Billecart-Salmon
New Release of the Elisabeth-Salmon
Billecart-Salmon: Launch
The Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé 2013
The lineup covers the full house, across every tier and the great vintages.
Four vintages of
Elisabeth Salmon Rosé - the 1996, 2009, 2012 & 2013 (Launch)
One of Champagne's great rosés, tasted as it deserves to be.
Accompanied by, three vintages of
Cuvée Nicolas-François, 2007, 2008 & 2012…
including one of the greatest Champagnes ever produced (2008).
Completing the trio - two vintages of
Cuvée Louis Blanc de Blancs - 2009 & 2012.
The New Release
Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé 2013
“Elisabeth Salmon 2013. A tribute to our co-founder. This rare vintage's patient maturation created exceptional freshness and balance. Bright and brilliant with dazzling freshness, delicate fruit, crisp acidity. Pure elegance.”
Billecart-Salmon Official
Hosted by
Antoine Roland-Billecart, Sixth-Generation Co-Owner
Dinner: 6.30–9.00pm | 13 wines & 4 courses | $535
Monday, May 18th
Billecart-Salmon in Context
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It all started here in 1818 when Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon were married, marking the creation of their Champagne House. This has been a family story since the beginning with Louis Salmon, brother of Elisabeth and a passionate oenologist, getting involved in the creation of the wines.
Thus, over 7 generations, each member of the family has endeavoured to continue the family tradition, staying faithful to the same motto: "Give priority to quality, strive for excellence”.
“Announcing Billecart-Salmon in the top ten houses in The Champagne Guide Edition VII! Featuring a record 22 reviews over 15 pages! Billecart has long held a coveted position among the top houses of Champagne, and confidently again this year upholds its mantle as the most elegant of them all.”
- Tyson Stelzer, 2024The champagnes of Maison Billecart-Salmon are above all created thanks to the knowledge of the men who rigorously cultivate an estate of 100 hectares, obtaining grapes from an area totalling 300 hectares across 40 crus of the Champagne region. The majority of the grapes used for vinification come from a radius of 20km around Epernay, where the Grand Crus of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay co-exist, in the ethereal vineyards of the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs.
Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide 2021-2021 Edition VI -
Created in 1988 as a tribute to one of the House’s founders, Elisabeth Salmon, this cuvée distinguishes itself through its refined purity of grandeur and unique character. This great, rare and sought-after wine subtly offers the signature of our top Pinot Noir and Chardonnay terroirs. Elisabeth Salmon 2013 highlights the full breadth of the savoir-faire required to blend the House’s rosé in an exceptional year.
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Formulation
100% Grand Cru and Premier Cru
47% Chardonnay from Oger, Cramant and Mesnil-sur-Oger
53% Pinot Noir from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Aÿ and Bouzy
Less than 10% of the Pinot Noir is vinified as red wine with grapes from old vines in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ with southern exposure.
5% of the wines are vinified in oak casks.
Aged on lees : 115 months
Dosage: 4.4 g/L
Formats on offer and ageing potential
Bottle and magnum: more than 10 years
Antoine Roland-Billecart | Family Portrait
Since its creation in 1818, six generations have succeeded each other in the running of the House, with the seventh generation takes today the helm. Motivated by a shared passion for wine, from the vine to the glass, each member of this family has brought their own personal touch to the House, while always maintaining the visionary approach of giving priority to quality and striving for excellence.
Today, Mathieu Roland-Billecart, the 7th generation of the family, head of the House with Antoine, Deputy General Manager in charge of export, with the support of Jean and François Roland-Billecart.
From left to right:
Antoine Roland-Billecart, Jean Roland-Billecart, François Roland-Billecart and Mathieu Roland-Billecart.
