TEST

Tasted single blind against its peers. Château Climens always tends to go into its shell after bottling, which is probably why I was not dishing out an even higher score to this still, spellbinding Barsac. The 2007 is endowed with a lovely bouquet: very pure with honey, a touch of orange-blossom and a touch of quince. The palate is very well-balanced with great purity and a dash of spice as well as a lovely viscous, botrytis-laden finish that possesses awesome weight and persistency. This is a slice of heaven in a glass, but it definitely needs time to reveal its true potential. Tasted January 2011.

Offers a range of charcoal, bay and dark licorice notes out front, backed by an ample core of steeped blackberry and black currant fruit. The charcoal-studded finish has serious grip and pleasantly layered flesh. Should unwind in the cellar, but needs time.

A big, rich wine, showing its gorgeous fruit easily. But with a core of dryness, the ripest apricots touched by caramel, it should age well over many years. There is intense power here, still hidden by the youth of the wine, but with final concentration.

Tasted single blind against its peers. Château Climens always tends to go into its shell after bottling, which is probably why I was not dishing out an even higher score to this still, spellbinding Barsac. The 2007 is endowed with a lovely bouquet: very pure with honey, a touch of orange-blossom and a touch of quince. The palate is very well-balanced with great purity and a dash of spice as well as a lovely viscous, botrytis-laden finish that possesses awesome weight and persistency. This is a slice of heaven in a glass, but it definitely needs time to reveal its true potential. Tasted January 2011.

Offers a range of charcoal, bay and dark licorice notes out front, backed by an ample core of steeped blackberry and black currant fruit. The charcoal-studded finish has serious grip and pleasantly layered flesh. Should unwind in the cellar, but needs time.

A big, rich wine, showing its gorgeous fruit easily. But with a core of dryness, the ripest apricots touched by caramel, it should age well over many years. There is intense power here, still hidden by the youth of the wine, but with final concentration.

Tasted single blind against its peers. Château Climens always tends to go into its shell after bottling, which is probably why I was not dishing out an even higher score to this still, spellbinding Barsac. The 2007 is endowed with a lovely bouquet: very pure with honey, a touch of orange-blossom and a touch of quince. The palate is very well-balanced with great purity and a dash of spice as well as a lovely viscous, botrytis-laden finish that possesses awesome weight and persistency. This is a slice of heaven in a glass, but it definitely needs time to reveal its true potential. Tasted January 2011.

Offers a range of charcoal, bay and dark licorice notes out front, backed by an ample core of steeped blackberry and black currant fruit. The charcoal-studded finish has serious grip and pleasantly layered flesh. Should unwind in the cellar, but needs time.

A big, rich wine, showing its gorgeous fruit easily. But with a core of dryness, the ripest apricots touched by caramel, it should age well over many years. There is intense power here, still hidden by the youth of the wine, but with final concentration.

Probably the wine of the vintage (I feel like I say that every year for this cuvee), the 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is a substantial, full-bodied, shockingly concentrated 2014 that gives up classic notes of blackberries, blueberries, forest floor, beef blood and licorice. Mouth-coating and rich with building tannin, it will be approachable at an earlier age than most vintages, yet will still need 5-6 years of cellaring.

You can sense this is a cooler vintage immediately on the nose - there's more spice, more detail and precision. A little liquorice, leather and violets. Medium-bodied, not as dense as more recent vintages but very well balanced. Great precision, very upright and awake. It might not close down like the 2015 - you could drink this already. It doesn't have the weight and grandeur of some warmer vintages, but this is an excellent wine. It won't last as long as some more concentrated vintages, but that's not a quality issue per se. Very strong showing for a 2014 Châteauneuf.

As this was bottled only a week before I tasted it, I suspect this rating will prove to be conservative once a few months have passed. The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is another prodigious version of this wine. How many wines in this world can be so huge yet so lacking the feeling of weight? There's plenty of layered spice but also a core of raspberries; rich tannins, yet no real astringency; and a long finish without any apparent heat. Wow!

Immediately more red-fruited than other recent vintages, it's warm, with lush stewed fruit scents, stewed plums in particular, and raspberry. Full-bodied, but without the mass of tannin of the 2016. It's warmer on the palate in terms of fruit ripeness and alcohol, and the tannins are a little fibrous. Some coffee bean on the finish. It's feeling a bit closed at the time of tasting - I would leave this until at least 2025 before opening.

