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:
18 × 75cl - 60+ from 15th Sep - 200+ from 16th Sep 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.
The Le Réserve is a light, fine and harmonious champagne. It is made up of a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier from three different years and sourced from the best sites in the Champagne region. Since the 2018 base wines Mathieu has been extended the lees aging time from 30 months to between 36-42 months giving a fuller and more rounded expression along with fine tuning of the still wine blends to ensure that lightness and delicacy. In Autumn 2024 the champagne became Le Reserve to reflect the new blend.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: Montagne de Reims, Côte des Blancs and Vallée de la Marne
Grape Varieties: 40% Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir & 30% Chardonnay
Lees Ageing: 3 Years
Base Vintage: 2020
Disgorged: 2024
Dosage: 6.2 g/l
Reserve wines: 53%
Fermentation: Vinification in stainless steel tanks
Drink: Now for 6+ years
Tasting Note: A yellow gold hue. Aromatics have a distinct and precise intensity with an ethereal character, followed by a natural and radiant freshness. With a presence of floral notes and fresh fruits, highlighted by lightly biscuit aromas. On the palate a delicate texture under the charm of white flesh fruit flavors such as apples and crunchy pears.
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
90/100
William Kelley
“Based on the 2018 vintage, Billecart's newly released NV Brut Réserve incorporates fully 53% reserve wines, up from just over a third in the past, and incorporates the usual 40% Pinot Meunier in the blend. Offering up attractive aromas of citrus zest, green apple and freshly baked bread, it's medium to full-bodied, fleshy and charming, with a demonstrative core of fruit and a pretty pinpoint mousse, concluding with a saline finish.”
91/100
Kristaps Karklins
“Based on the 2020 vintage (the youngest vintage serves as the “base” of a bottling, even if it does not represent the majority of the blend) and incorporating 71% reserve wines—half stored as individual vintages and the other half as a perpetual reserve initiated in 2006—Billecart-Salmon’s latest NV Le Réserve is showing nicely. It offers aromas of green pear, honeysuckle, brioche and white peach. Disgorged in early 2024 with a dosage of three grams per liter, this reimagined cuvée has recently undergone a significant reduction in dosage. The sweetness that so often presents itself on the finish of NV Champagnes from Grandes Marques is no more. Medium to full-bodied, lively and charming, with a textural attack and vibrant acidity, it culminates in a long, precise finish. This reinvented cuvée replaces the Brut Réserve and, beyond the lowered dosage, sees a stricter fruit selection, an additional 20 months of aging sur lattes (now totaling 50 months) and an increased proportion of the perpetual reserve.”
91/100
Essi Avellan MW
“Fragrantly floral Meunier fruit comes across strongly on the bright, expressive nose here. There's a complex melange of red and white fruit, with attractive toastiness and sweet pastry tones. A similar sense of skilful crafting continues on the lightweight palate, which is harmonious and perfectly fresh. The vast 50-60% of reserve wines increase the complexity of the blend. This is smooth-textured, with an appetising sweetness at the finish. Dosage 8g/l”
91/100
Yohan Castaing
“Based on the 2020 vintage, this blend of 43% Pinot Meunier, 29% Chardonnay and 28% Pinot Noir, with 71% vins de réserve and 10% perpetual reserve, the NV Brut Réserve offers up aromas of spring flowers, herbs, blossoms, lime and brioche. Medium to full-bodied, tense and precise, with a crystalline texture enhanced by bright acids, this is a long, delicate and ethereal Champagne. It matured 8% in barrels and 36 months on the lees in bottle, followed by six months after disgorgement with three grams per liter dosage.”
90/100
William Kelley
“Based on the 2015 vintage and disgorged with nine grams per liter dosage, the latest release of Billecart's NV Brut Réserve contains fully 55% reserve wines and is showing very well, offering up complex aromas of warm bread, crisp green orchard fruit and citrus oil. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied and charming but lively, with an elegantly textural attack, a fleshy core of fruit and lively balancing acids.”
16/20
Jancis Robinson MW
“There is a QR code but it doesn’t tell people how old the cuvée is. ‘I don’t have the marketing resources to do this’, says Mathieu Billecart. They update it once a year – ‘though we’re not as precise as Krug’. 55% reserve wines. 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay. For the last five years there has been a little bit of oak fermentation for 3 to 5% of the wine. The base is 2014, 2013 and 2012 and some solera. Dosage 9 g/l. Nicely melded nose even if the whole impression is on the fruity side. Tight and fresh. But with very frank fruit aromas. Slightly drying on the end but brisk and fresh, even if dominantly fruity.”
90/100
Josh Reynolds
“(40% pinot meunier, 30% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay; L200352): Light, bright gold. Fresh red berries, orange zest and white flowers on the perfumed nose. Juicy and precise, offering energetic redcurrant and blood orange flavors that show good concentration and a supple texture. A mineral nuance adds bite to the finish, with the floral note echoing.”
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.
