Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve NV – 95 Points Decanter | Champagne France

95 POINTS DECANTER! 93 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING! OVER 200 YEARS OF CHAMPAGNE HISTORY! THE MAGNIFICENT BILLECART-SALMON BRUT RÉSERVE – ONE OF CHAMPAGNE'S GREAT FAMILY-OWNED HOUSES FOR JUST $140!

95 Points – Decanter | 93 Points – JamesSuckling.com

Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve NV – Champagne, France

RRP $140 per bottle

NOW THIS IS WHAT GREAT CHAMPAGNE IS ALL ABOUT!

There are Champagnes made to impress with power.

There are Champagnes made to impress with richness.

And then there are Champagnes that achieve something altogether more difficult.

EXTRAORDINARY ELEGANCE!

BEAUTIFUL PRECISION!

REMARKABLE FINESSE!

And a level of balance that makes every glass an absolute pleasure.

BILLECART-SALMON BRUT RÉSERVE IS ONE OF THOSE CHAMPAGNES!

From one of the most respected family-owned houses in the entire Champagne region comes a wine that demonstrates why Billecart-Salmon has developed such an extraordinary reputation among serious Champagne lovers.

And the accolades speak for themselves.

95 POINTS DECANTER!

93 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING!

A FAMILY-OWNED CHAMPAGNE HOUSE FOUNDED IN 1818!

CHARDONNAY, PINOT NOIR AND MEUNIER!

A MAGNIFICENT TRADITION OF RESERVE-WINE BLENDING!

EXTRAORDINARILY FINE BUBBLES!

JUST $140 A BOTTLE!

Think crisp green apple.

Fresh pear.

White peach.

Lemon zest.

Delicate white flowers.

Fresh brioche.

Toasted almonds.

And a beautifully persistent mineral finish.

This is Champagne with wonderful purity.

A beautifully creamy mousse.

And the sort of elegance that makes Billecart-Salmon one of the most admired names in Champagne.

95 POINTS DECANTER! 93 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING! JUST $140!

Billecart-Salmon – Over 200 Years of Champagne Excellence

The story of Billecart-Salmon begins in 1818.

That was the year Nicolas François Billecart married Elisabeth Salmon and established the Champagne house that still bears their family names.

The estate was founded in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, a historic Champagne village close to Aÿ and Épernay.

More than two centuries later, Billecart-Salmon remains family-owned.

That is an extraordinary achievement.

In a region where many of the most famous Champagne brands are controlled by enormous luxury groups, Billecart-Salmon has maintained its family identity.

And that independence has helped preserve the house's distinctive philosophy.

PURITY!

ELEGANCE!

FINESSE!

The family has always placed enormous importance on the quality of its fruit and the precision of its winemaking.

The result is a range of Champagnes celebrated for their beautiful balance and exceptionally refined character.

From the magnificent Brut Rosé to the extraordinary prestige cuvées, Billecart-Salmon has established itself as one of Champagne's great names.

And Brut Réserve is a wonderful introduction to everything that makes the house special.

MORE THAN 200 YEARS OF HISTORY – AND A REPUTATION BUILT ON EXCEPTIONAL QUALITY!

Mareuil-sur-Aÿ – The Home of Billecart-Salmon

Billecart-Salmon is based in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, in the heart of Champagne.

This historic village sits close to some of the region's most celebrated Pinot Noir vineyards.

But the house's wines are not limited to one village or one grape variety.

Instead, Billecart-Salmon draws upon carefully selected vineyards across Champagne.

The Montagne de Reims.

The Vallée de la Marne.

And outstanding Chardonnay-producing villages.

Each region contributes something distinctive.

Pinot Noir brings structure.

Chardonnay brings elegance.

Meunier contributes generous fruit and approachability.

The art lies in bringing these elements together.

And few houses have developed a reputation for blending with quite the same finesse as Billecart-Salmon.

THREE GREAT CHAMPAGNE GRAPES – ONE BEAUTIFULLY BALANCED WINE!

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier – The Art of Blending

One of the great attractions of Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve is the balance between Champagne's three principal grape varieties.

CHARDONNAY!

PINOT NOIR!

MEUNIER!

Each variety plays an important role.

Chardonnay – Elegance and Precision

Chardonnay contributes beautiful freshness.

Citrus.

White flowers.

And mineral definition.

It gives the wine lift and elegance.

Pinot Noir – Structure and Depth

Pinot Noir provides structure.