An average of five and a half years old, and a blend of Grande and Petite Champagne, H by Hine is light amber, with a pretty nose of iris and buttered brioche. On the palate, it's light and fresh, offering notes of nougat and candied orange, and some wood on the finish.

From Grande Champagne and aged an average of 20 years. Light copper in colour, with a subtle nose redolent of fresh flowers at first, but as it opens there are more expressive notes of fruit pastry, which carry on to the full-bodied palate. Pear tart, hazelnuts and a bit of spice and tobacco on the finish.

An average of five and a half years old, and a blend of Grande and Petite Champagne, H by Hine is light amber, with a pretty nose of iris and buttered brioche. On the palate, it’s light and fresh, offering notes of nougat and candied orange, and some wood on the finish.

Tasted from magnum (the 750-milliliter bottle costs $285), the NV Brut (Gold) opens with lovely matured brioche, toast and ripe fruit flavors. Fresh, pure and elegant on the palate, with beautifully matured flavors and an elegant creaminess I don't find in the other cuvées, the Gold is a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier as well as the vintages of 2009, 2010 and 2012. The wine reveals good grip and mineral tension and drinks well as an aperitif or with seafood and fish. Tasted from L09B8, April 2018.

An elegant, creamy Champagne, with pretty apple blossom and spice notes leading to finely meshed flavors of ripe white cherry, whole-grain toast and spun honey, framed by fresh, citrusy acidity.

Light gold. Musky orchard and pit fruit aromas are brightened by hints of lemon zest and ginger. Ripe pear and honey flavours show a touch of heat and pick up a toasty quality with aeration. Finishes soft, warm and slightly loose, with a hint of bitter peach pit, echoing toastiness and decent length. This bottling actually impressed me a few years ago but that wasn't the case this go-round.

Based on the 2015 vintage and dominated this year by Mesnil sur Oger, Billecart's NV Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru was disgorged in July 2021 with seven grams per liter dosage. Exhibiting aromas of citrus oil, tart stone fruit, freshly baked bread and wh

Lightly toasty and creamy in texture, yet well-cut and vibrant throughout, this shows a minerally base note underscoring the flavours of poached pear, candied lemon zest, toasted brioche and pickled ginger.

Light yellow-gold. High-pitched citrus and orchard fruit scents are complemented by notes of honeysuckle, lemongrass and chalky minerals. Spicy, focused and mineral-driven, with intense Meyer lemon, tangerine and pear skin flavors given depth by a hint of brioche. A note of smokiness builds on the finish, which hangs on with outstanding floral persistence.

Based on the 2018 vintage, Billecart's newly released NV Brut Réserve incorporates fully 53% reserve wines, up from just over a third in the past, and incorporates the usual 40% Pinot Meunier in the blend. Offering up attractive aromas of citrus ze

A vibrant, well-knit version, lacy in texture and offering an appealing mix of juicy fresh-cut apple, pear tart, pickled ginger, honey and lemon flavours.

Conventional champagne colour, lighter than the 2004 Blanc de Blancs. The perfume is stunning on this wine. People get sniffy about pinot meunier, but when it is handled as Billecart-Salmon do, it has a fragrant florality to which is magical. The aroma combines the best side of pink roses (imagine a pink variant of the cream 'Peace' rose) with the pure natural best side of strawberry aroma, yet it is winey. Behind that is pinot noir-led near-cherry quality fruit, and great autolysis, really baguette-crust in quality. Palate is wonderfully flavoursome, because the perfume on bouquet expands and almost bursts in mouth, carrying the baguette and Vogels Multigrain autolysis flavours to every tastebud one owns. As a 'standard' champagne this really is special, aided by the sophisticated dosage of 7 g/L. Again, not a long keeper with the high ratio of meunier, say 3 – 8 years, so it might be best to enjoy that sensational flavour while it is fresh.

Based on the 2018 vintage, Billecart's new NV Brut Roe incorporates 40% reserve wines and some 6% still red wine. Bursting with scents of sweet red berries, peonies, stone fruits, white cherries, freshly baked bread and spices, it's medium to full-bodied,

Finely meshed and elegant, with mouth-watering acidity and satiny texture carrying the delicate flavours of ripe raspberry, lemon shortbread, chalk and fresh ginger. Offers a clean, minerally finish.

