BILLECART-SALMON Brut 'Le Blanc de Blancs' Grand Cru NV Bottle

Description

Billecart-Salmon Blanc de Blancs is a distinguished Champagne made entirely from 100% Chardonnay grapes, exemplifying the house's commitment to finesse, balance, and elegance. This cuvée is crafted from small vineyard holdings, augmented by fruit from the Vallée de la Marne and Montagne de Reims. It boasts vibrant lemony notes alongside aromas of pear, honeysuckle, and green apple. James Suckling awarded it 94 points, highlighting its enticing aromas of peaches and apple blossoms, with a chalky, rounded palate. Wine Enthusiast also rated it 94 points, praising its complexity with toast and almond flavours. With a potential ageing window of 5-8 years, this elegant Champagne promises a delightful tasting experience, perfect for celebrating special moments.

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The House focuses on small vineyard holdings that they supplement with Vallee de la Marne and Montagne de Reims fruit. The family controls the entire fermentation and production, Billecart is considered to be one of the best producers of Blanc de Blanc (100% Chardonnay) in Champagne. The quest for "finesse, balance and elegance" has always guided the making of the Billecart-Salmon Champagnes. The Blanc de Blancs possesses vivid lemony notes along with pear, honeysuckle, and green apple characteristics. It has potential to last for the next 5-8 years.

JAMES SUCKLING 94 points
Very pretty peaches, apple blossoms, honey and chalk on the nose. The palate is chalky and minerally but well integrated and rounded, with silky bubbles and delicious salt and pastry notes lingering. 100% chardonnay with stainless steel vinification. Based on the 2018 vintage, with 37% reserve. 3.9 g/L dosage. Drink now.
Claire Nesbitt
Staff Writer & Critic

WINE ENTHUSIAST 94 points
From five grand cru vineyards in the Côte des Blancs, this 100% Chardonnay is a great wine, with some toast and almond flavors showing good bottle age, along with freshness, finesse, ripe white fruits and a structured, lingering aftertaste. Imported by Robert Chadderdon Selections. — Roger Voss

JANCIS ROBINSON 17.5 points
An exceptionally elegant, silky and surprisingly delicate champagne. I was expecting power, but this is like a mouthful of shimmering ribbons. An unusual floral fragrance, like the elusive scent of lily of the valley in an early-morning garden. Rich citrus woven into baked pear, tingling with green-apple sherbet. The bubbles float over the wine like cashmere lace. Tremendous purity. And the wine develops in the glass in a way I was not expecting, becoming richer, more dense, beginning to taste of violets and fresh-churned pink clay, of bread-yeast starters and sleepy pools of candlelight. A poet's champagne. (TC)

VINOUS 92 points
From: The Season’s Best NV Champagne Releases (Jan 2015)
(made from fruit grown in Cramant, Avize, Chouilly, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger; 8 g/l dosage; L402339 15193A): Light yellow-gold. High-pitched citrus and orchard fruit scents are complemented by notes of honeysuckle, lemongrass and chalky minerals. Spicy, focused and mineral-driven, with intense Meyer lemon, tangerine and pear skin flavors given depth by a hint of brioche. A note of smokiness builds on the finish, which hangs on with outstanding floral persistence. - By Josh Raynolds on January 2015

DECANTER 90 points
Tasted by: Susie Barrie MW, Simon Field MW, Andy Howard MW
(at Decanter's September 2019, 11 Jun 2019)
Part of First Taste: Billecart-Salmon's 2012 releases
Drinking Window: 2019 - 2023
Bold and robust, with attractive mineral, yeast and bready aromas. Showing some leesy evolution, a refined and rather lovely wine.