Billecart-Salmon Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve NV 750ml

Excellent clarity of fruit here with lemon and orange zest, sliced pears, fresh figs and walnuts. Saline components. Medium-bodied, sleek and fresh, with tight bubbles and bright acidity. Focused and refreshing. 40% meunier, 30% chardonnay and 30% pinot noir. 2019 base with 62% reserve wine. Disgorged end of 2022. 3g/L dosage. Drink now.

At the start of last year, Billecart-Salmon began listing ID numbers on their bottles and including info on the wines. The NV Champagne Brut Reserve is the current release of this cuvée and is based around the 2019 vintage. A straw hue, it is well-detailed and on the savory side, with expressive notes of orange pith, crushed stones, fresh nectarine, and a hint of jasmine green tea. It’s medium-bodied, with a lovely rounded feel through the mid-palate and a silky, stony texture, and Its mousse is elegant and pillowy. As mentioned last year, readers should not sleep on this cuvée, which is coming together very nicely. Drink now or over the coming 6-8 years.

Firm and minerally, this well-knit Champagne layers flavors of grainy pear, preserved lemon, toast point and crystallized honey on a creamy mousse. Reveals hints of smoke and saline on the finish. Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Drink now.

Beautifully understated, this offers fruit that’s well integrated with the tight texture, giving a seamless, dry while also fruity wine. Just a hint of bottle maturity adds complexity.

Based on the 2018 vintage, with 55% of reserve wines, the NV Brut Réserve from Billecart-Salmon is a blend of 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, with a dosage of 6.2 grams per liter. It offers a bouquet with aromas of spring flowers, menthol, pastry, brioche, orchard fruits and pear. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is moderately weighted, with a delicate mousse and a perfectly balanced texture. Very charming. It concludes with a saline, aromatic finish. It represents the first stage in the qualitative evolution of the house, initiated by Mathieu Roland-Billecart.