The utter restraint of Billecart places rosé's very close to its heart. Dubbed internationally 'champagne rose' rather than 'rose champagne'... As precise and pretty as ever, this is classically restrained Billecart of epic refinement, pale-salmon hue and gorgeously restrained rose petal, red cherry and strawberry hull fruit. This cuvee has attained that wonderful place where lees age contributes great texture and mouthfeel, without diminishing purity or freshness. Delightfully understated, eminently fresh and elegantly persistent, it carries with grace and poise amidst fine chalk mineral texture, taut acid focus, impeccably pure persistence and a fine creamy bead. Enjoy it in its ravishing youth.

Based on the 2018 vintage, Billecart's new NV Brut Roe incorporates 40% reserve wines and some 6% still red wine. Bursting with scents of sweet red berries, peonies, stone fruits, white cherries, freshly baked bread and spices, it's medium to full-bodied,

Finely meshed and elegant, with mouth-watering acidity and satiny texture carrying the delicate flavours of ripe raspberry, lemon shortbread, chalk and fresh ginger. Offers a clean, minerally finish.

The utter restraint of Billecart places rosé's very close to its heart. Dubbed internationally 'champagne rose' rather than 'rose champagne'... As precise and pretty as ever, this is classically restrained Billecart of epic refinement, pale-salmon hue and gorgeously restrained rose petal, red cherry and strawberry hull fruit. This cuvee has attained that wonderful place where lees age contributes great texture and mouthfeel, without diminishing purity or freshness. Delightfully understated, eminently fresh and elegantly persistent, it carries with grace and poise amidst fine chalk mineral texture, taut acid focus, impeccably pure persistence and a fine creamy bead. Enjoy it in its ravishing youth.

Based on the 2018 vintage, Billecart's new NV Brut Roe incorporates 40% reserve wines and some 6% still red wine. Bursting with scents of sweet red berries, peonies, stone fruits, white cherries, freshly baked bread and spices, it's medium to full-bodied,

Finely meshed and elegant, with mouth-watering acidity and satiny texture carrying the delicate flavours of ripe raspberry, lemon shortbread, chalk and fresh ginger. Offers a clean, minerally finish.

The utter restraint of Billecart places rosé's very close to its heart. Dubbed internationally 'champagne rose' rather than 'rose champagne'... As precise and pretty as ever, this is classically restrained Billecart of epic refinement, pale-salmon hue and gorgeously restrained rose petal, red cherry and strawberry hull fruit. This cuvee has attained that wonderful place where lees age contributes great texture and mouthfeel, without diminishing purity or freshness. Delightfully understated, eminently fresh and elegantly persistent, it carries with grace and poise amidst fine chalk mineral texture, taut acid focus, impeccably pure persistence and a fine creamy bead. Enjoy it in its ravishing youth.

This new wine was made to ‘capture the essence of Billecart-Salmon', according to seventh generation owner Mathieu Roland-Billecart. From 92% Pinot Noir, 4% Chardonnay and 4% Pinot Meunier, this is a blend of eight grands crus from the Cote des Blancs and Montagne de Reims, including the 1ha Pinot Noir vineyard of Le Clos St-Hilaire in Mareuil-sur-Ay. Exceptional reserve wines from 2000, 2003, 2008 and 2012 were vinified half in steel and half in old oak casks, with a dosage of 4.5g/l, making it an extra brut style. It has a hugely expressive nose of red apple, nougat and citrus, with the hallmark 'old rose' fragrance from Clos St-Hilaire. There's an elegant mousse with very fine, fast-streaming bubbles and powerful, juicy flavours of baking spices, praline, and tart apples. A smoky mineral note and bright acidity offer real refreshment through the long finish, and while drinking beautifully now, it has the structure to last and will improve with age. To mark the year of the house's founding, just 1,818 magnums were made, along with 18 jeroboams. Drinking Window 2018 - 2035

Honeyed with some toasty complex aromas of grilled nuts, flowers and a gently oxidative note. This is a fairly muscular, full-bodied style of Champagne. Despite its power, there's a gracefulness to the palate. The wine finishes with a lovely buttery mouthfeel.

Floral, fresh and distinctive with a mix of light red berry fruit aromas, balanced and even autolysis and moderate complexity. Quite delicious on the palate with a red cherry, red apple and fine red strawberry core, baked goods and a whisper of spice.

The NV Brut Grand Réserve Grand Cru is a pure Pinot Noir from Bouzy. It's pure, fresh, fine and aromatic on the nose and round and delicate on the palate. The fruit-intense finish is chalky-mineral and stimulatingly fresh in its salty finesse and elegant yeastiness. Nice lemon juice flavors give an extra kick of refreshment. This is a picture-book NV Brut. No indication of disgorgement given.

