Champagne Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Nicolas François Brut 2008

Named for the house's co‑founder, Cuvée Nicolas François honours the Billecart family's dedication to craft since 1818. The 2008 vintage blends roughly sixty per cent Pinot Noir from Ay, Le Mesnil and Verzenay with forty per cent Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims. Grapes were hand harvested and pressed in small lots; primary fermentation occurred at low temperatures with about one fifth vinified in old oak barrels to enhance texture. Malolactic fermentation was partially inhibited to preserve acidity. After tirage, the bottles aged on their lees for over a decade in nineteenth‑century chalk cellars, allowing complex autolytic flavours to develop. Disgorged with a very low dosage and bottled at 12% alcohol, the wine displays luminous straw colour and a fine, creamy mousse. Aromas of citrus, white peach, hazelnut and brioche lead to a palate that is powerful yet precise, with racy acidity and a long, saline finish. This distinguished cuvée will reward extended cellaring over the next twenty years.

Tasting Profile

Aroma:

Brioche, Caramel, Lemon

Palate:

Creamy, Mineral

Food Pairings:

Cheese

Dessert

Shellfish