The Champagnes
On Arrival
NV Billecart-Salmon Le Réserve
The brilliant crystalline radiance that defines Billecart shines bright and strong in the 2016 base, epitomising the purity and precision that we adore of this beloved house. Meunier and pinot noir unite in a core of delightfully fresh, crunchy red apples, spicy wild strawberries and ripe raspberries, streaming out long and true with a line of lemon acidity. The subtlety of long lees age is intricately played, lending only the most gentle brioche, almond meal, honey and toast. Dosage is perfectly played to lift its fruit and its structure. It coasts long and refined on a sea of fine chalk minerality. The consummate apéritif!
95 Points - Tyson Stelzer, champagne.guide.com (2023)
Abrolhos scallops, sambal butter, lemon
First Course
NV Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs
I have long adored this wine and now there’s even more to love, sporting smart blue foil on the front label and the disgorgement date on the back. A bright, pale straw hue, this is a release that embodies its 2015 base in its contrast of structural tension with considerable concentration. Pear and apple fruit of depth and presence is cut with grapefruit and wild lemon. Reserves declare considerable dimension in layers of wild honey, toasted brioche, candied almonds, even suggestions of fruit mince spice. Such magnitude is contained impeccably, equally by energetic acidity and the omnipresent, mouth-embracing, frothing, salty chalk mineral declaration of four of the sparkling world’s most commanding chardonnay crus.
A grand statement indeed.
95 Points - Tyson Stelzer, champagne.guie.com (2022)
2010 Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs Magnum
A finely honed,mouthwatering Champagne, featuring a minerally underpinning of saline and chalk accents. Lacy in texture, offering wild cherry and pear fruit flavors, with toast point, lime blossom and lemon pastry cream notes.
94 Points - Wine Spectator
2009 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée 'Louis' Blanc de Blancs
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. Drink or hold.
96 Points - Claire Nesbitt, jamessuckling.com
2012 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée 'Louis' Blanc de Blancs
Incredible aromas of brioche, bread dough and pie crust with superb, electrifying fruit, from peaches to fresh apples. It’s driven, mouthwatering and with fantastic structure, yet it’s so balanced and creamy. Very fine and silky bubbles. It’s better and better as it warms slightly in the glass. 3.9g/L dosage. Drink or hold.
99 Points - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com
The 2012 Brut Blancs de Blancs Louis Salmon is a large-scale, ample wine. A rich, heady Champagne, the 2012 has started to open nicely. It is far more expressive today than it was a year ago. Even so, this remains a very young Champagne, one that needs time to shed some of its considerable baby tat. Baked apple tart, dried flowers, mint and dried citrus peel are some of the many nuances that emerge over time. Tropical notes wrap around the substantial finish. Dosage is 3.9 grams per liter. Disgorged: January 2023.
97 Points - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com
Seared salmon, walnut tarator, labne
Second Course
2007 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée 'Nicolas-François'
This is a laser-guided Champagne with fabulous energy and intensity with a tight palate, racy acidity and super fine phenolics. It goes on and on. Fine bubbles. Light pine and praline character. One for the cellar. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. Disgorged 19 July, 2020. Wonderful now, but needs time to come together. Better from 2024 onwards.
97 Points - James Suckling, jamessuckling.com (December 2020)
2008 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée 'Nicolas-François' Magnum
Long have I anticipated Nicolas François Billecart 2008 and my first encounter came with Antoine in the dining room of the house in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. I spent a full 20 minutes riveted by its evolution in the glass, moving me to tears. The profound precision and intricate, molecular detail that defines Billecart is transported to a higher level of fidelity in 2008, illuminating a brilliant display of fine chalk minerality of the highest proportions. A saline chalk core erupts from its depths, framing the most pure lemon fruit and strawberry hull; emphatically, unrelentingly and sublimely primary, without even the slightest movement toward evolution. In time, pinot steps forward in the most gloriously pure red cherry fruits. Even 17 months post-disgorgement, it is still intricately, tightly coiled, with an undeterred line and unrelenting persistence; a high-tensile spring of taut, pure energy that screams out for a lifetime to uncoil. This is an NFB with sixty years of glorious life stretching before it, and strictly must not to be approached for at least another decade yet.