Whole-grain bread, malt and candied berry aromas and flavors highlight this intense yet creamy Champagne, which picks up a floral accent as it cruises to a long, mouthwatering finish.

Incredible value for a blanc de noirs (100% Pinot Noir) grower Champagne from the grand cru vineyards of Bouzy. It shows gorgeous aromas of stone fruit, citrus and strawberry, with complex brioche nuances, remarkable balance, ongoing elegance and a rich, refined, persistent finish.

Aged for six years on the second lees, the yellow-golden NV Brut The V6 Experience is a Bouzy Pinot Noir that displays great purity and intensity but also reduction on the mineral-scented nose. This is deep and complex, but it needs all our patience and perhaps even a decanter or at least a big glass and lots of aeration. The palate is rich and powerful, firmly structured, very tight and still astringent on the finish, but there is so much finesse paired with power, concentration and fruit, which give the V6 a promising future. The wine just starts a bit slowly (like a rocket, which is pictured on the label), but it will most probably go very steep in a couple of years. I have[n't] ever had this cuvée before, so I can only guess, though.

Jeasn-Francois describes pinot noir as entering a phase he dubs 'The Whirlwind' in it's sixth year of maturation. The rest of his inspiration is impossible to put into words, but clicking on 'Cuvée Design Specification' on his website will put you on the right trajectry. For the exhuberance of Bouzy Pinot Noir and not inconsiderable age, the freshness packed into this cuvée is something to behold. Grapefruit tang meetds crunchy red apple fruit, contrasting the generosity and spice of the village and the tension of zero dosage. Get on board. 100% Pinot; 80% 2012, 20% solera of 2008, 2005, 2004 and 2002; agd 72 months on lees; zero dosage here but released with 5g/L dosage based on a liqueur of barrel-aged chardonnay and refined sugar.

The latest rendition of NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Latitude is excellent, offering up aromas of lemon oil, wet stones and white flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and precise, with good concentration, racy acids, an ultra-fine mousse and a long, chalky finish. As usual, this is a classy introduction to the Larmandier-Bernier range.

Firm and focused, this creamy version features tropical hints of guava and kumquat and flavors of biscuit and salted almond, underscored by smoky minerality. Light spice notes show on the balanced finish.

It encapsulates the gorgeous freshness of young Vertus chardonnay in its grapefruit, freshly picked apple and lemon blossom aromas, while boring deep into its chalk mineral structure, building great textural presence, amplified by the spicy, nutty complexity of barrel fermentation.

The 2006 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François is showing superbly, bursting with aromas of warm bread, citrus oil, wild berries, smoke and gingerbread. On the palate, it's full-bodied, broad and voluminous, with a concentrated and fleshy core, chalky dry extract a

Fine and creamy, this harmonious Champagne layers a firm backbone of bright acidity with a lovely range of orange pâte de fruit, marzipan, lime blossom and toasted brioche notes. Tightly meshed and racy, with a long, lightly spiced finish.

Named after the founder of the house, Nicolas François Billecart (who married Elisabeth Salmon), this wine is now at its peak. It is poised between fresh apple fruits and broader, riper maturity. This balance gives a ripe wine hinting at toast and almonds while still with a dry aftertaste. Drink now, although in 2019 it will be even better.

The 2018 d'Yquem is all lime cordial, grapefruit oil and mandarin peel to begin. With a little coaxing, the fireworks really begin, letting off a whole array of honeysuckle, candied ginger, dried pineapple, lemon pastilles, chalk dust and sea spray scents, followed by a savory undercurrent of shaved almonds, allspice and baking bread. The palate is an exercise in polish and poise, featuring the most gorgeously creamy texture and bright, sparkling freshness, framing all the densely laden tropical and citrus fruit layers, finishing with a powerful BANG of profound floral and spice perfume. It is wonderfully sweet, yes, but thatparadoxically for a sweet wineis almost beside the point.

Average temperatures 2.7C over average, combined with 20% of the normal rainfall from mid August to the end of July made makes this a naturally rich, low-yielding vintage (40% less than average, not helped by a hail storm in July), with a gloriously gourmet 145g/ha residual sugar, and a pH level of 3.95. As ever with Yquem, patience was the key, taking in the grapes slowly but surely over 17 days harvest that extended well into October. The results in the glass are intense and glossy, full of satin-textured apricot and white peach flavours. There are exotic fruits of pineapple and mango but winemaker Sandrine Garbay has kept a focus on fresher flavours of lime zest and citrus that balance out the natural richness and concentration. Pretty closed right now, but there is power and balance here, an excellent Yquem.

