Amongst a plethora of the famous, the great and the image-oriented Champagne Houses, Champagne Billecart-Salmon is one of the five greatest.
Lamont’s Cottesloe invites you to our exclusive Billecart-Salmon Extravaganza Masterclass & Dinner, on Sunday October 27th.
Hosted by Champagne Billecart Director Asia-Pacific, Sebastien Papin
Two opportunities to taste some of the rarest and highly sought after vintages….
The Masterclass: 3-6pm, 10 Wines with nibbles, $225
The Dinner: 6.30pm, 12 Wines & 6 Courses, $425
Including an iconic side by side tasting of:
Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis 2009
96 Points Antonio Galloni
96 Points James Suckling
95 Points Yohan Castaing
Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis 2008 (Only Dinner)
98 Points Panel Tasting, Decanter
96 Points, William Kelley
96 Points James Suckling
95 Points Essi Avellan MW
95 Points Antonio Gallon
The Two Amazing
Cuvée Elisabeth-Salmon Rosé 2009
98 Points Yohan Castaing
96 Points, William Kelley
96 Points James Suckling
96 Points Anne Krebiehl MW
96 Points Roger Voss
95 Points, Antonio Galloni
18 Points Jancis Robinson
Cuvée Elisabeth-Salmon Rosé 2008 (Only Masterclass)
98 Points Peter Liem
98 Points Tyson Stelzer
98 Points James Suckling
97+ points, Antonio Galloni
97+ William Kelley
96-98 Points Essi Avellan MW
96 Points Roger Voss
96 Points Anne Krebiehl MW
The Sensational
Cuvée Nicolas-François 2008
98 Points Jeb Dunnuck
97 Points Roger Voss
97 Points James Suckling
96 Points Yohan Castaing
96 Points Antonio Galloni
95 Points Tom Hewson MW
Plus…
The Legendary
Les Clos Saint Hilaire 2006 (Only Dinner)
99 Points James Suckling
98 Points Antonio Galloni
97 Points Anne Krebiehl MW
95+Points William Kelley
95 Points Alison Napjus, Wine Spectator
18.5 Points Alistar Cooper MW
The Wines and Menu
Blanc de Blancs NV, Our Price $204
From Grand Cru villages on the Côte des Blancs, this Champagne is beautifully mineral and taut. It has white fruits and intense citrus giving texture and crispness. This is a fine wine, ready to drink.
94 Points Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (January 2023)
A biscuity, silky blanc de blancs that has very fine bubbles and aromas of lemon peel, sliced apple, fresh croissant and chalk. It’s elegant and beautifully balanced.
93 Points James Suckling (August 2024)
Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis 2009, Our Price $426
The 2009 Brut Blancs de Blancs Louis Salmon is a rich, heady wine. In 2009, Billecart-Salmon opted not to use lots aged in oak, which, along with partially blocked malolactic fermentation, helps explain the wine's freshness and verve. Lemon peel, white flowers, white pepper and chalk are all beautifully delineated. There's gorgeous density and power here, along with a good bit of vintage 2009 radiance. What a gorgeous Champagne this is. The Louis Salmon is a blend from Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly and Cramant. Dosage is 3.75 grams per liter. Disgorged: second trimester 2022
96 Points Antonio Galloni, Vinous (March 2024)
Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis 2008 (Only Dinner), Our Price $435
A ripe and intense style, showing energy and vibrancy. Flinty, slightly earthy aromas that are more suggestive of long ageing in bottle. Sublime balance between salivating acidity, coy sweetness and richness. A reference for delicacy and refinement. Nominated by Charlotte Hale
98 Points Vincenzo Arnese, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, Amanda Barnes, Decanter (2022)
Torbay asparagus, sambal butter
Brut Réserve NV, Our price $142
Based on the 2018 vintage, with 55% of reserve wines, the NV Brut Réserve from Billecart-Salmon is a blend of 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir, with a dosage of 6.2 grams per liter. It offers a bouquet with aromas of spring flowers, menthol, pastry, brioche, orchard fruits and pear. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is moderately weighted, with a delicate mousse and a perfectly balanced texture. Very charming. It concludes with a saline, aromatic finish. It represents the first stage in the qualitative evolution of the house, initiated by Mathieu Roland-Billecart.
93 Points Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate (April 2023)
Brut NV Sous Bois, Our Price $204
A crunchy and rich Champagne with flavors of cooked apple, light caramel, nuts and cedar, as well as orange zest. The bubbles are creamy and round with a long, energetic finish. Tangy. Base wine fermented in barrels. 48% pinot noir, 32% chardonnay and 20% pinot meunier. 74% 2016 and 26% reserve wine, including the oldest wine from 2006. Disgorged in 2022. Dosage 2g/L. Drink or hold.
