Paris Butter Presents: A Fine Wine Series Champagne! (March)
Embark on a tasting journey every month at the Fine Wine Series, where we're pairing sensational wines with the culinary delights of Paris Butter!
For the month of March, we're kicking off with indulging in the effervescent world of Champagne, uncovering its nuances and perfect food pairings.
From a crisp Brut to an exquisite demi-sec, embark on a tasting journey through a curated selection of Champagnes, complimented with a delectable three-course menu (and signature snacks), specifically crafted by renowned chef Hick Honeyman and Cuisine's 2023 Chef of the Year, Zennon Wijlens.
- Champagne Larmandier-Bernier Latitude Extra Brut NV
- Champagne André Clouet V6 Experience Grand Cru Pinot Noir NV
- Champagne Billecart-Salmon Les Rendez-Vous No. 3 NV
- Champagne Billecart-Salmon Demi-Sec NV
Elevate your palate, expand your knowledge, and immerse yourself in the Fine Wine Series. Whether you're a connoisseur or an enthusiast there's always something new to discover!
Reserve your spot for an evening of effervescent culinary delight by contacting Melissa, or book online at Paris Butter here.
Paris Butter Presents: Fine Wine Dinner Series (February)
- Theme: Champagne!
- Date: Saturday, 2nd March 2024
- Time: 12:00pm
- Location: Paris Butter, 166 Jervois Road, Herne Bay, Auckland
- Cost: $225 per person (+GST)
A strictly R18+ event. Please drink responsibly.
Dietary requirements can be catered for with a minimum of 48 hours notice.
Future Fine Wine Dinner Series Themes:
- April: Rosé
- May: Burgundy
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! ☺
Champagne Billecart-Salmon
Dhall & Nash Wondermaker
Champagne Billecart-Salmon
The Art of Fine Champagne
“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
Champagne. How much magic is in this word – the ultimate luxury libation – the supernova of sparkling wines? Not all champagne is created equal – if you get our drift!
Perhaps we too readily acquiesce to having a glass of the mass produced champagnes of the world like the Moëts, the Veuves, the Mumms… STOP! We dare you to be different this holiday season.
For many years now, Dhall & Nash has been incredibly fortunate and honoured to represent the best of the little guy Champagne Houses, the esteemed Billecart-Salmon. They are Prestigious with a capital P!
So, it’s about time we proselytised to the last few unconverted about the hedonistic, artfully executed, stunningly textured Billecart-Salmon range of superb champagnes. Are you ready to take it up a few notches for your summer festivities and beyond?
And if reviews are your thing, go take a look at the effusive praise Billecart-Salmon receives then try to keep your jaw from hitting the ground when you find some flirting with the ever-elusive triple-digit score. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely, positively, 100%.
“The mark of Billecart is made not by the heavy footfall of concentration, power and presence, but rather the fairy touch of delicacy and crystal-clear fidelity.”
Tyson Stelzer, Acclaimed Champagne Specialist
A Champagne House with Finesse
The History of Billecart-Salmon
Situated in the Champagne heartland of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, near Epernay, Billecart-Salmon has been under family ownership and management since its founding in 1818. It is a family-run winery with a majority share owned by the Billecart family and a minority holding is held by the Frey group, itself a family-owned business – they are owners of Château La Lagune in Bordeaux, Paul Jaboulet Ainé in the Rhône, and Château Corton C in Burgundy.
The Billecart family still lives on site and there remains a strong sense of long-visioned family continuity at play. Today there’s the seventh generation Mathieu Roland-Billecart overseeing everyday business as CEO, working closely with Antoine and François.
“If there is a bartender favourite it is perhaps Billecart Salmon – not just because it’s fine fizz but because it’s a medium-sized house still under family control.”
Drinks International
During the 17th century, Pierre Billecart, an esteemed winemaker of the era, 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 the marriage of Nicolas-François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, his descendants proudly reinstated them. Appropriately a royal seal of approval as the foundation for the new champagne House. And remarkably, both sides of each family can trace their roots back to the village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ as far back as the 16th century.
It was Elizabeth’s brother, Louis Salmon, who took charge of the oenological side of the business, while Nicolas François, a lawyer by training, developed the commercial side.
Billecart-Salmon prospered throughout the 19th century until the intervention of the First World War in 1914. By the end of the war, the 100-year-old house was down to just 75,000 bottles remaining in the cellars. However, the company got through relatively unscathed and Charles Roland-Billecart managed to restore sales to around 217,000 bottles by 1936.
Always conscious of improving the quality of their champagne, in 1958 they developed a winemaking method that was revolutionary for the time (Geek Talk on this later). This new technique meant that over time, the wines conserve their crystalline freshness, and the aromas intensify, allowing Billecart-Salmon champagnes to deliver all they promise.
In 1964, as a tribute to founder Nicolas François, the house launched the first vintage of the eponymous Cuvée Nicolas François. In 1999, the Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart Vintage 1959 was chosen “Champagne of the Millennium” by a committee of experts at a blind tasting session involving 150 vintages from the most illustrious champagne producers, organised in Stockholm by Richard Juhlin, a great champagne specialist. Amazingly, the 1961 vintage of Cuvée Nicolas François, came second. Double Wow!
Even if two centuries have passed since the creation of Billecart-Salmon champagnes, its motto remains unchanged: ‘‘Give priority to quality, strive for excellence”
Billecart-Salmon
Ever the trend-setters, in 1970, Jean Roland-Billecart, the then company president, decided to develop a rosé Champagne at a time when this type of Champagne was not considered high quality. This move changed the face of champagne forever.
Today, the Billecart-Salmon non-vintage rosé is the gold standard for every champagne house making rosé.
“Billecart [] has a particularly and deservedly high reputation for its Brut Rosé”
Jancis Robinson MW
By the early 1990s, the house repositioned itself as a premium brand, focusing on high end restaurants and exclusive retailers. In keeping with this revitalisation, in 1995, the house decided to isolate one-hectare of its most valued vineyard to be vinified separately. This became the first vintage of Clos St-Hilaire, a 100% Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs vinified directly on site (very rare in Champagne) and aged in barrels.
Billecart-Salmon’s Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is “the King of Blanc de Noirs, [] a towering masterpiece of profound mineral clarity and unfathomable complexity.”