The 2018 d'Yquem is all lime cordial, grapefruit oil and mandarin peel to begin. With a little coaxing, the fireworks really begin, letting off a whole array of honeysuckle, candied ginger, dried pineapple, lemon pastilles, chalk dust and sea spray scents, followed by a savory undercurrent of shaved almonds, allspice and baking bread. The palate is an exercise in polish and poise, featuring the most gorgeously creamy texture and bright, sparkling freshness, framing all the densely laden tropical and citrus fruit layers, finishing with a powerful BANG of profound floral and spice perfume. It is wonderfully sweet, yes, but thatparadoxically for a sweet wineis almost beside the point.

Average temperatures 2.7C over average, combined with 20% of the normal rainfall from mid August to the end of July made makes this a naturally rich, low-yielding vintage (40% less than average, not helped by a hail storm in July), with a gloriously gourmet 145g/ha residual sugar, and a pH level of 3.95. As ever with Yquem, patience was the key, taking in the grapes slowly but surely over 17 days harvest that extended well into October. The results in the glass are intense and glossy, full of satin-textured apricot and white peach flavours. There are exotic fruits of pineapple and mango but winemaker Sandrine Garbay has kept a focus on fresher flavours of lime zest and citrus that balance out the natural richness and concentration. Pretty closed right now, but there is power and balance here, an excellent Yquem.

Velvety tannins envelope the licorice-tinged cherry and raspberry flavors in this bold, medium-bodied red, with tangy acidity weaving through the spice and mineral elements. Drink now through 2027.

Fantastic core of dark ruby leading to a bright pale ruby and pink rim. Aromas of fresh dark cherry and brown baking spices, a granitic-like stony mineral quality and dark roses quality. Dry on the palate and quite intense with a core of dark red berry.

Soft, fruity, gamay with mellow, flavours that suggest ripe plum, cherry, and a seasoning of spices. Accessible now but no hurry. Seductive texture, not particularly powerful but delicious to drink. 10 JAN 2024.

Youthful, fruity aromas of peach, apple and bread dough persist as this white plays out on the palate. Moderate length. Drink now.

A dry, medium-plus-bodied delicious mouthful of ripe yellow apple, lemon-lime zest & toasty oak spice.

This is vibrant, evoking notes of lemon and earth, with a saline, mineral element that leaves a mouthwatering finish. Balanced and immediate, with moderate length. Drink now. 

This balanced and classic wine is creamy, with an abundance of citrus accents from lemon curd and lemon blossom to tangerine sorbet. Minerality plays a starring role alongside fine acidity.

From steep slopes upper Maconnais, of the village of Fuisé, Solutré, Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré, on which the soils are a mixture of clay and chalk from the Jurassic era. Straw colour, clear. Settled, warm with citrus, toast and butter notes. Spice and floral lead to a round, fleshy, oily textured mouthfeel, with butter, marmalade and toast laden palate. Strong barrel fermented character, with charry oak notes, peach and spice, this is one of those wines in a blind tasting one may consider new world regions such as Margaret River and Hawke's Bay in a lineup format. Full bodied, round shaped palate with moderate concentration and complexity, perhaps a little more expressive of the winemaker, less of the specific terroir expression shown in the previous wines here. I mean this in a positive way, this delivers for the oaky, butter and toast Chardonnay fans out there a plenty. - Brandon Nash, May 2023

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. Billecart-Salmon’s style is one of elegance, purity and delicate freshness. Low fermentation temperatures preserve purity and expressive fruit, and malolactic fermentation is systematically blocked. An expanded barrel program has been established since the arrival of Mathieu Roland-Billecart in 2018, with a focus on the best terroirs for the Brut Réserve or Brut Sous Bois.

A vibrant, well-knit version, lacy in texture and offering an appealing mix of juicy fresh-cut apple, pear tart, pickled ginger, honey and lemon flavours.

The most recent release of the NV Champagne Brut is based on the 2019 vintage and takes this cuvée to new heights, bringing down the dosage to 3 grams per liter dosage, while simultaneously significantly increasing the amount of reserve wine which comprises 62% of the blend, with 8% barrel aging. It retains the classic varietal blend of 40% Meunier and 30% each Pinot and Chardonnay. In the glass, it’s very precise while also retaining a lot of the immediate appeal this cuvée has always achieved, but it now has markedly improved in overall quality. On opening, it’s floral and expressive, with a touch of fresh tropical fruit of mango, cherry blossom, and wet stone. Medium-bodied, with juicy fruit upfront, it takes on the most focus and soars across the finish with crunchy salinity. I love the direction they have taken with this wine, which is more focused and linear. Drink 2024-2036. 

