The Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Cuvee Nicolas Francois appears a beautiful golden yellow, glinting with bright sparkles. The glittering, crystalline appearance is set off by an eruption of finely chiselled bubbles. The wine combines all the richness of an aromatic curve, both complex and refreshing. Fine intense notes of orchard fruits, combined with the characters of nuts and stone fruit (lightly roasted flaked almonds, frangipani, candied mandarin peel) and accentuated by the radiance of a floral persistence (acacia flower and rose petal). On the palate, the balance of a tension achieved by the fullness of the wine (fresh yellow raspberry, fresh quince, honey biscuits and lemon caviar) symbolised by the conduct of noble flavors (fresh fig, liquorice and pigeon heart tomato). A texture with a strong personality, with its limestone imprint and an incredible intensity, curbed by its fully integrated low dosage. The finish with a rare complexity develops towards notes of toasted bread and bergamot.
Wine Advocate Review:
The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François 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 brioche and pastry with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and crystalline, with racy acids and a chalky texture, the palate is tense and the finish is long, penetrating and salty. It exhibits perfect Billecart style, yet tension is present, a sign of the vintage. It is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir (sourced from Aÿ, Mareuil and Verzenay) and 40% Chardonnay from Mesnil, Chouilly and Cramant, and it matured 83% in tanks and 17% in old oak barrels.