"The Brut Réserve is a light, fine and harmonious champagne. It is made up of a blend of 13 years’ harvest of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier grapes sourced from the best terroirs in the Marne."
Champagne Billecart-Salmon can be found in the village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, near Epernay and traces its origins back to 1818. It remains a family concern and is now in the hands of the 7th generation.
Their champagnes are created from fruit drawn from their own 100 hectares of vineyards plus a further 200 hectares they manage under contract, these encompass over 40 crus of the Champagne region. The majority of the come from within 20km around Epernay, where the Grand Crus of Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay co-exist, in the vineyards of the Montagne de Reims, the Vallée de la Marne and the Côte des Blancs.
In the 1950’s the House established the technique of cold settling combined with the use of stainless steel tanks for a longer fermentation at a lower temperature. The cuverie concentrates primarily on small thermoregulated cuves (47 hectolitres) which allows the House to observe the traceability of the grape varieties and the individual parcels. This vinification is carried out cru by cru and grape variety by grape variety which allows for the conservation of the nuances of expression of the terroir. In vinifying at a low temperature, the fermentation process slows down, encouraging aromatic, which are delicate and allow all the purity of the fruit to be expressed.
The house owns matures many of it’s wines in their chalk cellars that date from 17th and 19th centuries. Over three to four years in cellars the non-vintage champagnes really blossom, whilst the vintage cuvées patiently wait ten years before they begin to reveal their maturity.
30% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne, 30% Chardonnay sourced from the best Crus in the Champagne region, 40% Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne and the southern slopes of Epernay. Vinification in stainless steel tanks 50% to 60% reserve wines Ageing on lees: 30 months, Dosage 8g/l