The latest rendition of NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Latitude is excellent, offering up aromas of lemon oil, wet stones and white flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and precise, with good concentration, racy acids, an ultra-fine mousse and a long, chalky finish. As usual, this is a classy introduction to the Larmandier-Bernier range.

A tangy overtone of pink grapefruit peel rides the fine mousse in this creamy Champagne. It's layered with a subtle mesh of apricot, lemon thyme and minerally brine and chalk notes. Well-cut and harmonious. Drink now through 2025.

Although it's not indicated on the label, this is a Blanc de Blancs from Chardonnay. It is warm and ripe, with a soft texture allied to fresh acidity. Orange and lemon zest give a great lift to this rounded wine.

Sleek, with a vein of mineral underlying lemon, apple and light spice flavors. Focused and harmonious, with the vibrant structure driving its lingering finish. Drink now through 2025. 

Seductive, intense liquorice notes on the nose. Rich and broad start but nicely appetising with lime-juice notes. Nothing remotely scrawny about this.

Sleek, with a vein of mineral underlying lemon, apple and light spice flavors. Focused and harmonious, with the vibrant structure driving its lingering finish. Drink now through 2025. 

Seductive, intense liquorice notes on the nose. Rich and broad start but nicely appetising with lime-juice notes. Nothing remotely scrawny about this.

This sleek, light- to medium-bodied white is richly aromatic, with slate and saline notes that expand on the creamy palate, underscoring flavors of Gala apple, anise, slivered almond and honeysuckle. Lithe and lovely. Drink now through 2029.

Aromas of lilacs, slate and dried apple follow through to a medium body with vivid flavors and intense fruit and citrus at the finish. Tight and exciting. Better in a couple years to come together but rejoice in its youthful vigor. Drink now. Made from organically grown grapes. Demeter approved.

This Beaune negociant that also owns Château des Jacques produces a regular, red-fruit-flavored Beaujolais Villages. It is an easy wine, made to enjoy young with its light texture and fruitiness. Drink now.

Incorporating fully 10% still red wine, Billecart's 2009 Brut Rose Cuvee 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 seamle

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. Tasted 7 November, 2022.

A special wine right from the start, this glistens with pure papaya, mango, white peach and mirabelle plum, joined by elder flower honey, toasted macadamia nut and orange blossom notes. Ends with a remarkably long finish. Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now.

Dried fruit, pure and direct. Succulent and juicy, super-concentrated length. Lighter than usual, but no compromise on the complexity. It has the magic of Yquem in a slim-fit package. Not the most hedonistic, but certainly in the top class of Sauternes.

Five varieties go into this ripe and full-bodied blend. The red fruits have a tang of pepper as well as perfumed acidity.

The wine opens with a slightly floral aspect and a hint of pear tart with lemon overtones. There is a sense of levity, but more air introduces a more brooding, darker notion of candle wax. That lovely but full-flavoured lightness also characterises the palate with wonderfully bright tension. Again that darker, somehow earthy Meunier note adds a hint of waxiness that almost verges onto smokiness – especially on the finish – while the surface remains bright, light and lemony. The mousse is fine and the wine has a pleasant suppleness and this sense of lightness just begs for another sip.

Disgorged at the end of 2019 with a dosage of one gram per liter, Billecart-Salmon’s 2005 Brut Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is the eighth edition (the release sequence is 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2005; Mathieu Roland-Billecart released this vintage after the 2006, to give it more time to mature in bottle.) This 100% Pinot Noir from the single vineyard in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ has a bright, vibrant, fresh nose of orchard fruits, dried fruits, nuts, pastry and spices. The palate is tense, delicate and medium-bodied and evokes notes of white pepper and chalk with a saline finish and a gently bitter aftertaste due to the vintage. It's a little more austere than the 2006 vintage but precise and crystalline.

