aged Champagne. These Billecart-Salmon vintage cuvées demonstrate best that champagne is a wine that can be kept for many years without losing any of its dynamism and brilliance, at the same time developing aromas, exotic flavours and spellbinding complexity that set it apart from other top sparkling wines and still wines alike.
You may ask that in a world happy enough with prosecco and pét-nat, are these vintage champagnes truly worth it?
Absolutely! Even if our modern day lives are full of distractions and disappointments, a surprisingly small number of deluxe Champagne Houses, such as Billecart-Salmon, still consistently represent the highest-quality fizz you can find. These are hauntingly powerful masterworks. In other words, an astoundingly sublime wine experience. What you’re paying for are the very best grapes from grands crus and premiers cru vineyards in the very best years; with extra years of aging in the Champagne’s cold, chalky cellars (which gives the wines more complex flavours and aromas); the undoubted rarity factor; and, of course, Prestige with a capital P!
Champagne & French Fry Day: Top Notch Pairing
Celebrating Champagne & French Fry Day
Eight Top Notch Champagne Pairings and one Wildcard...
Here in NZ, chips, or French fries, are a real national treasure. To celebrate, we’ve paired eight of our Champagnes (and one wildcard bubbly) up with their ultimate carby soulmates.
Andre Clouet NV Grande Reserve Brut Blanc de Noirs + Curly Fries
Winemaker Jean-François is sometimes described as having a flamboyant personality, dubbed by one guest as ‘a combination of winemaker and circus ringmaster,’ so it’s only fitting that his signature drop pairs with the not-so-humble curly fry.
“He is daringly creative, with a distinctly modern twist to his approach… His are rich and concentrated expressions of pinot noir, wines of deep complexity, multifaceted interest and engaging character, yet with remarkable restraint and sense of control.” says Champagne expert, Tyson Stelzer, and we believe therein lies the obvious tie in to the ‘rich’ and ‘engaging’ shape and seasoning of the spiralled morsel we all not-so-secretly delight over.
Billecart-Salmon NV Brut Réserve + Standard Cut Fries
Don’t fix what ain’t broken – the Bille’ Brut and the satisfying standard chip are both firm ‘tried & true’ contenders in our book. Where you can’t go wrong, you’ll always go right.
The Billecart Brut Réserve is far and away our most beloved entry-level NV in our portfolio with a slew of dedicated fans behind it because it’s so elegant and consistent. James Suckling says “I drink this regularly and always enjoy it.” Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas calls it “A Champagne for any occasion…” so some could say it really is the ‘standard cut’ of Champagnes. Sure to please, with a touch of crispness (not too much) and a light, satisfying core. Twinsies!
Billecart-Salmon NV Brut Nature + Homestyle Chunky Fries
Sometimes you just gotta go ‘au naturel’ and we reckon the Brut Nature with zero dosage and a good hot homestyle chunky are a match made in heaven.
“A dense, layered Champagne with a full body and lots of texture.” says James Suckling – and had he not specified ‘Champagne’ then you’d be forgiven for thinking he’d been snacking up a storm in your mum’s kitchen enjoying some chunky well-seasoned home-cuts. Drink up and chow down, this could be you sorted for the weekend!
Billecart-Salmon NV Brut Rosé + Kūmara Fries
Sometimes you just need to ‘level up’ your chip and spring for the Kūmara fries for a bit of va-va-voom, and it’s the same with your Champers – you need a hit of pink to make it really pop!
“Pale orange. High-pitched red berry, orange zest and jasmine aromas, with suave mineral and smoky lees notes adding complexity,” says Stephen Tanzer for Vinous, and if those aren’t notes you want to sip up alongside a crispy, hot, sweet and salty chip singing of Aotearoa, then we don’t know what are! The fruity zing and creamy lees in Bille’ Rosé make for a wonderful partner to our humble and beloved Kūmara fry.
Larmandier-Bernier NV Latitude Extra Brut + Shoestring Fries
Larmandier-Bernier is synonymous with dry, crisp and immensely fine organic Champagnes and the name is music to any somm’s ears. Its no-dosage, extra-brut edge cuts the rich and slightly oilier shoestring fry perfectly.
It’s a well-known contradiction that sparkling wine and greasy food are, oddly, a match made in heaven seeing as the acidity can cut through the grease and leave you with the best of both worlds when it comes to savouring the flavour of both elements. “Lovely lemon freshness at first but also a light yeasty note. Fine, lively mousse, really crisp and tight with a long citrus finish,” says Jancis Robinson. So pop the top on this liquid elegance and then get down and dirty with a good, crispy shoestring. The shinier, the better!
