2008 Billecart-Salmon Brut Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart

The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart remains quite potent and young. It’s starting to gain some weight, but it remains a classically austere Champagne. The fruit is reticent, and its contours are angular. The 2008 is a very good wine, but, as I have said in the past, it is a Champagne that belongs to the prior era here. Vinification was 83% in tank and 17% in oak, likely a decision made to give the wine more body in this decidedly lean vintage. Dosage is 2.9 grams per liter. Disgorged: first trimester 2022.

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. Disgorged in January of 2022. Mathieu Roland-Billecart assumed the position of CEO at this estate in 2019 and represents the seventh generation in his family. Along with cellarmaster Florent Nys, they are making notable and steadyhanded improvements that are starting to shine. The house is based in Maureuil-sur-Aÿ, which is also the location of the monopole vineyard of Clos Saint-Hillaire, which this year completed a full conversion to organic viticulture with an emphasis on taking things even further in terms of bio-diversity and experimentation with biodynamics. They source from approximately 300 hectares of vines, of which they own a third. French and Stockinger barrels with medium toast are purchased new and seasoned at the house for three to five years before use. About 80% of production is fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Only the best plots are fermented in barrels at cold temperatures, before being transferred to stainless steel tanks for aging after no more than six months. None of the wines are aged in barrel, and they never allow for malolactic fermentation to occur in barrel.

This cuvée was initially just their vintage champagne and was renamed with the name of the founder in 1964. It's usually 60% Pinot Noir from Aÿ, Mareuil and Verzenay, 40% Chardonnay from Chouilly and Cramant. The ingredients are all settled on the basis of blind tasting and the proportions are almost always 60:40. This blend is composed of 83 lots from grand cru villages and from 17 premier cru villages. 17% was vinified in small oak pièces. Chief winemaker Florent Nys thinks this 2008 lies somewhere between 2002 and 2006 in style. 3 g/l dosage. Creamy nose. Broad and mature nose, underwritten by a meaty, steely, lean palate. What a contrast at this stage between nose and palate: two different expressions! No hurry to drink this wine which definitely needs food at the moment. Still tight and embryonic. (JR)