Named after the patron Saint of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, the village where Billecart-Salmon has its HQ, this one-hectare plot of Pinot Noir vines was planted in 1964 and it sits behind the winery. These vines give rise to some of the most fascinating and flamboyant wines in the Billecart portfolio. This wine was entirely vinified in oak barrels and it sat on its lees for 170 months. In addition, the other statistic of note is that it has a dosage of only 1g/L. As luck would have it, I tasted this wine on my son’s birthday. As it happens, I was flying to Australia early the following day and, not wanting to wait a week to publish my thoughts, I put the bottle in an ice bucket and then tasted it in my office while Rollo and his 6-year-old pals were running around outside. I elaborate on this setting because after I wrote this note, I poured some glasses for the various parents who came to pick their children up from Rollo’s birthday tea. Now it is very unusual to be offered a glass of elite Champagne when you are marshalling your sugar-high-child out of the door, but I thought it might be interesting to hear the impressions from a group of wine lovers, none of whom had tasted Le Clos Saint-Hilaire before. First, my thoughts. Billecart held this wine back and released it after the gorgeous 2006 vintage. There must have been a reason for shuffling the pack, and it seems to me, both on the nose and palate, that this is a more robust wine than the ’06. The colour gives a very real guide to the volume of fruit in the engine. It is a stunning old gold with pale green hints and softer amber hues. A decadent perfume captures the senses with layers of mandarin, honey, wax and patisserie shot with faint red cherry highlights, and this means that I spent as much time sniffing my glass as I did sipping this wine. Over the course of an hour, the nose broadened further with more exotic tones and even hints of spice. The palate follows a similar theme, with ultra-fine bubbles teasing the taste buds but not distracting from the overall persistence of the depth of fruit notes. This is a rich, mouth-coating wine, and the acidity does all it can to hold it in perfect equilibrium. Of course, it is drinking now, but there is enough of a battery pack to last at least a decade, and I wonder if it won’t make two decades with ease. It is hard to tell because the luxurious ballgown of flavour hides the mineral and acid tones so cleverly. This is another sensational LCSH, and they all have such distinct characters it is truly a wine of the soil and the vintage, and this makes it one of the most honest and thought-provoking of the super-premium Champagnes. As a matter of fact, and with full disclosure, the five parents who tasted (at first blind) this glorious wine all went weak at the knees. Weaker still when I showed them the label and told them its story. Even Rollo gave it a thumbs up when he insisted on sticking his finger in my glass and tasting the flavour – after all, it was his birthday. Over the years, the average production of this wine sits well below 5000 bottles, so if you are a fan or would like to taste a sublime Champagne that is genuinely worth its price tag, look no further.

The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas Francois was disgorged during the third quarter of 2022 with less than three grams per liter. It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioch

Lovely precision and drive to this with aromas of lemon curd, brioche, praline, apricots, pomelos, mandarin zest and salted caramel. It’s held together by a sharp, citrusy backbone of acidity, balanced with a fine, silky mousse. Both structure and softness here. Citrus fruit brightness on a beautifully elegant and seamless finish. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. 150 months on lees. 2.9g/L dosage.

Disgorged in November 2020 with two grams per liter dosage, Billecart-Salmon's newly released 2006 Brut Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is showing well, unwinding in the glass with aromas of pear, mirabelle plum, dried fruits, walnuts, bee pollen and spices. Full-bodied, layered and vinous, it's a concentrated, muscular young wine, allying maturing flavors with broad structural shoulders and racy acids and concluding with a long, resonant and slightly mordant finish. From a parcel planted in 1964 and vinified entirely in oak, this is a powerful Champagne of considerable presence that needs some more time on cork to unwind and round out. 95+ 

This chiseled Champagne is defined by rapierlike acidity, with fine, tightly meshed flavors of plumped white cherry, poached apricot, marzipan, espresso crema, smoked nut and Gran Marnier liqueur that open slowly on a lively, lacy mousse.

An incredibly fragrant nose shines with ripe, red-cheeked Mirabelle plum and even has an overtone of Kirsch. The palate is creamy and has a wonderful spine of freshness that only helps to underscore the generosity and roundness. The mousse is superfine, the autolysis is restrained yet profound, there is a textured mid-palate of concentrated red apple fruit with an edge of candlewax and a delicious reverberation of pepper. Exquisite.

Disgorged during the second quarter of 2022 with a dosage of 3.75 grams per liter, the 2009 Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée Louis Salmon reveals aromas of pear, lemon oil, mandarin oil, white pepper, pastry and almonds. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and long, it has a crystalline yet vinous texture with a fresh, salty finish. It is a quintessential representation of Billecart's style, characterized by racy acids and a lively palate. It derives from Chardonnay grapes sourced from the villages of Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly and Cramant and was aged exclusively in steel tanks.