Concentration.

And additional palate weight.

It contributes the subtle red-fruit and orchard-fruit characters that make the blend so appealing.

Meunier – Generosity and Charm

Meunier is particularly important to the approachable, expressive character of the wine.

It contributes ripe pear.

Apple.

Soft fruit.

And a wonderfully generous palate.

The precise proportions vary between releases.

The documented newer Le Réserve blend, based on the 2020 harvest, contains 43% Meunier, 29% Chardonnay and 28% Pinot Noir.

Earlier Brut Réserve releases used blends closer to 40% Meunier, 30% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir.

But the house philosophy remains consistent.

BEAUTIFUL FRUIT. EXCEPTIONAL BALANCE. EXTRAORDINARY FINESSE.

The Reserve Wines – Where the Complexity Begins

Now here's one of the most fascinating aspects of Billecart-Salmon.

THE RESERVE WINES!

A great non-vintage Champagne is not simply about blending three grape varieties.

It is also about blending different harvests.

Different growing seasons.

And different stages of maturity.

Billecart-Salmon maintains an extensive collection of reserve wines.

These wines contribute depth.

Texture.

And complexity.

The house's newer Le Réserve specification incorporates more than 50% reserve wines.

The documented 2020-base release draws on an extraordinary range of previous harvests, with wines extending back to 2006.

That means the wine can combine the freshness of younger fruit with the depth and maturity of older wines.

Fresh apple.

Ripe pear.

Delicate flowers.

Toasted brioche.

And subtle savoury complexity.

All working together in beautiful harmony.

THIS IS THE ART OF GREAT NON-VINTAGE CHAMPAGNE!

A Remarkable Evolution – The New Le Réserve

One of the most interesting developments at Billecart-Salmon is the evolution of Brut Réserve into the newer Le Réserve cuvée.

The house has refined the wine to place even greater emphasis on freshness, precision and reserve-wine complexity.

The newer technical specification describes a blend containing wines from approximately fifteen harvests.

That is remarkable.

It also describes average lees ageing of around 50 months.

And an Extra Brut dosage.

These details represent a significant evolution from older Brut Réserve releases, which were commonly aged around 30 months on lees and bottled with a higher dosage.

The newer style offers greater reserve-wine depth while maintaining beautiful freshness.

The result is a Champagne with wonderful texture.

A refined mousse.

And a long, mineral finish.

THE ELEGANCE OF BILLECART-SALMON – WITH EVEN GREATER DEPTH AND PRECISION!

Low-Temperature Fermentation – Preserving Extraordinary Purity

Another important part of Billecart-Salmon's winemaking philosophy is its use of low-temperature fermentation.

The house has long been associated with techniques designed to preserve delicate fruit aromas.

Fermenting at controlled, relatively low temperatures helps retain the freshness and aromatic character of the grapes.

That means the fruit remains beautifully expressive.

Fresh citrus.

White flowers.

Green apple.

And delicate orchard fruit.

Rather than allowing heavy winemaking characters to dominate, Billecart-Salmon aims for elegance.

The wine is wonderfully pure.

Fresh.

And beautifully balanced.

PRECISION WINEMAKING – WITH THE FRUIT ALWAYS AT THE FOREFRONT!

Extended Lees Ageing – The Secret to Those Beautifully Fine Bubbles

One of the defining characteristics of great Champagne is the quality of its mousse.

And Billecart-Salmon is particularly celebrated for the refinement of its bubbles.

After the base wines are blended, the Champagne undergoes its second fermentation in bottle.

It then spends an extended period ageing on its lees.

During this maturation, the wine develops additional complexity.

Fresh brioche.

Delicate pastry.

And subtle toasted notes.

The mousse becomes beautifully integrated.

And the palate gains wonderful texture.

Earlier Brut Réserve technical sheets describe approximately 30 months of lees ageing.

The newer Le Réserve specification describes an average of 50 months.

That is an impressive amount of maturation for a non-vintage Champagne.

The result is a wine that combines fresh fruit with beautiful savoury complexity.

FINE BUBBLES. CREAMY TEXTURE. EXTRAORDINARY ELEGANCE.

95 Points – Decanter

An outstanding endorsement of this magnificent Champagne.

95 POINTS DECANTER!

A wonderful demonstration of the quality and consistency associated with Billecart-Salmon.

93 Points – James Suckling

The Decanter and James Suckling scores refer to different releases of the cuvée.

