Billecart Salmon Extra Brut 2008 (3L)

Type: Champagne      Volume: 3000ml

Winery: Billecart Salmon

Country: France     Region: Champagne

District: Champagne

Grapes Varieties: 35% Chardonnay,65% Pinot Noir

Classification:      Production: 

Alcohol: 12% abv     Packing: Original Carton of 1 bottle

Ratings and Tasting Notes:

JS=96 A stunningly pure nose with aromas of apples, pears, grapefruit, dried flowers and fresh bread dough, all intermingled. The palate has a super fresh, sleek and vibrant feel with elegance, length and precision. The finish is so long and so precise. A stunning Champagne. Drink or hold.

WA=93 Disgorged with four grams per litre dosage, the 2008 Extra Brut Vintage hasn't appreciably evolved since I last tasted it. Offering up pretty aromas of honeycomb, crisp green apple, white flowers and fresh pastry, it's medium to full-bodied, tensile and incisive, with a tightly wound core, racy acids and an elegant pinpoint mousse. I wouldn't open bottles from my own cellar for another five years, as this is evolving at a glacial pace.

WS=93 A graceful Champagne that swathes the palate in a fine and creamy mousse, carrying flavours of baked blackberry, lemon meringue pie and chopped almond. Vibrant acidity creates a mouthwatering impression on the minerally finish. Drink now through 2026.

AG=92 The 2008 Brut Vintage is a delicious wine with which to explore the vintage, as it offers a lovely combination of richness, energy and early approachability. There is a sense of vibrancy that is so appealing. Orchard fruit, dried flowers, mint, spice and hazelnut all grace this enticing, impeccably rendered 2008 from Billecart-Salmon. Lovely. The blend is 65% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 35% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs done entirely in stainless steel. The dosage is 4 grams per litre. (Originally published in August 2020)