Tyson Stelzer, Champagne Specialist
Style and Uniqueness
The Continuing Quest for Excellence
In 1996, François Roland-Billecart decided to re-introduce oak as a major component in the making of their wine. This widened the range of available aromas for blending by the Chief Winemaker. As for all the techniques used by the House, the oak casks, and more recently large oak barrels, have been selected with great care by the Vineyard Master. The vinification in steel tanks combined with that in oak casks enhance the wines of the House. As always, the goal at Billecart, is to encourage subtle refined complexity rather than any overt oak character.
Another unique factor lies at the root of the specific Billecart-Salmon style: time. Unlike the legal minimum required for Champagne wines – 15 months for non-vintage wines and 36 months for vintage wines – Billecart-Salmon bottles are laid down for a minimum of between 3 and 10 years in its chalk cellars before they are judged ready for tasting and release.
Billecart-Salmon is discreetly but significantly continuing to evolve. With the new millennium came the construction of a new cuverie, enabling better control of individual parcels in small temperature controlled tanks. This was followed in 2010 by the addition of a new Chai housing 400 small and two large oak foudres. 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.
Billecart-Salmon “…is going from strength to strength.”
William Kelley, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Billecart-Salmon And Gastronomy: An Alliance of Taste
Billecart-Salmon has built its reputation partly through its association with fine dining and haute cuisine. The House owes this to François Roland-Billecart, who, as a watchful observer, understood in the early 1990s, that champagne had ceased to be merely a wine and had become the signature of an image. Thus, the only future imaginable for a small house like Billecart-Salmon was to encompass wine experiences of the highest quality. From that point on, with the help of Alexandre Bader, the current Managing Director, Billecart-Salmon pivoted towards a defining relationship with haute cuisine becoming the champagne served in all 27 Michelin-starred restaurants in France. What a coup!
“It’s easy to work for a company that is searching for quality as the goal across the whole process. The best grapes on the best terroirs are expensive, but this is our priority.”
François Domi, Retired Chef de Cave
Hands-on In the Vineyards
Grapes from the Best Crus in Champagne
The excellence of Billecart-Salmon champagnes rests, above all, on the knowledge of those who rigorously select grapes from vineyards of more than 300 hectares, of which about 100 hectares belong to the House and its shareholders, divided between 40 different Champagne crus. The House also manages under lease arrangement, 80 hectares of grand cru fruit, taking full control from pruning to harvest. Overall, Billecart-Salmon has 52% Grand Cru fruit, 16% Premier Cru.
Fortunately, most grapes used for winemaking come from a radius of 20km around Epernay, where the great wines of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier from the Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs and the Vallée de la Marne are to be found.
Billecart-Salmon is certified « High Environmental Value » and in 2017, was awarded the «Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne» certification for its winemaking
Billecart-Salmon’s trials with biodynamics and permaculture were begun in the Clos St Hilaire plot. CEO Mathieu Roland-Billecart describes the one-hectare parcel as his research and development facility. It is here, in a controlled, manageable environment where the estate seeks not only to better its understanding of soil and climate but also to trial new practices and establish advancements in viticulture. He describes the current viticulture as “organic plus”. There is ploughing by horses, sheep graze the grass, and there are bees. Though a large percentage of the house’s vineyards are farmed organically, the estate is not organic in its entirety.
Mathieu says he sees great hope for permaculture, but a lot depends on the size of the parcel. In Champagne, the average size is 0.13 hectares, so this can be a problem. ‘We don’t believe in the one size fits all approach,’ he says. ‘It is parcel by parcel: some vineyards are more capable of dealing with organics than others.’ They no longer use herbicides, and whether or not they plough depends on the plot.
‘Billecart-Salmon are deeply committed to the preservation of the link between man and nature’
Billecart-Salmon Website
The Billecart-Salmon Philosophy
The House’s philosophy is simple: respect the terroir in order to produce great wines.
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. The vast amount of these experiments you never see. Because if they are successful, and very often they are, they end up being kept in our reserve wine catalogue, so they help us to further improve the quality of our wines, which in time means that they improve the quality of our non-vintage Champagnes, whether that is Brut Réserve, Brut Sous Bois, Brut Rosé, etc.”
Billecart-Salmon’s Commitment to Sustainable Viticulture
In its constant quest for excellence, Billecart-Salmon favours cultivation methods that aim to protect the environment and promote biodiversity. Committed to preserving the cycle between winemaker and nature, the House has long been convinced that such a course of action is essential in the pursuit of environmental sustainability.
Long before being certified High Environmental Value (HVE) and Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne (VDC) in 2017, Maison Billecart-Salmon was already focused on managing its vineyards with the utmost respect for the environment. Beyond a simple approach, it’s a long-term state of mind that calls for constant self-assessment and continuous progress.
VDC
Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne. A fervent advocate of this ecological approach, Maison Billecart-Salmon is raising awareness among partner winegrowers about the importance of the certification through its certification collective. In 2021, 75% of its supplies are VDC certified.
HVE
This is environmental certification at the highest level with 4 indicators considered: biodiversity, fertilization, phytosanitary protection, and water management.
Vinification – Meticulous Work
‘When modernity and authenticity unite in the best way’
Billecart-Salmon Website
As part of the ever present quest to maintain the quality of their champagnes, in the fifties, Billecart-Salmon developed the most revolutionary technique of double debourbage.
Essentially, after the standard clarification process to settle out solids, the juice is settled a second time at 4degrees Celsius for a minimum of 48 hours. The house pioneered this system. Inspired by the maternal grandfather’s experience brewing beer no less!
What happens is this – at this temperature, the coarser lees are removed without risk of oxidation, delivering pristine juice perfect for fermentation. The process is expensive and time-consuming. Fellow vignerons thought they were crazy.
The juice is then brought up to just 13 degrees C for the primary fermentation. All 100 tanks are individually temperature controlled. At this temperature, cultured yeasts from the natural yeasts of nearby villages take 3-4 weeks to complete fermentation. Such long cool ferments are crucial for retaining greater freshness and delicacy than a standard champagne ferment of one week at 20°C.
The cuverie (winery building) concentrates primarily on small thermoregulated cuvees (47 hectolitres) which allows the House to observe the traceability of the grape varieties and the individual parcels. This vinification is carried out cru by cru and grape variety by grape variety which permits the conservation of the nuances of expression of the terroir. In vinifying at a low temperature, the fermentation process slows down, encouraging ethereal aromas, which are delicate and allow all the purity of the fruit to be expressed. It is the absolute signature of the Billecart-Salmon style.
“Overall, they [Billecart-Salmon] are rather subtle and low key. They say that while most other houses aim for: a fizziness quotient of about seven atmospheres, they deliberately aim for six.”