Fresh Pear, Apple Blossom, Brioche and Extraordinary Finesse

Now this is where Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve really comes into its own.

In the glass, the Champagne displays a beautiful pale straw-gold colour.

The bubbles rise slowly and elegantly.

And the mousse is wonderfully fine.

The aromas are beautifully expressive.

Fresh pear.

Green apple.

White peach.

And delicate apple blossom.

Then come the more complex characters.

Lemon zest.

Fresh brioche.

Toasted almonds.

And subtle pastry.

On the palate, the wine is magnificent.

There is beautiful fruit purity.

Wonderful freshness.

And a refined, creamy texture.

The Chardonnay provides elegance.

The Pinot Noir contributes structure.

And the Meunier brings generosity and charm.

The finish is long.

Fresh.

And beautifully mineral.

ELEGANT, PRECISE AND BEAUTIFULLY BALANCED – WITH THE REFINED MOUSSE THAT MAKES BILLECART-SALMON SO SPECIAL!

This is exactly what great Champagne should be.

A Magnificent Champagne for Food

One of the great attractions of Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve is its remarkable versatility at the table.

Its balance of freshness, texture and fruit makes it suitable for an extraordinary range of dishes.

Freshly Shucked Oysters

The freshness and mineral character complement oysters beautifully.

Kingfish Crudo

A magnificent pairing with citrus and delicate herbs.

Pan-Seared Scallops

Wonderful with browned butter.

Blue Swimmer Crab

The wine's purity complements the sweetness of fresh crab.

Grilled Prawns

Beautiful with lemon and olive oil.

Lobster

The fine mousse and fresh acidity complement lobster wonderfully.

Roast Chicken

A magnificent pairing with golden roast chicken and a delicate jus.

Aged Comté

An excellent match for the wine's subtle nutty complexity.

Serve at approximately 8–10°C in a proper Champagne or white-wine glass.

Why We Love This Wine at Liquid Vibe

At Liquid Vibe, we are passionate about discovering wines that combine exceptional quality with genuine character.

And Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve delivers both.

First, there is the producer.

ONE OF CHAMPAGNE'S MOST RESPECTED FAMILY-OWNED HOUSES!

Then there is the history.

FOUNDED IN 1818!

Then there is the winemaking.

LOW-TEMPERATURE FERMENTATION!

Then there are the reserve wines.

MORE THAN 50% RESERVE WINES IN THE NEWER LE RÉSERVE BLEND!

Then there is the maturation.

UP TO AN AVERAGE OF 50 MONTHS ON LEES IN THE NEWER RELEASE!

Then come the scores.

95 POINTS DECANTER!

93 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING!

And finally, there is the price.

JUST $140 A BOTTLE!

For anyone who loves great Champagne, this is a magnificent addition to the cellar.

A wine with history.

A wine with pedigree.

And a wine that demonstrates why Billecart-Salmon has remained one of Champagne's most respected names for more than two centuries.

95 POINTS DECANTER. 93 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING. OVER 200 YEARS OF HISTORY. JUST $140.

Billecart-Salmon Brut Réserve NV – a magnificent Champagne from one of the region's great family-owned houses.

Wine Details

• Producer: Billecart-Salmon

• Wine: Brut Réserve NV (newer releases labelled Le Réserve)

• Region: Champagne, France

• House Location: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ

• Founded: 1818

• Grape Varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier

• Blend: Varies by release; documented 2020-base Le Réserve: 43% Meunier, 29% Chardonnay, 28% Pinot Noir

• Production: Traditional-method bottle fermentation

• Fermentation: Predominantly temperature-controlled stainless steel

• Reserve Wines: Over 50% in the documented newer blend

• Lees Ageing: Approximately 30 months for older Brut Réserve; average 50 months for newer Le Réserve

• Dosage: Release-dependent; newer Le Réserve is Extra Brut

• Style: Non-vintage white Champagne

• Aromas: Pear, apple, citrus, white flowers, brioche and subtle toasted notes

• Palate: Elegant, fresh and beautifully balanced, with a fine creamy mousse and long mineral finish

• Published Critic Scores: 95 Points – Decanter; 93 Points – James Suckling (different releases)

• RRP: $140 per bottle

• Food Pairing: Oysters, kingfish, scallops, crab, prawns, lobster and roast chicken

• Serving Temperature: 8–10°C

• Drinking: Enjoy now or cellar carefully for further development