Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Cuvee "Nicolas Francois"

The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart remains quite potent and young. It’s starting to gain some weight, but it remains a classically austere Champagne. The fruit is reticent, and its contours are angular. The 2008 is a very good wine, but, as I have said in the past, it is a Champagne that belongs to the prior era here. Vinification was 83% in tank and 17% in oak, likely a decision made to give the wine more body in this decidedly lean vintage. Dosage is 2.9 grams per liter. Disgorged: first trimester 2022.

Originating from a late September harvest in a cool, late-ripening season and disgorged in January 2022 with a dosage of 2.9 grams per liter, the 2008 Nicolas François is showing superbly. It opens with an aromatic array of lemon oil, quince, nashi pear and honeysuckle, segueing into a medium-bodied and chiseled yet layered palate. A crisp core of fruit deftly cloaks the vintage’s brisk acidity, avoiding the taut austerity that the year can occasionally impart. Long and penetrating, animated by a pinpoint mousse, the wine’s aromatic promise translates seamlessly from nose to palate. It comes warmly recommended and will continue to deliver considerable pleasure for years to come. Produced from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, with malolactic fermentation largely blocked, it enhances the vintage’s refreshing profile.

Lovely precision and drive to this with aromas of lemon curd, brioche, praline, apricots, pomelos, mandarin zest and salted caramel. It’s held together by a sharp, citrusy backbone of acidity, balanced with a fine, silky mousse. Both structure and softness here. Citrus fruit brightness on a beautifully elegant and seamless finish. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. 150 months on lees. 2.9g/L dosage. Drink or hold.

This beautiful Champagne is now fully mature. With toasty characters, touches of fresher fruit and taut acidity, the wine has a little spice from wood fermentation.

Full-bodied, it’s supple in texture, with a rounded mousse, and has a long-lasting, mouthwatering finish. Exceptionally well-balanced, it comes together seamlessly on the finish.

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The 2012 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart shows all the natural
radiance of the year. There’s gorgeous resonance and texture here. Apricot, spice, tangerine oil and lightly honeyed notes infuse the palate with notable depth and persistence. This rich, expansive Champagne has a ton to offer. This release was disgorged nearly two years ago, which also adds to its complexity. Dosage is 3.8 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2023.

Billecart-Salmon’s 2012 Nicolas François marks the first release since 2008 and stands as another success. The fundamentals remain unchanged: settling and fermentation at low temperatures, a small proportion vinified in oak barrels and partial malolactic fermentation (20% was blocked in 2012). This vintage was characterized by a prolonged flowering period, significant rainfall and mildew pressure, resulting in a small crop. The harvest of fruit, which contributed to this cuvée, took place between September 17 and 22. “It was crucial to select only the ripest fruit, as maturation varied significantly between plots,” explains Billecart’s head winemaker, Florent Nys. But what of the wine itself? Disgorged in May 2023 with a dosage of 3.8 grams per liter, it exudes aromas of candied lemon, honeysuckle and ripe peach, mingling with nuances of beeswax and orange zest. On the palate, it is full-bodied, ample and enveloping, boasting a layered, concentrated core, a chalky structure and mouthwatering acidity, despite the warm vintage. It concludes with a persistent, saline finish, hinting at the savory complexity that has emerged with such notable bottle age. Compared to the 2008, which remains tightly coiled, the 2012 is broader-shouldered and more demonstrative.

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.

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The 2015 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is quite delicate and
understated. Floral and savory notes meld into a core of lemon confit, sage, mint and dried flowers. Medium in body and vibrant, with terrific energy, the 2015 has a lot to offer. A trace of savory/slightly vegetal notes lurks beneath, but those flavors are not terribly intrusive; they are more like a strand in a fabric rather than an overpowering characteristic. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 2025.

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