Average rating 4.9/5 stars across all Google and external reviews
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Bought directly from Billecart-Salmon, the bottles are stored in bond at London City Bond Eton Park, in ideal conditions at a constant 13°C. For same-day deliveries, small quantities are kept in our office cellar, where the temperature is maintained between 11–13°C. We source all our bottles directly from the Maison or their official UK office, eliminating the risk of poor storage. This is crucial, as champagne quality is highly sensitive to heat: temperatures above 18°C accelerate maturity significantly, which compromises quality.
Bottles Available:
1 × 75cl - 4 from 21st Aug We keep some stock in our London Warehouse. Large volumes take 24 hours from our out of London warehouse.
Champagne Billecart-Salmon was founded in 1818 following the marriage of Nicolas-François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon. Located in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ near Épernay, the House remains family-owned, today led by seventh-generation Mathieu Roland-Billecart.
Chef de Cave François Domi retired in 2016 after 30 years, succeeded by Florent Nys, who joined in 2005. Vineyard management is overseen by Denis Blée. Together with sixth-generation François Roland-Billecart and Antoine Roland-Billecart, they form part of the seven-member tasting committee guiding the House style.
In the 1950s, Jean Roland-Billecart pioneered low-temperature fermentation in stainless steel - now a hallmark preserving fruit freshness. Today, wines are fermented in stainless steel, temperature-controlled large oak casks, small oak barrels, or a combination, depending on the cuvée.
By 2020, production drew on 300 hectares: 100 hectares estate-owned and certified organic in 2025; 100 hectares under contract (herbicides and chemical fertilisers eliminated in 2019); and 100 hectares from grower partners. The vineyards span 40 crus, mostly within 20 km of the winery. In 2017, the House achieved High Environmental Value certification.
This unique Blanc de Noirs cuvée bears the name of the patron saint of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. The one hectare vineyard responds to the most stringent norms: a single, unbroken and enclosed plot with a complete vinification installation in situ. This single vineyard cuvée has an incredible typicity with strength and elegance which will last for decades to come. For each vintage there is between 1,000 and 6,750 bottles released, all individually numbered.
"In the 1950s my grandmother set aside this park-like space next to our house in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ with vines, flowers and fruit trees, for our enjoyment. Realising this outstanding terroir's potential, my family decided to plant the first Pinot Noir vines here in 1964. We tried using the Pinot Noir to make white wine in small Burgundy barrels: an outstanding champagne was about to be born. After several years of painstakingly tending the vines, the 1995 harvest, the first year of this unique cuvée, was remarkable. We called it Le Clos Saint-Hilaire after the patron saint of the church in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ." François Roland-Billecart, 6th Generation
Weather: The 2009 vintage was a difficult year at first with a mild and rainy spring. The threat of mildew was high and storms in July further raised fears for the health of the grapes. However, a warm August of uninterrupted hot and dry weather was the catalyst for an idyllic harvest. Picking began on the 12th September in perfect conditions.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: 100% Grand Cru | Mareuil-sur-Aÿ
Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
Lees Ageing: 13.5 years
Dosage: 1.9g/l
Bottling date: April 2010
Disgorged: November 2023
Production: 4500 Bottles
Drink: Now to 2034+
Tasting Note: This champagne leaps out the glass, a mix of dark PN fruit and toasted almonds and hints of marzipan. The palate brings forward the clos chalky charm and salinity with super fresh acidity cutting through the toasty oak character. The palate builds within minutes to show more dark cherry, plum, dark chocolate and coffee and underneath you see grapefruit, ripe apricot and finishing bitter orange. Started showing off an oxidative edge and transitioned to become gently reductive. Fascinating as displays some tropical notes, from the hot summer, yet has a very significant “clos influence” of minerality from the soils. Drink now to 2035 - Nick Baker TFB Founder
Champagne Billecart-Salmon was founded with the marriage of Nicolas-François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon in 1818. Situated in the village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, near Epernay. Today the family own 55% of the Maison with partners The Frey Group owning the remaining share. Their partners are owners of Château La Lagune, Paul Jaboulet Aîné in Hermitage and Château Corton-C in Aloxe-Corton. The business farms 100 hectares of their own vineyards and manage another 200 hectares from 40 crus mostly within 20 kms of the winery. Still a family-run organisation, seventh generation Mathieu Roland-Billecart oversees business. In 2016 Chef de Cave François Domi retired after 30 years with Billecart and handed over to his deputy Florent Nys who started with the business in 2005. The vineyards are overseen by Denis Blée and all of the team are members of the eight strong "tasting committee" along with 6th generation François Roland-Billecart and Antoine Roland-Billecart and fifth generation Jean Roland-Billecart.
The House style is intensely bright and fruity with an increasingly oxidative tone brought about by the recent re-introduction of oak. The Billecart-Salmon portfolio is vast but they are perhaps best known for their prestige cuvées, Cuvée Nicolas-François and Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé. In 1999, Cuvée Nicolas-François 1959 was awarded 'Champagne of the Millennium' by a committee of experts at a blind tasting session involving 150 vintages from the most illustrious champagne producers. The jewel of the estate however, is the single-vineyard champagne Clos Saint Hilare: a monstrously powerful cuvée originating from a single Pinot Noir plot sheltered by a wall of stone.