Jancis Robinson, MW
This is also one of the few champagne houses where some of the top wines are still hand-riddled. But, Mathieu Roland-Billecart insists, there are no rules. Neither for cork v crown cap, malo, nor dosage. Decisions are taken on a wine by wine basis. Though they are very keen on the quality of the liqueur d’expedition, added to top up the wine after disgorgement. So, for a final nuance: every cuvee has a different liqueur at Billecart. Chef de Cave, Florent Nye conducts many tastings with different dosages, from wines aged in barrel and those in tank, to determine which best suits each wine. “The wine is in a constant state of evolution” explains Antoine Roland-Billecart.
Low dosage is also a Billecart signature – over the past decade decreasing the dosage has been crucial in allowing the fruit to show its full character. Antoine says, “It’s like make-up, you don’t need it if there is no problem, and you want to show the real character of the wines”.
Billecart-Salmon has chalk cellars dating from the 17th and 19th centuries meandering for kilometres beneath the cuverie standing guard over the House’s precious cargo. Over time, the wines assert themselves and the aromas develop, imprinted with all the finesse, balance and elegance which are characteristic of the personality of the House’s champagnes.
Billecart-Salmon is famously slow to release 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.
An Instinct for Wine
At Billecart-Salmon, instinct alone inspires wine. It is an instinct transmitted from generation to generation that is to be found in abundance in the House tasting committee. Bringing together three generations of the family as well as the head winemakers, the committee comprises: Jean, François, Antoine and Mathieu Roland-Billecart and Florent Nys, Denis Blée and François Domi. Together, they decide on the selection of wines, blends, and dosages to be made. Step by step, the committee tastes, informs and adjusts each wine, satisfied only when they are all in agreement. Whether they are leaders, cellar masters, oenologists, or winemakers, they all share a passion for wine and are careful to preserve the certain style that is Billecart-Salmon. Altogether ensuring the calibre and legacy of this unique Champagne House continues.
The Artful Billecart-Salmon Champagnes
The 200-year old Billecart Salmon Champagne house has never failed to impress wine drinkers and critics – thanks to consistent innovations in winemaking, commitment to quality and the impressive line-up of cuvees!
When wine critic Tyson Stelzer asked Antoine Roland-Billecart how they maintain such transcendental standards in every one of their cuvées, his refreshingly honest reply was: “We are not focused on marketing. Vinification is the key for us, and all the rest is bullshit!” Say no more.
Although the Billecart-Salmon portfolio is vast, they are best known for their prestige founders’ cuvées, Cuvée Nicolas-François, Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé, and Cuvée Louis Salmon. The ultimate jewel of the estate, however, is the single-vineyard champagne Clos Saint Hilaire: a monstrously powerful Blanc de noir cuvée.
Over the decades, there have been so many glowing reviews with stratospheric scores making them impossible to list here, however, some salient descriptors will give you an inkling of their Best-in-Show status:
“An ethereal champagne”, “richness plus transparency”, “brimming with light”, “very pure, very fresh, very zesty”, “refreshing balance”, “high-toned”, “racy & lively”, “a peacock’s tail finish”, “very confident”, “transparent & delicate”, “very flirtatious”, “polished texture”, “an elixir”, “firm & quite structured”, “elegance & expressive fruit”, “a study in subtlety”, “beautifully chiselled finesse”, “perfect & complex maturity”, “persistent & fascinating effervescence”, “mouth-filling concentration”, “Full-bodied yet agile, “pillowy & layered” and many more.
“I tasted 18 current non-vintage cuvées of the most famous champagne houses last week blind – a rare treat – and Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve was the most impressive for me.”
Jancis Robinson MW
Which Billecart-Salmon bottles should you not miss out on for Christmas and for 2023?
Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon 2009
Depth and Complexity
Copper-orange color with aromas of grapefruit pith, cherry stones, dried roses, white pepper, pastries, walnuts, and oyster shells. Refined and elegant with pretty, dried red and citrus fruit, layered with subtle spice and toast. Fine bubbles. Dry. 55% pinot noir from Mareuil-sur-Ay and Ay, and 45% Grand Cru chardonnay from Cote des Blancs, with 10% of pinot noir red wine. Dosage 7g/L. Disgorged in July 2021. Drink or hold.
96 points – James Suckling
Billecart-Salmon 2013 Vintage
Intense and Seductive
A vibrant Champagne, finely balanced and lacy in texture, serving as an elegant canvas for layered flavours of yellow peach, chopped almond, cherry, toast point and preserved lemon. Minerally smoke, chalk and spice notes play on the finish. Disgorged November 2021. Drink now through 2030.
94 points – Wine Spectator
“This is one of those champagnes that is really joyful, happy, and upbeat, with real vivaciousness yet quite a bit of serious undertow too.”
Jancis Robinson MW on Billecart-Salmon Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs NV
Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru NV
Delicacy & Elegance
Produced from the grapes of five grand cru vineyards of the Côte des Blancs: Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger, this beautiful Champagne is crisp and mineral, with a great texture and acidity. It has elegance and style as well. It is a finely balanced wine that is ready to drink.
93 points – Wine Enthusiast
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 liter 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.
93 points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Billecart-Salmon Brut Sous Bois NV
Captivating & Original
This could almost be considered the little brother of the Clos St Hilaire: along with that wine this is 100% barrel-fermented and these are the only ones in the range that are. With one-third each of the three main grape varieties and the malolactic fermentation is blocked, it’s a truly fascinating wine. “It sings with Billecart precision, while basking in the richness of barrel fermentation, silky and alluring, confronting, and commanding, all at once. Don’t serve it too cold and give it lots of air in a large glass” extols champagne specialist Tyson Stelzer.
Taut and vivid with bright cherry fruit, some lively citrus, and a touch of spice. Pristine with lovely intensity and a nice savouriness, finishing bright and complex, with lovely tension on the finish. A gastronomic Champagne.
94 points – Dr Jamie Goode, Wine Anorak
The Billecart-Salmon Sous Bois is one of the best non-vintage Bruts in the marketplace. This Champagne is rich and racy. Its lively aromas and flavors of mineral notes and bright stone fruits should pair superbly with oven-roast chicken over a mix of arugula and kale.
95 points – Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Billecart-Salmon Brut Nature
Pure & Refined
A dense, layered Champagne with a full body and lots of creamy texture. Lovely, cooked apple and pie crust. 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% chardonnay and 30% pinot noir. The base was 2015, but in total it contains 10 harvests. It was bottled at the beginning of 2016 and disgorged in March 2020. Four years on lees. Fantastic release.
