Journey to Champagne 2012 - Part 4

Following our fabulous tasting at Philipponnat (see Journey to Champagne 2012 - Part 3), we took a short trip down the road to the family owned Champagne House of Billecart-Salmon, also located in the Premier Cru territory of Mareuil-sur-Ay in the Vallée de la Marne, just south of Reims.

A few years ago I really got into all things Billecart. Like most Billecart fans, it was love at first taste when I savoured their prized non-vintage rosé (see my review here). It offers a concentrated palate of rich, creamy and berry driven flavours with lingering hints of minerality and a long dry finish.  It's simply delicious.  What fascinated me about Billecart then (and still does now) is how clean, pristine, bright and angular the flavours are in their cuvées. 

Ever since those early days of falling for their non-vintage rosé, I have wanted to understand Billecart's philosophy and method and why it separates them from many others.

A little about Billecart-Salmon's style
Some people think that champagne should not be 'clean' as the ones produced by Billecart-Salmon. By 'clean' I refer to the meticulous production processes involving double debourbage (where the must is allowed to settle to the bottom of the wine before racking) and cool fermentation (which is modelled on similar techniques used in beer making). This process keeps the champagne very primary (fruit driven) and reductive (free of interference from oxygen). Further aiding the 'clean' characteristics of their champagnes is the fact they look for a strong acid structure - rather than sugar - to preserve freshness. In contrast, some champagne sippers prefer champagne which is less primary, fatter and rounder and has more (what I like to call) 'funk'; in other words, some less refined characteristics which can produce some very interesting aromas, flavours and textures.

Irrespective of your preference, it's hard to deny the extreme care the House takes to ensure consistency and high quality production standards year after year.

The tour              
Arriving at the famous House of Billecart-Salmon we were greeted by Public Relations Manager, Claudia Meigneux. Claudia led us through the glorious garden surrounding the House, over the small road and to their clos (a small, walled vineyard) adjacent to the property. Guarded by a handful of goats munching their way through the long strands of grass lining the property, Clos St Hillaire sits pretty as a picture atop the limestone and clay rich soils feeding its vines. The single hectare block is home to the prized Pinot Noir grapes that are responsible for producing Billecart's most respected champagne of the same namesake that is known for its power and length on the palate.

Of the 220 hectares required to meet Billecart's production requirements, only 15 hectares are owned by the House. The rest are bought from growers who Billecart have forged long-term and close relationships with.

We then moved along to their pressing area; a large shed-like facility that, true to Billecart style, is super clean and modern. Front and centre stands the pneumatic press; the modern equivalent of basket pressing. The bright and shiny stainless steel machine minimises the grape's contact with oxygen and, in doing so, helps preserve freshness as they're being pressed. It is also designed to reduce the introduction of tannins. Another benefit of the pneumatic press is that it presses twice as much in the same time, reducing the need for labour. Grapes undergo three pressings. The first is kept for production, the second is sold as juice for champagne production and the third is sold to a distillery.

As we headed into their barrel room, we were introduced to the fermentation process. Pinot Meunier does not get any contact with oak as its maturity is considered too low to withstand the impact of oak. In general, Billecart aims to impart medium levels of toasty qualities to ensure the delicate nature of fruit prevails. 300 previously used white Burgundy barrels (which have been used for 6-8 fermentations) are used to hold 228 litres of wine each.

The tasting
When we arrived at their small but intimate tasting room, we were offered three tastings. My notes follow.

2004 Extra Brut - This zero dosage champagne offers up lemon and smoky traits on the nose. The palate is still very young, led by lemon citrus, but there is some good development here with notes of honeysuckle and yeasty characters. The finish is of medium length with lingering notes of chalky minerality.

1999 Blanc de Blancs - Led by apple and lemon citrus, bouquets of white flowers emerge along with some orange peel and stone fruits. Some fine chalky minerality texture is also present along with some toastiness. It all leads to quite a bright and acidic finish. Whilst drinking quite well , I would suggesting leaving it for a few more years to allow more complexity to develop.

2000 Nicolas Francois - With just five grams of dosage and no malolactic fermentation, the grapes used in this champagne were exceptional. Mellow yet held taught with good acidity, there exists a complex tapestry of pineapple, ripe stone fruits, white pepper, roasted nuts and honey. All of which leads to a supple and long finish. This was my pick on the day.

Visiting Billecart-Salmon
As is the case with many coveted Champagne Houses, this one is not easy to get into. Time your visit right (make sure it's outside harvest times) and ask someone with appropriate contacts to arrange a visit for you. You're more likely to score an appointment if you don't try arranging it yourself. But if this is your only option, you have nothing to lose!