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.
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.
Billecart-Salmon's exceptional prestige cuvée was created in 1964 as a tribute to the House’s co-founder Nicolas-François Billecart who married Elisabeth Salmon in 1818. The 20% maturation in 15 year-old traditional oak barrels underpins the generous character of this fine, elegant and rich champagne.
Weather: 2007 is an extraordinary vintage and one of the very few in Champagne when the harvest began in August. After a sunny and very warm spring, the months of June, July and August brought rather gloomy weather and heavy rainfall. And yet, these cool temperatures did nothing to counteract the vineyard’s early and rapid progress, with the grapes quickly reaching full ripeness.
Technical Information:
Vineyards: 79% Grands Cru and 21% Premiers Cru Vineyards: 60% Pinot Noir: Montagne de Reims & Grande Vallée de la Marne | 40% Chardonnay: Côte des Blancs
Grape Varieties: 60% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay
Disgorged: 19th July 2020
Lees Ageing: 12 Years
Vinification: 85% vinified in stainless steel tanks and 15% in oak barrels with Partial malolactic fermentation
Dosage: 6 g/l
Drink: Now to 2040
Tasting Note: The 2007 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François is showing very nicely, offering up aromas of fresh bread, citrus oil, crisp yellow orchard fruit, white flowers, verbena, macadamia nut and hints of biscuity complexity to come. Full-bodied, chiseled but fleshy, its vinous core of fruit cloaks the vintage's brisk acids to achieve real plenitude in a year that's sometimes rather tautly austere. Long and penetrating and complemented by a pretty pinpoint mousse, this is a real success. - Tasting note by William Kelley
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.
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
96/100
William Kelley
“The 2007 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François continues to show beautifully, wafting from the glass with scents of sweet orchard fruit, citrus oil, clear honey, white flowers, buttery pastry and warm biscuits. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and incisive, with racy acids, a vibrant core of fruit and a pillowy, elegant profile, it concludes with a long, penetrating finish.”
97/100
James Suckling
“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.”
93/100
Essi Avellan MW
“The pale gold colour shows some evolution, while the intensely fruity nose comes across more red-fruit-dominant, with apple and apricot meeting pastry and spicy tones. Fruity power continues on the concentrated palate of ripe peach. The Chardonnay gets more of a foothold on the palate, which shows feisty acidity and great drive. Time in oak for a fraction of the blend has brought about not only depth but also a minor oxidative note. Long, silky and appropriately dosed finish. Disgorged 11/20; dosage 6g/l”
97/100
Antonio Galloni
“The 2007 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is positively stellar. Elegant, polished and sophisticated, the 2007 dazzles with effusive aromatics and gorgeous balance. It's not an obvious wine, though, but rather a Champagne built for long, patient cellaring. The 2007 is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay taken from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Ambonnay, Verzenay and Verzy for the Pinots and Chouilly, Avize, Cramant and Mesnil for the Chardonnays. In other words, as good as it gets for villages. The wine was done mostly in tank with about 15% of the lots vinified in oak. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. ”
97/100
William Kelley
“Disgorged with six grams per liter dosage, the 2007 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François is showing very nicely, offering up aromas of fresh bread, citrus oil, crisp yellow orchard fruit, white flowers, verbena, macadamia nut and hints of biscuity complexity to come. Full-bodied, chiseled but fleshy, its vinous core of fruit cloaks the vintage's brisk acids to achieve real plenitude in a year that's sometimes rather tautly austere. Long and penetrating and complemented by a pretty pinpoint mousse, this is a real success.”
98/100
Tyson Stelzer
“Pinot noir assumes a glorious lead in a magnificent display of red berry and cherry fruits, seamlessly fused to the bright lemon and pink grapefruit eut of magnificent chardonnay acidity”
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.