94 points – James Suckling
The Billecart-Salmon Brut Nature Champagne is at once rewarding and teeth-biting, as well as delicious and lasting. This wine brings a streak of minerality to the fore with its aromas and flavors. Enjoy its tantalizing stone fruit flavors and generous palate-feel with tuna tartare and a squeeze of Meyer lemon.
93 points – Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The holiday season will be on us before we know it. With the continued global demand for Champagne, the time to stock up is now. AND – DON’T FORGET – Dhall & Nash has LARGE FORMAT STOCK available!!! Grab these titanic Champagne masterpieces and get ready to captivate a room with each pull of the cork!
A Food and Wine Experience with Rod Easthope
Join us for an evening of food and wine at The Rees Hotel, featuring wines from Easthope Family Winegrowers and Billecart-Salmon Champagne, served with a four course set dinner, carefully curated by Executive Chef, Corey Hume; and ending with a special gin aperitif from Stranger & Sons.
Hosted by Puneet Dhall (Dhall & Nash Fine Wines), Rod Easthope (Winemaker, Easthope Family Winegrowers) and Mark Rose (The Rees' Director of Wines), as a part of The Rees Hotel's Culinary Series Event.
All inclusive price: $175 per person
Secure your ticket today here or email events@therees.co.nz to book or call +63 3 450 1100.
Billecart-Salmon - Vintage Champagne Releases
Arriving soon to our shores, not one, not two, but THREE Billecart-Salmon Vintage Champagnes – this is a circle-the-calendar event for every fine wine lover.
“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
Champagne. How much magic is in this word? Then there’s Vintage Champagne – the ultimate luxury libation – the supernova of sparkling wines. Now there’s distinct wizardry at work! Add to that, the international supply chain having its Covid-accelerated meltdown, and we knew this was never going to be as easy as pulling a rabbit out of a top hat. Yet the planets have aligned, and Dhall & Nash is elated to offer as part of a global release these absurdly divine vintage champagnes from the prestigious Champagne House Billecart-Salmon.
“The mark of Billecart is made not by the heavy footfall of concentration, power and presence, but rather the fairy touch of delicacy and crystal-clear fidelity.” – Tyson Stelzer, Acclaimed Champagne Specialist & Wine Critic
Clearly, the mystique of these vintage champagnes has reached far and wide – this is blue-chip buying! Vineyards, vintages, and producer are all best-in-class here—but if you’re a champagne collector, you already knew that! And if you’re not, well, time to catch up. This is champagne like no other – favoured by wine collectors, investors, wine geeks and of course, the rich and famous. Time to treat yourself like a superstar, a king, or a queen with a bottle or 6 of these rare NEW RELEASE BILLECART-SALMON Vintage champagnes
LE CLOS SAINT-HILAIRE BRUT MILLÉSIME 2006
Rarity and Complexity
Billecart-Salmon’s Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is “the King of Blanc de Noirs, alongside Krug Clos d’Ambonnay, a towering masterpiece of profound mineral clarity and unfathomable complexity.”
Tyson Stelzer, Champagne Specialist
Here, in Clos Saint-Hilaire, they have revived the traditional Champenois methods of champagne production to improve the biodiversity of this generous land. This is a unique single one-hectare parcel where the vines, soil and subsoil are carefully tended with immense respect for the environment.
Indeed, several years ago, Billecart-Salmon decided to return to ancestral champagne-making methods in the Clos Saint-Hilaire by using work horses to plough and sheep to “mow” between the vines. This method of maintaining the soil and tending the vines increases porosity and biodiversity: the roots grow deep and the minerals they draw from the soil foster the growth of smaller, more concentrated grapes, revealing the terroir’s characteristic flavour.
Only the 7th Release
Following on from the 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002 & 2003 Vintages
Only the 7th release following on from the 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002 & 2003 vintages.
A Legend is Born:
Sixth-generation François Roland-Billecart, explains the genesis of Clos Saint-Hilaire: “In the 1950s my grandmother set aside this park-like space next to our house in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ with vines, flowers and fruit trees, for our enjoyment. Realising this outstanding terroir’s potential, my family decided to plant the first Pinot Noir vines here in 1964. We tried using the Pinot Noir to make white wine in small Burgundy barrels: an outstanding champagne was about to be born.”
It was conceived late one night as Antoine and Francois Roland-Billecart stood on the wall of the clos during harvest in 1995. With plenty of red wine in stock for their Rosé they decided they could afford to put this pinot noir in the cellar for a decade to see how it looked on its own. They were not disappointed. They called it Le Clos Saint-Hilaire after the patron saint of the church in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ.
Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is a soaring masterpiece!
– Billecart website
The Parcel
An indulged terroir
The one-hectare of pinot noir in Clos Saint-Hilaire meets the strictest guidelines: a single enclosed, contiguous parcel with complete winemaking facilities on site. The terroir’s magic combined with the wine maker’s skills make this wine exceptional.
Made only from Pinot Noir vinified in casks, it develops an outstanding purity. Billecart-Salmon decided to add very little liqueur (dosage), after disgorgement in order to let the typicity of the pinot noir used to make this great wine evolve.
Appearance: the magic of a terroir blended with expertise and ancestral know-how, reveals a deep yellow gold hue, underlined by intensely golden reflections. The graceful effervescence of fine bubbles softened by the patina of time.
Aroma: a noble, racy expression with an extremely complex, vinous impact on the nose (touch of biscuit, fresh roasted hazelnuts, white pepper). A refined development highlighting the scintillating concentrations of ripe and intense fruit (nuts and sweet spices).
Palate: the ample and imposing texture, with hints of citrus fruit flesh and pears in syrup (candied lemon zest, mandarin pulp), emerges against a base note of panettone. With a richness bursting with flavours (puffed buckwheat and precious wood), the wine is carried by a fullness of taste with bewitching charm culminating in a deliciously chalky root mineral.
Harvested late September. Natural 11% alcohol. In barrel until April 2007. Disgorged November 2020. Dosage 2 g/l. Aged on lees/in the cellar: 159 months (13 years & 3 months)
Ageing potential: over 10 years+
(from Florent NYS, Oenologist and Billecart-Salmon’s Chief Winemaker)
“Try this wonderful Champagne with aged cheeses. An aged Comté or Parmesan work very well with the saltiness and nuttiness of these cheeses are balanced with the richness of the Champagne. But, just to push a bit the usual boundaries, pair it with a nice Wagyu tartare with black truffle shavings on top. The compact structure of Clos St Hilaire withstands perfectly with the tartare while the earthy characteristics of the champagne works well with truffle. As it is a champagne very particular, it deserves meditation and attention.”