100 Points - Tyson Stelzer, champagne.guide (2023)
2012 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée 'Nicolas-François'
This complex Champagne has delicious aromas of waffle cones, vanilla beans, apricots and pastry with touches of white chocolate and salted caramel. It’s electric on the palate, which is creamy yet structured and focused, with a fine bead of bubbles and a zesty, tangy backbone of acidity. Long and tense finish. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay (all premier and grand cru), 10% of wines are vinified in oak casks. 10 years on lees. 3.8 g/L dosage. Disgorged in the second half of 2024. Drink or hold.
97 Points - Claire Nesbitt, jamessuckling.com (March 2025)
Mushroom, melted leek tart, fraiche
Third Course
NV Billecart-Salmon Le Rosé
1996 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée 'Elisabeth Salmon' Rosé
Made from 58% Pinot Noir and 42% Chardonnay, colored with 8% red wine, this was on lees for just under nine years and was disgorged in April 2006, with a dosage of 10g/l. The color in the glass is orange and the nose is redolent of fresh girolle mushrooms, followed by an intense savoriness that references vanilla, dried cep mushroom, and caramel. The palate continues these savory aromatics, delivering an immense hit of umami that combines with the still jolting and urgent acidity of 1996. The mousse is still fresh, and all that acidity delivers a totally mouthwatering, mind-blowing saltiness that has visceral depth. Distinctly mature but still totally rocking it.
97 Points - Anne Krebiehl MW, World of Fine Wine
2009 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée 'Elisabeth Salmon' Rosé
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. A blend of 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir (including 9% vinified as red wine), this Champagne, which has a dosage of 7g/L, is made for ageing.
98 Points - Yohan Castaing, Decanter (November 2022)
2012 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée 'Elisabeth Salmon' Rosé
A blend of 45% Pinot Noir and 55% Chardonnay, the 2012 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is a real success, wafting from the glass with aromas of red berries, rose, peony, orange blood and dried flowers. Medium to full-bodied, vinous and broad, it's dense and deep with a multidimensional core of fruit, racy acids and a textural structure, concluding with a long, delicate, mouthwatering finish. This is one of the finest rosé I've tasted at this address. Kudos!
97+Points Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate (October 2024)
2013 Billecart-Salmon Cuvée 'Elisabeth Salmon' Rosé [New Release]
Aroma: A sensual, refreshing expression of red and black berry fruits, sublimated by the floral elegance of peony and violet. An exquisite sensation of aromatic fullness rich in fully ripened fruits (blueberry and cherry pit). Beautifully refined and mature olfactory notes, opening on to the inimitable scent of fragrant roses and salty sea spray.
Palate: A tactile, wholly delicate, impact of measured yet bewitching power. A harmonious flowering of moreish flavours and pastries (cherry clafoutis, Canada apples and blood orange jelly). A delicate mouth structure, progressing towards a finish on a hint of chalkiness and zest of Corsican clementines.
Tasting: This great wine of astounding refinement gives us the hallmark of a personality of a great delicacy and texture of flavours. An aromatic charm of the rarest mineral dimension to accompany succulent Bresse poultry with crayfish or a few royal langoustines served with a saffron-scented sabayon. Serve at: 11° / 12°.
Florent NYS, oenologist and BILLECART-SALMON’s Chief Winemaker.
Very fragrant wildflower honey, citrus, sliced apple, nutmeg and pastry aromas. It's beautifully fresh and saline on the palate, with fantastic concentration, but in a delicate, silky way. Long, elegant and chalky finish. 53% pinot noir (Ay, Mareuil-sur-Ay (9%) and Bouzy) and 47% chardonnay (Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger). 4.4 g/L dosage. Disgorged January 2024. Drink now or hold.
96 Points - Claire Nesbitt, jamessuckling.com
Duck breast, baby beetroot, petite greens, Jus
To Finish…