93 Points James Suckling, jamessucklijng.com (August 2024)
Brut Vintage 2016, Our Price $213
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 (January 2024)
Abrolhos half shell scallops, nori, Jamon bits
Brut Rosé NV, Our Price $204
A succulent, delicious and precise brut rosé, made of chardonnay, pinot meunier and pinot noir. It has notes of wild currants, peach skin and mild spices. It’s medium-bodied and vivid with fine bubbles and plenty of succulence. Sour cherries and redcurrants on the palate. Fresh acidity and a comforting, fruity character to the delicious finish. Drink now.
93 Points James Suckling (July 2024)
Cuvée Elisabeth-Salmon Rosé 2009, Our Price $426
A slightly flinty and vibrant bouquet alongside complex aromas of red berries, herbs and lemon, with fresh menthol notes coming through with some air. The palate is wonderful and elegant, with a vinous texture and a superb, calcareous finish. A blend of 45% Chardonnay and 55% Pinot Noir (including 9% vinified as red wine), this Champagne, which has a dosage of 7g/L, is made for ageing.
98 Points Yohan Castaing, Decanter (November 2022)
Cuvée Elisabeth-Salmon Rosé 2008 (Only Masterclass), Our Price $435
The electrifying energy of 2008 charges Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon with a dynamism and an endurance like never before. To capture such precision and such concentration of pure red cherry and raspberry fruit and yet at every instant to remain steadfast to the elegance and refinement that is Billecart is the profound juxtaposition that elevates 2008 to dizzying heights. Testimony to the depth of south-facing Mareuil pinot noir even in a season as cool as 2008, just 9% red wine is all it takes to infuse a pretty, medium salmon hue that has taken on a copper tint in time. It confidently takes 13 years in its stride, revealed only in the most subtle nuances of vanilla and marzipan. With time in the glass, it billows to incredible heights of spice and even suggestions of fruit mince spice. A little fermentation in old oak barrels builds texture and integration more than it does a subtle nuance of jamon. Partial malolactic fermentation in a season with malic acidity as pronounced as 2008 is a nail-biting affair, perfectly played by chef de cave Florent Nys. Radiant acidity spirals with minerality as fine as ground glass to build a shimmering jetstream that slices through a finish of endless blue daylight. It is dashing from the outset, yet possesses decades of potential coiled into its graceful yet commanding folds.
98 Points, Tyson Stelzer
Chevre gnocchi, saffron braised tomatoes, basil
Cuvée Nicolas-François 2008, Our Price $426
Based on 60% Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay, with 17% raised in barrels, the 2008 Champagne Nicolas François spent more than 150 months on its lees, with 2.9 grams per liter dosage. It pours a rich straw hue and is layered and long with aromas of truffle, apricot, croissant, floral orange blossoms, and marmalade. Full-bodied, it’s supple in texture, with a rounded mousse, and has a long-lasting, mouthwatering finish. Exceptionally well-balanced, it comes together seamlessly on the finish. This will be a wine to enjoy over the next three decades.
98 Points Jeb Dunnuck (November 2023)
Les Rendez-Vous No. 3, Our Price $233
Delicate nose of chopped apples, apricots, raspberries, grapefruit, salted almonds and praline. Lovely freshness with salty and zesty undertones plus a hint of five spice. It’s medium-bodied with vibrant acidity and a gentle mousse. Somewhat understated with a soft yet tangy energy. 100% meunier. 70% base wine from 2015, with 30% reserve wine from 2013. 64 months on lees; disgorged November 2021 with 2g/L dosage.
92 Points James Suckling (November 2022)
Snapper, roasted red pepper salsa
Les Clos Saint Hilaire 2006 (Only Dinner), Our Price $1200
Baked raspberries salted yellow plums, figs, walnuts, orange zest, mahogany and some toasted vanilla on the nose. Medium-to full-bodied with beautifully integrated, very fine bubbles. Dry, with exciting and unique white-pepper and sea-salt notes. Seamless. So harmonious. Salty and spicy clove notes evolving at the end. Amazing precision. Single parcel pinot noir, 100% vinified in oak barrels. No malo. 2g/l dosage. Disgorged November 2020. 6,750 bottles. Drink or hold.
99 Points James Suckling, jamessucklijng.com (December 2022)
Porcini dusted chicken, petite greens
Demi-Sec NV (Only Dinner), Our Price $142
The Demi-Sec has an identical blend to the Brut Réserve. It maintains the same finesse and elegance as this cuvée but with a greater dosage.
It has a beautiful, pale gold colour, emitting a constant procession of fine, regular and persistent bubbles in the glass.
On the nose it is lively with a hint of delicate white flowers which evolve towards aromas of buttered brioche.
This Demi-Sec champagne is full-flavoured and is a reference for its perfect balance between sugar, alcohol and acidity.
Winery Notes
Nougat semifreddo, mandarin
Billecart Salmon Context
About the House & Vineyard
It all started here in 1818 when Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon were married, marking the creation of their Champagne House. This has been a family story since the beginning with Louis Salmon, brother of Elisabeth and a passionate oenologist, getting involved in the creation of the wines.
Thus, over 7 generations, each member of the family has endeavoured to continue the family tradition, staying faithful to the same motto: "Give priority to quality, strive for excellence”.
