Summer of Champagne: Billecart Salmon

Join us along with Chris Stroner of Winebow Illinois for a showcase of the Champagnes of Billecart Salmon.

Billecart-Salmon, founded in 1818 in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ through the union of Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, has remained a family-run Champagne house for over seven generations. From the very beginning, quality and excellence have been the guiding principles, a legacy upheld by each generation. Louis Salmon, Elisabeth’s brother and a devoted oenologist, played a foundational role in shaping the house’s winemaking philosophy. The estate’s historic chalk cellars—dating back to the 17th and 19th centuries—provide the ideal environment for aging, where time patiently reveals the finesse, balance, and elegance that define the house style. Non-vintage cuvées are allowed to mature for three to four years, double the legal minimum, while vintage expressions rest for a decade before reaching their peak. At Billecart-Salmon, time is not rushed; it is embraced as the key to true Champagne excellence.

We will have the following open: 

2012 Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas Francois - Created in 1964 as a tribute to the House’s founder, this exceptional cuvée embodies the richness and elegance of Champagne’s most revered terroirs. Made exclusively from Grand and Premier Cru vineyards, it blends 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne—including Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Aÿ, and Verzenay—with 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, sourced from Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly, and Avize. A portion of the wine—10%—is vinified in traditional oak casks, adding depth and generosity to the final blend. Aged on the lees for an average of 120 months and finished with a dosage of 3.8 g/L, this cuvée reveals a refined complexity and grandeur, honoring both its origins and its namesake.

Billecart-Salmon Le Rose - Le Rosé is crafted from a blend of 45% Chardonnay sourced from top Crus, 35% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and Grande Vallée de la Marne, and 20% Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne and the southern slopes of Épernay, this cuvée is partially vinified as red wine and undergoes low-temperature fermentation in stainless steel tanks. Aged on lees for 36 months and finished with an Extra Brut dosage, it presents a radiant, pale pink hue with graceful effervescence. Aromatically, it offers subtle red berry notes and citrus zest, lifted by a floral freshness.

Billecart-Salmon Le Blanc de Blanc - This cuvée is a refined expression of 100% Chardonnay sourced exclusively from the Grand Cru villages of the Côte des Blancs—Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, and Mesnil-sur-Oger. Celebrated for its delicacy and elegance, the wine showcases the pure character of Côte des Blancs Chardonnay, marked by striking minerality and a distinct chalky finish. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, it undergoes low-temperature vinification in stainless steel tanks and includes 20% to 50% reserve wines, adding depth and consistency. Aged on lees for five years and finished with an Extra Brut dosage, the resulting Champagne is complex and precise, appealing especially to seasoned wine lovers who appreciate nuance and terroir expression.

Billecart-Salmon Le Sous Bois - This distinctive cuvée, entirely vinified in oak, is a tribute to the ancestral traditions of Champagne, blending all three classic grape varieties with exceptional finesse. Based on the 2017 vintage, it includes 43% Grand Cru Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, 29% Meunier from both banks of the Vallée de la Marne, and 28% Premier and Grand Cru Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims, Aÿ, and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Low-temperature fermentation in oak casks and the use of reserve wines dating back to 2006 contribute to its layered complexity. Aged on lees for five years and finished with an Extra Brut dosage.

Billecart-Salmon Les Rendez-vous No.6 - This sixth cuvée is a pure and expressive celebration of Chardonnay from the Grand Cru village of Mesnil-sur-Oger, one of the most esteemed sites in the Côte des Blancs. Sourced exclusively from the 2014 vintage, the wine was vinified in stainless steel tanks and matured on the lees for an impressive 82 months, allowing it to develop remarkable depth and refinement. Crafted with a highly selective approach that emphasizes fruit purity and flavor balance, it is finished with a dosage of 5.6 g/L. The result is a Champagne of precision and poise.

2016 Billecart-Salmon Extra Brut 1.5L - Crafted entirely from Grand Cru fruit, this cuvée is driven by Pinot Noir and balanced by the elegance of Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. Composed of 66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay, it hails from the prestigious vineyards of the Montagne de Reims and the Côte des Blancs. Vinified in stainless steel tanks with partial malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged on the lees for 64 months, enhancing its depth and texture. Finished with an extra brut dosage of just 1.9 g/L, it delivers precision and purity, showcasing the structured richness of Pinot Noir alongside the chalky finesse of Chardonnay.