This is showing an array of almonds, frangipani, dried lemons, apricots, pastries and white chocolate, evolving to salted caramel. Fantastic complexity and all in balance, with firm focus yet open and delicious. Creamy, very fine bubbles. Salty, turning chalky and mineral at the end. Drink or hold.

Delicate and elegant dry style, with a restrained palate of poached apple, yeasty croissant, a hint of rock melon and lemon curd.

This has a broad and unctuous feel, with nectarine, apricot and mango notes creating an opulent feel, while racy bitter almond, orange blossom and elderberry accents add contrast and range. The lush finish is carried by notes of mango and piecrust. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2028 through 2040.

Bright medium greenish yellow, silver reflections. Attractive ripe yellow tropical fruit, honey and lanolin, some coconut, candied tangerine zest, floral touch, fine caramel in the background. Full-bodied, elegant, ripe pineapple, yellow peach, new wood vivid in the core, fine honey nuances, seems opulent on the finish, marked by some baby fat, powerful finish, certain ageing potential.

This has a broad and unctuous feel, with nectarine, apricot and mango notes creating an opulent feel, while racy bitter almond, orange blossom and elderberry accents add contrast and range. The lush finish is carried by notes of mango and piecrust. Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Best from 2028 through 2040.

Bright medium greenish yellow, silver reflections. Attractive ripe yellow tropical fruit, honey and lanolin, some coconut, candied tangerine zest, floral touch, fine caramel in the background. Full-bodied, elegant, ripe pineapple, yellow peach, new wood vivid in the core, fine honey nuances, seems opulent on the finish, marked by some baby fat, powerful finish, certain ageing potential.

The 2016 Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Premier Cru Terre de Vertus unwinds in the glass with aromas of citrus zest, crisp yellow orchard fruit, brioche, honeycomb and freshly baked bread. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's bright and chiseled, with excellent depth at the core, racy acids and a long, penetrating finish. The Larmandier family invariably excel in cooler, more classic vintages, and this wine is no exception to that rule. As I've written before, Larmandier-Bernier numbers among the Côte de Blanc's—and Champagne's—finest estates. Based in Vertus, the Larmandier family farms organically and harvest late, vinifying the resulting wines in wood. The result is vinous, elegantly muscular Champagnes that are concentrated but precise. In a region that still produces far too many meager, brittle wines, Larmander-Bernier reminds us of the plenitude and texture of which great Champagne is capable. The range begins with two non-vintage Blanc de Blancs: Latitude, broad and charming; and Longitude, more chiseled and incisive. Next come three vintage cuvées: Vieille Vigne de Levant, from Cramant; Les Chemins d’Avize, from the eponymous village; and the Terre de Vertus. Two perfumed rosé de saignée cuvées complement the portfolio, now joined by small quantities of still red and white Côteaux Champenois. This year sees the release of a one-off Blanc de Noirs, produced from grapes deemed too ripe for rosé production in the 2015 vintage.

Like a broad arrow, burnished, powerful, driving smoke and cracked caramel from beginning to end with tremendous purpose. Roasted oatmeal. So much density it’s almost more of a meal than a drink. Warm, gingery spices. Salt and sour butter and bitter orange peel. A wine that challenges you, broad-chested heart to rib-caged heart. A wine with rhythm, beat, purpose. All-encompassing. 

The latest rendition of NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Latitude is excellent, offering up aromas of lemon oil, wet stones and white flowers. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, bright and precise, with good concentration, racy acids, an ultra-fine mousse and a long, chalky finish. As usual, this is a classy introduction to the Larmandier-Bernier range.

A tangy overtone of pink grapefruit peel rides the fine mousse in this creamy Champagne. It's layered with a subtle mesh of apricot, lemon thyme and minerally brine and chalk notes. Well-cut and harmonious. Drink now through 2025.

Although it's not indicated on the label, this is a Blanc de Blancs from Chardonnay. It is warm and ripe, with a soft texture allied to fresh acidity. Orange and lemon zest give a great lift to this rounded wine.

From Beaune, France, using traditional gamay beaujolais grapes. Spiced plum, a hint of bubblegum, leathery firm tannins, a hint of tobacco and a dry savoury finish. Tasted August 2024.

Concours of Lyon 2023

Jean-François prefers his 2005 Dream Collection to 2008. Both accurately articulate the mood of their contrasting seasons, the 2005 is already a golden yellow hue and brimming with luscious golden delicious apple and pineapple fruit, true to this warm vintage. It's a spicy and rich style and it relies on this generosity in order to carry the dry phenolic grip and coffee and cocoa notes of the season.