Daniel Manetti, Wine Director, The Connaught, London
Accolades
“Rich nose, yeasty and so alive. The oak shows even more as the wine opens up, giving a cedar spice. Such underlying depth and richness with such a surprising mineral and acidic backbone with a verbena note, mandarin – the most citric of the lot. There is a subtler nuttiness here that is almost creamy, like a Belgian chocolate, almost oily on the finish yet with such direction.” Drink 2025-2045
18.5/20pts – Alistair Cooper MW – Jancis Robinson.com
“An incredibly fragrant nose shines with ripe, red-cheeked Mirabelle plum and even has an overtone of Kirsch. The palate is creamy and has a wonderful spine of freshness that only helps to underscore the generosity and roundness. The mousse is superfine, the autolysis is restrained yet profound, there is a textured mid-palate of concentrated red apple fruit with an edge of candlewax and a delicious reverberation of pepper. Exquisite.”
97/100 – Anne Krebiehl, MW – Falstaff International
“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… Either way, this is a staggeringly serious vintage for LCSH, and it might well prove to be another flawless release given time.”
19.5+/20 – Matthew Jukes, Wine Writer
LOUIS SALMON BRUT BLANC DE BLANCS MILLÉSIME 2008
Purity and Minerality
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, this Blanc de Blancs vintage is endowed with purity and minerality.
The grapes are all from the Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs, where the hills slope gently towards the sun and the vines root down into the chalk that is not far from the surface. This gives the grapes a unique mineral character that you don’t see anywhere else in Champagne. One third of the Chardonnay juice is fermented in barrels, which adds a slight spice to the aromas and oak texture to the palate and because they are older barrels, the impact of oak on the finished champagne is very subtle.
There’s notable elegance of a mineral and exceptionally precise Chardonnay with a natural balance that is a harmonious representation of the best parcels of grand crus of Côte des Blancs: Cramant (33%), Chouilly (40%) for the finesse, Avize (7%) for the force of character and Mesnil-sur-Oger (20%) for the structure and longevity.
When discussing the 2008 vintage of Louis Salmon, CEO Mathieu Roland-Billecart says that he believes many Champagne Houses released their 2008s too early. Billecart Salmon had this wine for over 11 years on its lees. “The cold fermentation gives you the acidic backbone… the downside is that you have to wait longer.” However, 2008 is rightfully hailed as a classic vintage in Champagne – and has the ability to age further to its advantage.
“It’s early days for this baby but it has everything it needs to start its life,”
Mathieu Roland-Billecart, CEO of Billecart-Salmon
(says somewhat paternally)
Appearance: crystal clear pale gold colour with delicate glints marked by a nuanced patina of yellow and green. A persistent and fascinating effervescence, brimming with light.
Aroma: the first expression is signed by an elegant, perfect, and complex maturity, yellow fruits, and citrus (candied mandarin, limoncello, conference pear). An aromatic profile of a sophisticated purity and a chalky, balanced, and crystalline character (cedar and raw butter).
Palate: a creamy sensation in the mouth with a beautifully chiselled finesse. Lovely refreshing balance with natural flavours (zest of citron, almond biscuit, and white pepper). This powerful wine with a majestic typicity prolongs its finish towards an aromatic persistence of incredible length (flesh of sweet citrus fruits, cardamom, and vanilla-flavoured cream puffs).
Tasting: the unique dimension of a great Blanc de Blancs, pure and intense, with a directness perfectly associated with its low dosage. Its potential and its balance express a remarkable finesse worthy of the most sophisticated food pairings (a casserole of whole calf sweetbread from Corrèze, a creamy shellfish risotto). Serve at: 10/12°
33% of the wines are vinified at low temperature in oak casks that are 15 years old on average
Maturation on lees/in the cellar: 11 years; Dosage: 7g/l
Ageing potential: more than 10 years
Accolades
“The delivery here is something to behold. It is clear from the nose that this wine is made with a horologist’s precision, and while everything starts quietly, there is an uncommon determination here that keeps on coming, leaving you panting with pleasure. On the palate, 2008 Louis perfectly balances extreme tension and white-knuckle drama with the most enchanting and serene jasmine, white tea, and linden blossom notes. It seems mesmerisingly composed from one side of the glass and hellbent on rearranging your taste buds via a national grid-sized electric shock from the other.”
20++/20 – Matthew Jukes, Wine Writer
“To look at the wine is shiny platinum gold, fine bead; the aromatics are pure and fresh with sea spray, crisp white apple and a sense of wet chalk, after 30 minutes more complexity reveals itself – more fruit and fresh nuts; in the mouth the wine is tense with tingly, mineral-driven acidity, ultra-fine texture, fresh, bright, beautifully balanced with pure Sicilian lemon, a touch of aspirin; the finish has you wanting more – it finishes dry, mineral and chalky, with lemon zest. Impressive, with a long life ahead of it.”
Peter Dean, Drinks Editor, The Buyer On-trade Magazine UK
CUVÉE NICOLAS FRANÇOIS BRUT 2007
The Ultimate Distinction
Champagne of the Millennium! That was the title bestowed upon Billecart-Salmon’s 1959 Cuvée Nicolas François in 1999, catapulting it’s reputation into the stratosphere.
Organised by Champagne Specialist Richard Juhlin, a committee of experts in Stockholm blind tasted 150 vintages from the most illustrious producers around, before declaring Billecart-Salmon’s Cuvée Nicolas François 1959 with the top spot (and the 1961 vintage coming in second).
“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.”
The Great Tasting, by Richard Juhlin
Named in honour after Billecart-Salmon’s founder, this distinction is the ultimate reflection of this cuvée’s extraordinary caliber, and the mark of excellence on each vintages released since lived up to their predecessor, despite it’s incredibly big shoes to fill.
The 2000 release, 1998 and 1999 all boast scores in the mid-high 90’s from critics across the board, and now it’s the fantastic 2007’s turn. It results from the blending of Grands Crus from the classified Côte des Blancs vineyards (Chardonnay) and the Montagne de Reims (Pinot Noir). It’s vinification, partially in traditional oak casks, underpins the generous character of this fine, elegant and rich wine, and the reviewers are already raving about it.