Charles le Bel ‘Inspiration 1818’ Brut by Billecart-Salmon + Crinkle Cuts
The chip we know and love, but with a different face… and the Champagne we know and love, with a different face! These two are kindred spirits – being the ‘other side’ of the coin to the standards.
Every year, Billecart-Salmon vinifies base wines from more parcels than it actually needs for the production of its main cuvées. Some of the wines are bottled to be part of their secondary wine, Charles Le Bel Inspiration 1818! We feel this backstory lends itself perfectly to the Crinkle Cut chip. The Crinkle Cut is similar to the standard chip, but is a bit different… It holds sauces and seasonings better than its straight-edge cousins but doesn’t see quite the spread that they do… but we know their crinkly, delicious secrets. Much like we know of Billecart’s secret second label!
Champagne Bouby et Fils NV Brut Sélection + Waffle Fries
For the folks out there wanting something a bit bolder, this pairing is wow wow wow. A punchy, bold Champagne with a chip that has it all – crunch, texture, intrigue and supreme dippability.
This Premier-Cru grower’s Champagne really punches above its weight, with a considerable percentage of its blend being Pinot Noir & Meunier. This is a fairly muscular, full-bodied style of Champagne. Despite its power, there’s a gracefulness to the palate. The wine finishes with a lovely creamy mouthfeel that would simply meld deliciously with a mouthful of crunchy waffle fry slathered in garlic butter.
Billecart-Salmon 2005 Le Clos Saint Hilaire + Gold Truffle Fries
Okay, let’s just dream for a second here. The Billecart Salmon Le Clos Saint Hilaire is as iconic as they come, it comes from a one-hectare plot of Pinot Noir vines that were planted in 1964 and it sits behind the winery. “These vines give rise to some of the most fascinating and flamboyant wines in the Billecart portfolio.” says Matthew Jukes, so we ought to find them a pretty premium counterpart here…
Enter… truffle fries. Crispy, earthy and savoury at their core, it’s about the only way you’ll ever have a ‘fancy’ fry. The flavour and aroma of truffles are so very unique and forest-floor-esque, making it the ideal companion for a 100% Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs cuvée. Any parmesan sprinkled over the fries will offer a nutty edge that would beautifully mirror the brioche flavours and offer some good oiliness for the Champagne to cut through and dance with.
Not enough? We’ve heard there are places that offer your truffle fries with gold-dust sprinkled on… do with that knowledge what you will, and godspeed. If you opt to try this pairing, we implore you to let us know so we can swoon!
Wildcard: Digby Fine English NV Brut + Chippies from your local
We know Digby isn’t technically a Champagne and we’re all about Champagne & French Fries today, but who says we can’t switch it up a little bit, in the spirit of innovation.
English Sparklers are starting to turn heads recently, as the English summers warm up and winemakers have started to clue onto the fact the soils – including loads of pure chalk and sandstone, have serious untapped potential. Critics have started to clue on too: “Rich, creamy wine (I almost wrote ‘champagne’)” said Bob Campbell MW, “a good blend of vibrant/youthful and mellow/mature characters. An absolute pleasure to drink.”
We reckon this English fizz is the perfect accompaniment for a scoop of chips from your local Fish & Chip shop. There’s no denying that they taste different to other fries. Whether it’s the oil that’s always hot, the newspaper wrapping or the complete freedom in the way there’s no rules to how you eat them, they are as beloved a pastime meal for the English as they are for us Kiwis. The humble ‘Fush & Chup’ shop chippy, as enjoyed through the veneer of ruleless abandon, is a refreshing and fitting match for the English Fizz that’s changing the game.
NEW! 'Baby Bille': Charles Le Bel NV Brut ‘Inspiration 1818’ by Billecart-Salmon
NEW ARRIVAL: Champagne Charles le Bel NV Brut ‘Inspiration 1818’ by Billecart-Salmon
“Long may the champagne flow.”
During these inflationary times many wine drinkers may be tightening their vinous budgetary belts and vowing to sip more thoughtfully in 2023. We hear you! We feel your pain!
And we know that Champagne has always symbolized the “good life” and is the reason Champagne is inextricably linked to a wonderful lightness of being, to happiness and to celebration! In these challenging times, we sure need a generous sprinkling of sparkling.
Champagne in France is an anytime drink, and in NZ, we’re not far behind them – Champagne can be drunk whenever you want, with whatever you want. So, when there’s a global shortage with prices skyrocketing, we said ENOUGH! Our customers will not be sacrificing their quality Champagne tastes by resorting to rummaging in the bargain bins.
