It was a pleasure to see the festive fever begin to build momentum in the store on Saturday, when we hosted the first of our eagerly-awaited champagne tastings that will fill our weekends leading all the way up to Christmas. We certainly aren't looking to slow down either, with both Champagne Monday and this Saturday's tasting revolving around the legendary name of Billecart-Salmon!
Their latest release of the prestigious Nicolas François Brut that hails from the revered 2008 season (having spent over 12 years on lees) will be on special for the next week for collectors and enthusiasts to relish. This 60% Pinot Noir cuvée (with the rest Chardonnay) is looking to be a real force of nature; pronounced orchard fruits and toasty texture wrapped around a long line of chiseled saline and taut dark-fruited tension. This quite comfortably has the legs to develop further for twenty years or more, if you're so inclined! For all the accolades and praise already heaped upon it, '08 is still a vintage that just keeps showing itself in new ways, and we have beautiful releases like this to thank for that, having gracefully spent its time all these years in a combination between old oak barrels and stainless steel tanks before disgorgment in late 2022. It's a complete stunner, and of course, won't be around forever...
For this Saturday's tasting (16th November), look below to see Billecart's other bubblies that will be on show + also on special! All things will be go between 12 and 2pm (or until bottles run dry) - hope you can make it in and raise a glass with us to this magical estate.
Champagne Monday Special
$390 on special this week; $440 RRP
(Limited availability)
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// 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay
2.9g/L dosage
Over 12 years on lees before disgorgement in late 2022
"Beautiful wine. Scents of small white flowers and lightly toasted nuts. Super refined with great tension and palate length. Dry and refreshing aftertaste. A stand-out Champagne." - 97 Points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
"It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioche and pastry with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and crystalline, with racy acids and a chalky texture, the palate is tense and the finish is long, penetrating and salty. It exhibits perfect Billecart style, yet tension is present, a sign of the vintage." - 96 Points, Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
"On release this is reserved, taut and subtle, with sourdough, confit lemon and gentle blackberry Pinot fruit presented with daring dryness (just 2.9g/L residual sugar) and intensity. The texture surrounding the firm acidity is cool, clean and lightly creamy, the mousse beautifully delicate. Somewhat inscrutable and firm at the moment, this structured and lean Cuvée Nicolas François stands to gain considerable expressiveness with time under cork." - 95 Points, Tom Hewson, Decanter
Weekend Tasting / Specials
Saturday (16th November) from 12 to 2pm
The Lineup -
Brut Réserve NV - $99 on special ($115 RRP)
"Billecart-Salmon's 2019-based Brut Réserve continues the impressive rebirth of this cuvée, showing more focus, length and sapidity than previous versions. The dosage has dropped to 3g/L (from 9g/L in 2016), but the delicious nut oil and brown bread reserve wine depth props up roasted lime and apricot fruit. One to watch." - 92 Points, Tom Hewson, Decanter
Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV - $150 on special ($169 RRP)
"The NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru is showing beautifully today, with aromas of confit citrus, pear, herbs, orchard fruits, pastry and brioche. Medium to full-bodied, it is round and supple with the delicate, bright tension that is the signature of Billecart-Salmon. Perfectly balanced and offering a vinous, toasty and elegantly long finish, it's based on the 2017 vintage with 23% from 2016. Vinified and matured in stainless steel, it spent five years on the lees in bottle before being disgorged with a dosage of 1.7 grams per liter." -93 Points, Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
Brut Rosé NV - $155 on special ($175 RRP)
"A blend of 40% Chardonnay from several grands cru sites, plus 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier. The base wine is 2014, supported by 40% grand cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay reserve wine from 2012 and 2013. It is 100% vinified in stainless steel tanks before undergoing malolactic fermentation, with a final dosage of 9g/l. It has a pale salmon hue and a fine mousse, with a firm nose of ripe red fruit and citrus zest. The palate is round but elegant, boasting a fresh acid structure to balance the creamy apple and bold redcurrant fruit." - 92 Points, Tina Gellie, Decanter
Brut Sous Bois NV - $160 on special ($179 RRP)
"Based on the 2016 vintage with 26% réserve wines from eight different vintages, Billecart-Salmon's NV Brut Sous Bois exhales a delicate, toasty bouquet of mirabelle, tangerine, white fruits, ripe orchard fruits and baked bread, mingled with delicate notes of vanilla pod. Medium to full-bodied, round and creamy, it's perfectly balanced with a vinous, fleshy core of fruit and a delicately toasty finish complemented with gastronomic bitterness. This blend of 48% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier was disgorged with two grams per liter of dosage." - 93 Points, Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
Vintage Extra Brut 2016 - $175 on special ($195 RRP)
"Billecart-Salmon's 2016 vintage continues the house's drive to creatively lower dosage levels, coming in with just 1.9g/L in this year of extreme weather. The 2016 will be at its best from mid-2024 but is already showing a mature clementine and juicy apricot fruitiness, warmed up with ground nuts and fragrant raspberry. Neat and slightly reticent on release, there is a subtle insistency here, and it will lengthen and unfurl with more time on cork. The most impressive of Billecart's recent vintage releases. Made with 100% grand cru fruit, 25% of which was vinified in small and large oak." -93 Points, Tom Hewson, Decanter
Elisabeth Brut Rosé 2009 - $395 on special ($450 RRP)
"Incorporating fully 10% still red wine, Billecart's 2009 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is showing beautifully, delivering fragrant aromas of plums, stone fruits, petals, sweet spices and marzipan. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and elegant, it's seamless and pillowy, with bright acids and a pure, precise profile, concluding with a bright, saline finish. In 2009, it was vinified entirely in stainless steel." - 96 Points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate
If you wish to purchase any of these champagnes, please use the links above. Otherwise, if you have any questions, please contact us on (07)32521117 or email sales@thewineemporium.com.au
// Price valid until Monday the 18th of November