“In 2007 we made all three of our prestige cuvées which is very rare… [2007 is a] huge, huge vintage. Because we took our time to pick the grapes, to have a three-week fermentation and long lees ageing, we took all we needed to make a great wine. I remember that after the first fermentation the wines were so juicy, so fresh, so crisp. I knew at that time that 2007 was very good”
Florent Nys, Billecart-Salmon Cellar Master
A beautiful golden yellow, glinting with bright sparkles. The glittering, crystalline appearance is set off by an eruption of finely chiseled bubbles. A balanced tension is achieved by the blossoming of the wine (peaches in syrup, fine apple tart and mountain butter) and embodied in the noble flavours that follow (fresh fig and wild berries). It combines all the richness of an aromatic curve, both complex and refreshing. Intense, fine notes of orchard fruits, associated with the character of stone fruits (Mirabelle plum and sweet cherry) and accentuated by the burst of a long floral note.
Accolades
“Pinot noir assumes a glorious lead in a magnificent display of red berry and cherry fruits, seamlessly fused to the bright lemon and pink grapefruit eut of magnificent chardonnay acidity.”
98 points – Tyson Stelzer
“This beautiful Champagne is amazingly at its peak. Not too mature, not too young, the wine is in fine balance, showing some nervy edge as well as touches of toast. With a small amount of wood vinification, the wine has extra fullness.”
97 points – Wine Enthusiast
“The 2007 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is positively stellar. Elegant, polished and sophisticated, the 2007 dazzles with effusive aromatics and gorgeous balance. It’s not an obvious wine, though, but rather a Champagne built for long, patient cellaring.”
97 points – Vinous
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.
“Perfect growing conditions and winemaking finesse are required to create vintage champagne.”
Nick Bullied, Master of Wine
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. 2006 is vintage-dated in all champagne houses except Bollinger.
Jancis Robinson MW on the 2006 vintage: “An exceptionally hot and sunny June and July with grapes in fine fettle but a dank August left producers fearful of under ripeness. Fortunately, warm, bright conditions in September redressed the balance. Wines are supple and expressive.”
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 aging vintages.
A Champagne House Extraordinaire
A brief history of 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.
Billecart-Salmon “…is going from strength to strength.”
William Kelley, The Wine Advocate
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.
In 1999, Cuvée Nicolas-François 1959 was awarded ‘Champagne of the Millennium‘ by a committee of experts at a blind tasting session involving 150 vintages from the most illustrious champagne producers. The 1961 vintage, for its part, came second! WOW!
The jewel of the estate, however, is the single-vineyard champagne Clos Saint Hilaire: a monstrously powerful cuvée – the 2006 now available in extremely limited quantities.
Do not delay, if you are serious about filling your wine cellar with true icons, these Billecart-Salmon Vintage Champagnes should be snapped up fast (available by pre-order) before our sadly meagre Dhall & Nash allocation runs dry!
“we can rest assured that vintage Champagne is definitely still a force to be reckoned with…”
Simon Field MW, Decanter
By the way…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 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 crus 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!
Billecart-Salmon is certified « High Environmental Value » and in 2017, was awarded the
« Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne » certification for its winemaking
Onemata's Wine Series: Billecart-Salmon Lunch
A Long Lunch with Billecart-Salmon
Onemata's talented Sommelier Suraj will be showcasing the intricacies of renowed French Champagne house Billecart-Salmon's most exclusive wines, paired alongside a carefully crafted five course menu highlighting Chatham Island Food Co's locally caught seafood.
5 Courses and Wine Pairings | $250 per person
View the menu and reserve a table here
Focus On: Strangely Perfect Pairing - When Wine Meets Fashion
Fashion and Wine. You’re wondering, what do these two things have in common and why would a fine wine company be writing about them together? Well, the commonality is a lot more than you can imagine! The words ‘trends’, ‘fads’ and ‘limited release’ are frequently used in the fashion industry but also, these expressions are extremely common in the wine industry too. Wine, just like any other consumer product and also particularly fashion, is subject to the fickle tides of trends.
“[It] seems like the new wine buying generation is looking for different things all the time. It’s not about the comfort of knowing, it’s about the excitement of experimenting.” – Ryan Arnold, Sommelier & Wine Director, McGuire Moorman Hospitality, Austin, Texas
In NZ Amanda Linnell the Editor from The Herald’s Viva magazine astutely noted that “there’s a playfulness and sense of joy in fashion right now that is wonderfully liberating” which closely parallels a similar focus in the wine world, especially amongst the new guard of winemakers having fun experimenting with pet-nats, natural wines, skin-contact wines, chillable reds and much more.
For decades already fashion and wine have been closely intertwined. The fashion elite loves to party at events fuelled by wine and fabulicious fizz, while wine companies love collaborating with a big-name designer. Think, Christian Lacroix with Chateau Sainte Roseline, Chanel with Domaine de I’lle and the Delevingne sisters with Della Vite Prosecco to name a few!
It’s a cool symbiotic relationship, a match made in heaven that inspires a sense of connoisseurship that lights up the collector in all of us.
Here at Dhall & Nash we want to have a bit of fun linking different styles of our wines to the personality of fashion creations. You’ve all probably enjoyed food and wine pairing at some flash restaurant degustation dinner or even at home with foodie friends – why not try a fashion-wine pairing?
Anything goes. Let’s have a blast…
NV Billecart-Salmon Brut Nature Champagne (Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Champagne, France):
Fashion Alter-Ego – Sophisticated. Luxurious. Elegant
Wine Essence – Champagne is champagne is champagne – nothing can quite compare! It is a liquid seduction and sings of sophistication. The Brut Nature is a brand-new cuvee for Maison Billecart, blended from 10 vintages (2006-15), with 48 months on lees. And by the way, it has ‘zero dosage’ which means NO added sugar! It is nuanced by the purity of a distinct and vibrant aromatic profile of orchard fruits, fresh citrus, and delicate pains au lait (milk breads). On the palate it is ample and harmonious, preserved by a deliciously chiselled mineral tension. A well balanced and nicely rounded sparkling sensation is further strengthened by appealing white fleshed stone fruits, lime, and almond cream.
Awarded 94/100 points by James Suckling, Wine Critic
La Marca Prosecco D.O.C. (Veneto, Italy):
Fashion Alter-Ego – Boho Chic
Wine Essence – The stylish ‘Tiffany-esque” aquamarine labels will look fabulous on any table making the perfect aperitif for all celebrations. Not that we are swayed by just a very cool label… but this is classy Prosecco! Bursting with appealing fruit characters; apple, white peach, and honeysuckle aromas, with tart green apples and ripened limes offering a clean finish.