Dhall & Nash rapturously welcomes to our shores – Champagne Charles Le Bel ‘Inspiration 1818’ by Billecart-Salmon. This is the NZ debut of “Baby Billecart”.
“Tout ce qui est petit est mignon!”
– everything that’s small is cute!
Rather than reaching for the big brands with big price tags this year, perhaps you should dive into something “smaller”— you won’t be disappointed by this hidden little gem that doesn’t sacrifice an iota of class and taste – Champagne Charles Le Bel ‘Inspiration 1818’.
Every year, legendary Grande Marque Champagne Billecart-Salmon vinifies base wines from more parcels than it actually needs for the production of its main cuvées. Some of the wines are bottled to be part of their secondary wine, Charles Le Bel, often served in Parisian bistros and First Class airlines in France – it’s Billecart quality at a very approachable price.
The Allure of Champagne Billecart-Salmon
The oldest continuously family-owned Champagne House, Billecart-Salmon was founded in 1818 by the marriage of Nicolas Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon. For over two hundred years, the House has developed a renowned expertise in crafting fine, elegant, and beautifully balanced Champagnes. From the beginning, their heirs have never stopped aiming for excellence in winemaking. Today led by seventh generation Mathieu Roland-Billecart, each family member has endeavoured to pursue the family tradition and stay faithful to the same motto: “give priority to quality, strive for excellence.”
Consequently, in Billecart-Salmon’s secondary label nothing is sacrificed. They oversee and handle everything in the vinification of Charles Le Bel champagne. The grapes come from a mix of vineyards with a portion from their younger vines. The entire operation, including the “dégorgement” and dosage take place in the cellars of this famous champagne house. This is an absolute guarantee of origin, quality, and character!
Champagne Charles le Bel NV 'Inspiration 1818' Brut by Billecart-Salmon
A delicious, classic champagne with aromas of brioche, almonds, and pears. It is a great value Champagne that offers an exceptional opportunity to get a premium champagne without breaking the bank.
Very fine and crystalline bubbles, golden yellow light. Impressive nose, with aromas of brioche, almonds, butter, apple, and pear. A beautiful stroke, mineral, very good balance between acidity and roundness, citrus fruits, and long finish
Sparkling and crystalline with fine and plentiful bubbles. A blooming nose with harmonious notes of butter, white flesh fruits as well as Mirabelle plums and dried fruits. A well balanced mouth, structured thanks to the greatness of the Pinots Noirs, with flavours of white flesh fruits. The Chardonnays bring to this wine a refreshing finish with notes of citrus fruits and pepper.
Blend:
- Chardonnay 37%
- Pinot Meunier 30%
- Pinot Noir 33%
- Reserve wine 70%
4.1 Stars on Vivino
Good value for money. Similar wines usually cost 55% more.
Top 4% of wines from Champagne
Top 2% of wines in The World
“Clear pale lemon in color with medium plus intensity and notes of Brioche, bread dough, melon, apple, orange zest and lemon peel. This wine is dry with high acid, low alcohol, medium plus body and a medium finish.”
– Max Sheets, most upvoted review“Lots of citrus notes. Lime, lemon, pear and apple. A bit of brioche in the finish. For the price. Fantastic. Stand up next to bottles more than double the price.”
“Quite outstanding. Loved it a lot. Amazing mix of yellow apples, apricot, baked apples. Some brioche too. Hints of citrus, very very subtle.”
“Really light champagne. Great flavor and small light bubbles that are super refreshing. Comes from the Billecart-Salmon house. For half the price as well.”
Charles Le Bel is great value and also a great chance to obtain this calibre of champagne for not only magnificent celebrations but also for any and every other occasion when the sound of a POP is essential to having some fun!
Stop reaching for more familiar Champagne names, do your wallet a favour and dive into something “smaller”—you never know what a hidden gem you may find with Champagne Charles Le Bel ‘Inspiration 1818’.
Trust the sleuthing palates of Dhall & Nash!
The Quirky Cool Stuff
Yes, the 1818 of Charles Le Bel references the foundation date of the esteemed Champagne house Billecart-Salmon…
…but did you know that ‘1818’ is an ‘Angel number’! What the heck is an angel number you ask. It has a very positive spiritual meaning. Believe it or not, the 1818 Angel Number message is a sign that you’ll meet your soulmate if you’ve been searching for your perfect match – and at a time when you least expect to. Pop that bottle now and see what happens! ☺