Billecart-Salmon Rendez-vous No.2 Pinot Noir

Family run business
Champagne Billecart-Salmon was founded with the marriage of Nicolas-François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon in 1818. Today, Billecart-Salmon is still a family-run organisation, with seventh generation Mathieu Roland-Billecart overseeing business. Whilst in 2016 Chef de Cave François Domi retired after 30 years with Billecart-Samlon 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.

First generation	Nicholas Francois Billecart, Elisabeth Salmon
Second generation	Charles Billecart
Third generation	Pol Billecart
Fourth generation	Charles Roland-Billecart
Fifth generation	Jean Roland-Billecart
Sixth generation	Francois Roland-Billecart, Antoine Roland-Billecart
Seventh generation	Mathieu Roalnd-Billecart

 

Experimental success
Billecart-Salmon is constantly experimenting with new methods to further improve the quality of its wines. A range has been born from the fruit of this work that offers a unique tasting experience epitomising an exceptional terroir and a certain champagne grape variety.  Initially, these were only experiments to better understand the evolution on lees of certain terroirs. There was no anticipation of going to market until they realized that there was a strong identity. From there the idea was born. Rather than putting them back in circulation and having the wines represent 0.1% of another blend, they chose to market them in the form of a momentary cuvee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rendez-vous No.2
Billecart-Salmon Rendez-vous No.2 is the latest addition to the Billecart-Salmon range, Billecart Salmon have chosen a 100% Pinot Noir based on the same base year as the Rendez-vous No. 1: 2014. This is solely because these are wines from the same experimental project. They wanted to make a 100% Pinot Noir because, apart from Clos Saint-Hilaire, the Maison do not have any pure Pinot Noir in their traditional range that allows us to understand the trajectory of this grape variety on the lees.

Rendez-vous No.2 has been created from the historic terroirs of the Montagne de Reims: Ambonnay and Verzenay, where the Pinot Noir varietal gives wine from this region its distinctive identity. The vineyards from the Montagne de Reims are ideally facing south, on chalk subsoil, with roots being buried deep underground. No.2 is based on 2014 with 22% reserve wines from 2012.

It remains a pinot noir which leans more towards minerality than red fruits. To maintain this purity and finesse, we have chosen to work exclusively with stainless steel tanks.

Technical Information:
Vineyards: Villages of Ambonnay and Verzenay of the Montagne de Reims
Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
Ageing: 5.5 years on the lees
Base Wine: 2014
Reserve wines: 22% from 2012
Disgorged: October 2020
Dosage: 2 g/l

Tasting notes:
 A golden yellow hue with cherry blossom and violet aromas on the nose, juicy citrus is present and onto the palate, candied lemon paste, tangerine and licorice. The Pinot Noir is giving a great texture and with 5.5 years on lees the mid palate evolves towards a chalky and slightly peppery tastes. Has a great finish with tangy flavours of fresh rasberries.