Awarded 95/100 points by Sommelier Challenge
2019 Folium Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand):
Fashion Alter-Ego – Preppy & perky
Wine Essence – With a Japanese owner and winemaker, Folium wines are the epitome of fastidious artisanal winemaking. This is a crisp yet textured example of Sauvignon Blanc with a lemony core and some riper white peach and pear notes, as well as a touch of grapefruit and some green notes on the finish. There’s ripeness here, as well as good concentration. Crystalline and stylish with nice intensity.
Awarded 90/100 points by Wine Anorak
2018 Chateau Gassier '946' Rosé (Provence, France):
Fashion Alter-Ego – Romantic free spirit
Wine Essence – Voted best Provence wine two years in a row by Wine Enthusiast and Vinous Wine reviewers. It is named after the roadside cross that stands at 946 metres above sea level on the summit of Mont Sainte Victoire close to the winery in Provence. This is a top cuvée from Château Gassier from a selection of their best vineyard parcels. It is as serious as any rosé can get, rich and packed with red fruits as well as a light tannic structure. Its fruit though is beautifully in balance, ripe with raspberry and red-currant that are shot through with lemon acidity. This is an impressively structured dry rosé.
Awarded 94/100 points by Vinous
2020 Hawkshead Pinot Noir (Central Otago, New Zealand):
Fashion Alter-Ego – Soulfully sexy
Wine Essence – What’s not to love about voluptuous, sexy NZ pinot noirs. In particular this one from Hawkshead winery in Central O.
“It has a ripe, plump fleshy textured core of dark red berries led by fresh raspberry and cherry. There’s a tease of new oak with five-spice and clove. You’ll also find a savoury rugged Otago hillside layer adding complexity and mouthfeel. It has fine tannins and elevated acidity, fresh youthful, fine, and complex.” – Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Mindfood Review
Awarded 19/20 points by Raymond Chan Wine Reviews
In both the world of fashion and of wine, sometimes the catchphrase may as well be “the weirder the better” as sommeliers and fashionistas seem to relish proclaiming certain trends are the ‘hippest’ when the average consumer would take quite some time to embrace. Still, why not? The creatives are always there to spark our imaginations, our wardrobes, and of course, our palates. ☺
For orders please email us at orders@dnfinewine.com.
Champagne Visits: Back to the Sources
Back to the Sources
Our Promotions Coordinator Lucille travels to Champagne...
“As a true Champenoise it was a real pleasure to go back to France and visit some of our Champagne Houses; my old neighbours, you could say! Being surrounded by vineyards while I was driving brought back so many good memories of hard work and drinking during the grape harvest seasons. When the harvest is done, there is a tradition to have a big feast, which in my region is called “Chien de vendange”, to thank all the workers who participated. As you can imagine, Champagne would flow freely during these celebrations.
Champagne Larmandier-Bernier
My little round trip started at Maison Larmandier-Bernier in Vertus and I was welcomed by Arthur, the 8th generation of Larmandier. As with all the Champagne growers, Larmandier-Bernier really care about nature and the environment that they work in, and since the 90’s pesticides have been totally banned. Larmandier-Bernier officially obtained the bio certification in 2003. They want to leave nature to express all its characteristics in the wines and following this philosophy they don’t use any chemical yeast, only indigenous, which is naturally present on the grapes. They also use very few new barrels to avoid an overwhelming oak flavour.
They have named one of their cuvées ‘Longitude’ because all of the parcels of this cuvée are on the same longitude line as the Côte des Blancs. Another one is called ‘Latitude’ – I’ll let you guess why!
Champagne Egly-Ouriet
After Larmandier-Bernier, I then had the privilege of visiting the Maison Egly-Ouriet and to have been welcomed by Francis Egly himself! I was really impressed to meet the big star of the House but he’s just like you and I – a Champagne lover. He doesn’t consider himself a star, he just loves his work and you can definitely feel it through his amazing cuvées. Tyson Stelzer calls his work “wizardry” and such a statement could not ring more true.
During my visit Mr. Egly told me a lot about biological technologies like the use of orange peel against the mildiou, a disease that can cause severe damage to the vineyards. It was really interesting, and after only a few minutes of talking with him I learned so much!
Mr. Egly doesn’t have the official bio certification because he simply doesn’t feel a need for it. No official certification is required to make him want to take care of his vineyards and the environment, but I can guarantee you that everything is done with a deep respect of mother nature.
Mr. Egly is also incredibly generous – he sponsored me to participate to an incredible adventure to inform people about bone marrow transplantations. You can read on this more here.
Champagne Bouby et Fils
My third visit was the house Bouby et Fils. This little Maison of 7ha of vineyards and a production of only 15,000 bottles per year has a story worthy of the best drama movies.
Everything started in 1919 when François Bouby, only 19 years old at the time, was sent to Champagne to deactivate the landmines left over after World War I. During this perilous mission he fell ill and was taken care of by a 23-year-old nurse, Rose. They soon fell in love and decide to settle in Verneuil to cultivate their first vineyard and start their Champagne production. After surviving the second world war and 4 generations, the Maison is now run by Jerome Bouby who perfectly carries on his ancestors’ savoir-faire.
Try the Champagne Bouby et Fils Brut selection, you will be surprised by this small Maison full of talent!
Champagne Armand de Brignac
It was time to visit the magical cave of Armand de Brignac. All of the gold Champagne bottles illuminated in the cave, bringing you in to a new world – it was mesmerizing! However, I was a little bit disappointed I did not meet the owner Jay-Z… They could have at least sent his wife Beyonce to welcome us!
The goal of Armand de Brignac is to create a Champagne to represent the best of the best from the region. Following this, they use the very first and freshest portion of the cuvée press only. They are also the only House in Champagne to blend a trio of vintages in order to bring a unique character from three distinct harvests. Brilliant!
Champagne Billecart-Salmon
My last, but definitely not least, visit was to the prestigious Maison Billecart-Salmon.
It all started in 1818 when Nicolas François Billecart married Elisabeth Salmon and received vineyards as wedding gifts from both sides of the family – thus, the Maison Billecart-Salmon was born!
What a pleasure to visit this Maison. The architecture of the House is splendid, the design details on the cave are amazing and the tasting at the end was magnificent. All of their wines are so well balanced and fine, I wish this tasting would never ending! But sadly all good things must come to an end…”
– Lucille
Vintage Billecart-Salmon Masterclass with Sebastien Papin
When we arrived at Neo Cafe & Eatery to finish the last touches for our Vintage Billecart-Salmon Champagne Masterclass, we knew instantly that we had made the right decision in choosing this venue for the occasion.
