One of few remaining family owned Champagne houses, this company was formed when Nicolas François Billecart married Elisabeth Salmon in 1818. Billecart-Salmon is now in its 7th generation of family ownership, continuing to make Champagne to the family motto “give top priority to quality and strive for excellence”.

Billecart-Salmon takes most of its grapes from a small vineyard estate, supporting this when needed with grapes from the Marne Valley and the Montagne de Reims regions.

The Champagne houses maintains painstaking methods of production, to ensure consistency and control of production. For example, Billecart-Salmon use their own yeast culture, and slow, cooler fermentation (which lasts 3 to 4 weeks) to create their unique wines. Billecart-Salmon also uses only the first pressing of its grapes, ensuring their wines are fresh and vivid.

This non vintage bottling is made with mainly Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes. Non vintage bottlings are required to be aged for 12 months, but Billecart-Salmon age theirs for a minimum of 36. The 2018 outturn was made with 40% wines from the 2015 harvest, and 60% drawn from reserve vintages.

The final product is light and spicy Champagne, with notes of bright red currents, spicy grapes, some slight minerality and a powerful salinity. The wine has an elegant, very fine effervescence, the hallmark of Billecart-Salmon.

A superb champagne, delightful served by itself, but also a perfect pairing for delicate shellfish dishes, cured meats and creamy cheeses.

• Distillery / brand
  Billecart-Salmon
• Country
  France
• SKU
  035775