Cellar Master: Florent Nys
Winery Location: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ | Champagne, France
Champagne Region: Vallée de la Marne
Annual Production (bottles): 2,000,000
Chef de Cave History at Champagne Billecart-Salmon:
Florent Nys - 2016 to present - Has been working as an apprentice under the watchful eye of François since 2005
François Domi - 1985 & retired in 2016 He continued the double cold settling of his predecessor and was an early convert to technological corks.
James Coffinet - 1976 to 1985 - He introduced double débourbage, longer periods of cold settling the must, twice for between 24-48 hours at 6 Celsius followed by a cooler fermentation. These were practices borrowed from the brewing industry. Coffinet was considered one of the best winemakers of his generation. The 1982 vintage was considered his masterpiece while at BS. Look out for a rare chance to buy a well stored bottle of Nicolas Francois 1982
Chef de Cave History at Champagne Billecart-Salmon:
Florent Nys - 2016 to present - Has been working as an apprentice under the watchful eye of François since 2005
François Domi - 1985 & retired in 2016 He continued the double cold settling of his predecessor and was an early convert to technological corks.
James Coffinet - 1976 to 1985 - He introduced double débourbage, longer periods of cold settling the must, twice for between 24-48 hours at 6 Celsius followed by a cooler fermentation. These were practices borrowed from the brewing industry. Coffinet was considered one of the best winemakers of his generation. The 1982 vintage was considered his masterpiece while at BS. Look out for a rare chance to buy a well stored bottle of Nicolas Francois 1982
Expert Reviews
95/100
Kristaps Karklins
“Sourced from a walled 0.97-hectare vineyard planted in 1964 and vinified entirely in oak, the 2009 Le Clos Saint-Hilaire remains true to its lineage, offering maturity and richness—more so than most other parcels in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Released ahead of the 2008 vintage and disgorged in January 2024 with a dosage of two grams per liter, it unfurls from the glass with a deep, concentrated bouquet of ripe orchard fruits, dried apricot, toasted nuts and exotic spices mingling with orange zest. On the palate, it is full-bodied and concentrated, textural and multidimensional, exuding richness and a more muscular personality than any other wine in Billecart’s portfolio. Underpinned by succulent yet racy acidity—enhanced by blocked malolactic fermentation—it concludes with a long finish, accentuated by the attractive bitterness of Pinot Noir phenolics. Expect a wine that is more demonstrative than the cool-vintage 2007, yet more mellow and immediately seductive than the 2006.”
18.5/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“Full bottle 1,634 g. Only the 10th edition of this unique single-vineyard champagne from a small, 1-ha, walled plot behind the winery in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ planted with Pinot Noir in 1964. (The inaugural vintage was 1995.) Vinified entirely in oak casks and aged on lees and only just released after ageing for 15 years on lees. Disgorged early 2024. Dosage 2 g/l. Deep golden straw colour. Extremely complex, mildly pungent nose with layers of sandalwood and kumquats and obviously considerable autolysis but it’s still extremely fresh. Quite a triumph! And not a copy of another style of champagne. Really intense yet refreshing enough to enjoy as an (admittedly luxurious) aperitif. Scrumptious!”
96/100
Kristaps Karklins
“Billecart-Salmon’s 2009 Le Clos Saint-Hilaire, disgorged in January 2024 with a dosage of two grams per liter, is showing even more impressively than it did when I tasted it with only a year on cork after disgorgement. The bouquet is deep and expressive, revealing notes of dried apricot, pear, blanched almond and orange oil, mingled with cherry plum and a touch of Madagascar vanilla. On the palate, it is medium- to full-bodied and rich yet incisive, its amplitude deftly counterbalanced by racy acidity before culminating in a persistent, citrus-tinged finish that underscores the wine’s fresh, tight-knit profile—enhance by its non-malolactic style.”
18/20
Nick Baker TFB Founder
“This champagne leaps out the glass, a mix of dark PN fruit and toasted almonds and hints of marzipan. The palate brings forward the clos chalky charm and salinity with super fresh acidity cutting through the toasty oak character. The palate builds within minutes to show more dark cherry, plum, dark chocolate and coffee and underneath you see grapefruit, ripe apricot and finishing bitter orange. Started showing off an oxidative edge and transitioned to become gently reductive. Fascinating as displays some tropical notes, from the hot summer, yet has a very significant “clos influence” of minerality from the soils. Drink now to 2035”
This week signals the long awaited Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Rosé 2008 named as a tribute to Elisabeth Salmon from the hugely popular and highly rated 2008 vintage.
Billecart-Salmon were one of the first houses to pick grapes last year, kicking off their harvest on 22nd August. We tasted the vins clairs with new Chef de Cave Florent Nys, and also shared a comprehensive range of finished champagnes.
Since the early 21st century, a quiet revolution has been occurring in Champagne, and the ever-burgeoning demand for artisanal, hand-crafted cuvées continues to flourish. What are the origins of single vineyard champagnes, why are they so popular, and are they a fad or the future?
Our previous write-up highlighted what a spectacular year 2018 was for champagne. The good news? 2019 is set to be even bigger! In this article, we look to the future and discuss which champagnes we can expect to be released in 2019.
Earlier this month, Champagne Billecart-Salmon appointed Mathieu Roland-Billecart their new Chief Executive Officer, rounding off a busy bicentenary year which also saw the release of Bicentenary Cuvée 200 MV.