Heading up the escalator of Queen Street's Queen's Arcade, we were lead to the bright and spacious restaurant with all doors wide open to the terrace. We noticed the decor and ambience of elegance without being over powering or old fashioned - a perfect match to the Champagne we were about to taste.
Our account manager Matt Haussrer arrived with Sebastien Papin, Billecart-Salmon's Asia Pacific Ambassador, followed by the guests who were all very much looking forward to the extra special Champagne afternoon.
The diversity of guests, from private to representatives of restaurants, hotels and corporate created an incredible atmosphere.
When all the guests sat down, they were given the 200th Anniversary brochure, and we introduced Sebastien to them all. To the guests pleasure, our staff started filling up the glasses.
Sebastien began his presentation with the beautiful and well known Brut Rosé, followed by the aperitif style 2007 Extra Brut and then the NV Premier Cru Sous Bois.
After a short 5 minute break, whilst everybody talked about the Champagne we had just enjoyed, Sebastien carried on introducing the wine dedicated to the original winemaker and brother of Elisabeth Salmon: 2006 Cuvée Louis Blanc de Blancs.
He then introduced the "married couple" wines dedicated to Elisabeth Salmon and Nicolas Billecart, whose romance was the beginning of this Champagne house's story: 2002 Cuvèe Nicolas François along side 2006 Cuvèe Elisabeth Rosè.
The canapès thoughtfully created by Neo were superb and perfectly matched to each Champagne.
The order forms were given to each guest which allowed us to join them and relive the wonders of these wines.
The NV Premier Cru Sous Bois, the NV Blanc de Blancs and the Cuvèe Nicolas François were the top scorers and favourites of the delightful afternoon.
A Half Dozen Rosés Sure to Woo Your Special Someone
Whether you adore it or lament it, Valentine’s Day has once again rolled around. Shop windows are being decorated with red love hearts as we speak, and the number of adorably cheesy poems in the world is set to skyrocket in the coming days.
We all know the go-to gifts are chocolates and roses, they are tried and true, after all, and feature in plenty a good rom-com, but here at Dhall & Nash we are thinking of switching it up just a bit… what if the roses that we’ve come to know and love, were drinkable? What if they weren’t roses as such, but rosés?!
We’ve scoured our portfolio and come up with a half dozen of the very best and most romance-inducing rosés that are sure to woo that special someone (or even just yourself…)
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé (375ml)
If ever a brand has embodied the spirit of love, it is Maison Billecart-Salmon. More than two centuries ago, in 1818, Nicolas Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon met, fell deeply in love and soon were married. As a wedding gift, they were given a plot of land in the heart of Champagne - the Le Clos St. Hilaire - from which grew the Billecart-Salmon Champagne House that we know and love today.
Billecart-Salmon is today most recognised for its phenomenal signature Champagne Rosé style, of which the family’s vinification secrets are closely guarded. Its pale and bright pink colour is adorned with warm glints of gold. The aroma is delicate and the palate even more so - with just a hint of raspberry on the finish. The perfect accompaniment to a Valentine's evening.
2017 Caves d'Esclans Whispering Angel Rosé
Whispering Angel rosé has a (deserved) reputation as being the world’s best rosé, so how better than to woo your loved one by offering only the best for the best? And bonus - it is simply not possible to have the name ‘Whispering Angel’ flow off the tongue without evoking some romantic spark deep within.
Made by the King of Provencal Rosé himself, Sacha Lichine, this pale pink tipple truly does feel as though it’s come straight from the heavens of which it’s name alludes to. With an irresistible pale hue and a signature silken texture framing juicy strawberry notes and white floral aromas, this is a surefire way to impress.
2016 De Martino Gallardia del Itata Cinsault Rosé
From the Itata Valley in Chile, the De Martino Gallardia Cinsault Rosé could not embody the spirit of Valentine’s Day more. ‘Gallardia’ literally means ‘gallantry’, or chivalry. A deep respect shown through warm, considerate and courteous actions. If there is any occasion to celebrate such a virtue is it not this one?! And from a region that has been cultivating grapes since 1551, De Martino have certainly had time to hone their craft and woo away the centuries.
But Gallardia, or gallantry can also refer to courage and boldness and this other side of the linguistic coin is reflected in the wine itself. Powerful and full of spirit, this cinsault is full of character and intensity. Aromas of plum, and a dry refreshing palate with punches of cherry and strawberry. Be bold in the pursuit of love!
2018 Bohemian The Dancer Rosé
If you or your loved one prefers to walk a less conventional path, or even if you just aren’t the ultra-romantic types - this is the rosé for you! With a punchy name and even punchier vibe, there’s nothing frilly or fantastical about The Dancer Rosé. Bohemian Wines came to be when a collective of people in the wine industry decided to have a bit of fun and experiment a little to express themselves in the way they saw fit.
The Dancer rosé hails from Hawke’s Bay, Aotearoa. It is youthful and vibrant with high toned floral and perfume notes. Well framed with a mineral, chalk texture and underscored with hints of preserved citrus. Elegant, nuanced, poised, and graceful. If a wine could wink, you know it would be the Bohemian.
NV Cattier Premier Cru Brut Rosé
The most romantic and celebratory of all wines - Rosé Champagne. If ever there were a better marriage of styles than rosé and Champagne, we are yet to hear about it, and Cattier does it well. One of the key characteristics they aim to embody in their cuvées is generosity, and boy do they deliver. We can’t recommend enough that you share this sense of generosity with the one you adore the most.
The Cattier Premier Cru Brut Rosé Champagne has so much to offer - the salmon-hued wine is fresh and full in the mouth with a beautiful vinosity and subtle notes of blackberries and a touch of liquorice.
2017 Paul Jaboulet Aine Côtes du Rhône Parallèle 45 Rosé
Does anyone do romance quite like the French? If this wine is anything to go by, then we know the answer. It is clear the winemaker at Paul Jaboulet Aine loves the land and loves the vines and anyone the world over gifted a bottle of wine from these famed hillsides is sure to feel that love in every sip of this organic, tasty tipple.
Mineral-driven, and fresh with floral notes of wild berries, white pepper, and cherries. This exquisitely balanced rose is very much Provencal in style, and is the perfect accompaniment for whatever kitchen creation you’re cooking up this Valentine’s Day.
If you're interested in snatching up any of these goodies for Valentine's Day, send through an email to info@dnfinewine.com or give us a call on 0800 369 463