The champagnes of Maison Billecart-Salmon are above all created thanks to the knowledge of the men who rigorously cultivate an estate of 100 hectares, obtaining grapes from an area totalling 300 hectares across 40 crus of the Champagne region.
The majority of the grapes used for vinification come from a radius of 20km around Epernay, where the Grand Crus of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay co-exist, in the ethereal vineyards of the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs.
Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide 2021-2021 Edition VI
The House: Finesse
The art of crafting elegant, graceful champagne requires the most exacting skill. Sweetness, richness and breadth cover all manner of sins in champagne, but a wine in its unadorned, raw nakedness reveals even the slightest blemish for all to see. The mark of Billecart is made not by the heavy footfall of concentration, power and presence, but rather by the fairy touch of delicacy and crystal-clear fidelity. Every one of its dozen cuvées articulately speaks the house philosophy of ‘respecting the integrity of the fruit, freshness and acidity’. Billecart has long held a coveted position among the top ten houses of Champagne, and confidently again this year upholds its mantle as the most elegant of them all. ….
… Its elegant delicacy places Billecart dizzyingly high among Champagne’s finest houses, but also infuses its cuvées with an inherent fragility, …. Billecart’s vintage wines can be coiled up tight in their youth and appreciate plenty of time to open up in large glasses.
Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide 2021-2021 Edition VI
The House: Logistics
On the surface, there appears little to distinguish the fruit sources of this medium-sized house in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Vineyard holdings are small, servicing a 2.4 mil lion bottle annual production with just 20 hectares of estate vines (in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Chouilly) and more than 300 hectares of purchased fruit managed by 185 growers. How does Billecart main tain such transcendental standards in each of its cuvées?
Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide 2021-2021 Edition VI
Problems?
. … rendering them particularly vulnerable to imperfections in closure, transportation or storage. Without disgorgement dates indicated on bottles, it’s difficult to ascertain the age of non-vintage cuvées, but be sure to ask for fresh stock that hasn’t lingered on retail shelves.
Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide 2021-2021 Edition VI
Oak
As a devotee of Krug Clos du Mesnil – he openly volunteers the inaugural vintage as his favourite blanc de blancs of all time – it’s no surprise Billecart has increased the use of oak barrels for fermentation since 1995. ‘When we first made Clos Sainte-Hilaire in 1995, we had no barrels, so just before harvest I drove a big truck to Olivier Leflaive in Meursault and brought back 25 barrels!’ Antoine recounts. Fifty barrels in that year became 80 in 1997. A new barrel room now houses 500 barrels and two new large oak foudres, ranking Billecart fourth for barrels in Champagne, after Krug, Bollinger and Alfred Gratien. In 2018, the house added a spectacular new facility housing 29 new 80hL thermoregulated oak foudres for vinification. Old barrels, having seen six or seven vintages in Burgundy, are used for the fermentation of all grand cru fruit, and bâtonnage is conducted weekly, according to taste. Barrels currently range from five to 15 years of age.
Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide 2021-2021 Edition VI
Long ageing
Billecart’s non-vintage wines are aged for 3–4 years, and its millésime collection a minimum 8–10 years and sometimes much longer – Clos Saint-Hilaire 2002 was released in January 2019. Brut Réserve NV is now released after 32 months in the cellar (up from 24 months), with a goal to reach 40 months by 2022 (though this necessitates decreasing sales allocations). Such long maturation necessitates a continuous stock of 10 million bottles in Billecart’s four kilometres of cellars under Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. Billecart holds a deep collection of reserves, with at least onethird of every harvest kept in reserve, held on lees at 9°C. In addition, one-third of Brut Reserve NV is kept as reserve for the next blend. ‘This is a key for consistency,’ Antoine emphasises. The precision and freshness of the Billecart house style is all the more compelling in the context of such deep reserves and long ageing
The Host, Sebastien Papin’s Bio:
A results-driven, motivated Regional Director, I have a whole life’s worth of knowledge and experience in wine, due to being born and raised in one of Bordeaux’s wine-growing families. I am extensively experienced in wine consulting, retail, distribution, branding and representing wineries’ portfolios, with strong general knowledge of and experience in selling a wide range of alcoholic beverages.
As Billecart-Salmon's only point of contact in Asia/Pacific, I am solely responsible for sourcing and maintaining clients in 20 markets and achieving pre-determined sales goals. I manage the entire end-to-end sales process such as ensuring the brand is well positioned within each market, devising new sales incentives, and following up with orders and payments. With a very strong focus on engaging with the luxury segment (Michelin-starred restaurants, prestigious brands and 5-star hotels) through client dinners, masterclasses and corporate co-branding/cross-promotion, I also have a strong focus on engaging the on-trade market in each country.
Comfortable in all things wine, and educated to degree level in marketing and management, I possess strong knowledge of a wide range of alcoholic beverages. Significantly experienced in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, I am also bilingual in French and English, and speak conversational Japanese. With excellent influencing, communication and negotiation skills, I can work as well in a team as autonomously, directing others.
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