Champagne Billecart Salmon Vintage

The Billecart Salmon Vintage has an extra brut punch and is dominated by superb Pinot Noir flavors. These flavors are complemented by the elegance of the Cotes des Blanc Chardonnay and, for the true connoisseur, the signature touch of Pinot Meunier.

The French Champagne house Billecart-Salmon

Billecart-Salmon, a mid-sized Champagne house in Mareuil-sur-Ay, was founded in 1818 by its original owners, Nicolas Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, who combined their names upon marriage to create the brand. It is one of the few remaining family-owned Champagne houses. Most of Billecart-Salmon's fruit comes from a small vineyard, although this is supplemented with grapes purchased from the Marne Valley and the Montagne de Reims. Careful production techniques, from the use of their own yeast to the long, slow, cool fermentation, ensure that the family has 100% control over production. This Vintage Champagne comes from the Grand Cru vineyards of Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes are harvested relatively early and destemmed and pressed immediately at the winery. The juice is then chilled for 12 hours to allow the coarser constituents to settle. The juice is then transferred to stainless steel tanks for a second cooling step. After 48 hours, temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, followed by aging on the lees. Sugar and yeast are added to the young wine, and it is then bottled and corked. During the subsequent second fermentation, carbon dioxide is produced. Only after 84 months is the yeast sediment removed and 4 grams of sugar added to qualify for the extra brut designation.

The fruity notes of Champagne Billecart Salmon Vintage

The result is a Salmon Vintage with a light golden yellow color. The nose reveals aromas of lime, peach, yellow plums, green apples, and almond paste. The palate offers a fine, lingering mousse with notes of lemon, mandarin, yellow stone fruit, and ripe pears. This continues into a full finish with fine acidity.