{"product_id":"billecart-salmon-250th-anniversary-cuvee-2018-champagne-france","title":"Billecart Salmon \"250th Anniversary Cuvee\" 2018 (Champagne, France)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout the Domaine:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 1818, Nicolas François Billecart and his wife Elisabeth Salmon founded the house of Billecart-Salmon in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, which now stands as the oldest continuously family-owned and operated house in Champagne. The estate is currently managed by the family’s seventh generation, brothers François and Antoine Roland-Billecart, while the cellars lie in the hands of Florent Nys.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter 33 years, François Domi has handed over the baton of Chief Winemaker to Florent, who has been working as an apprentice under the watchful eye of François since 2005, is now ready to take over the reins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this Wine:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe 2018 250th Anniversary Cuvée marks two milestones at once: the house's 200th birthday and the 250th anniversary of American independence — fitting, since the U.S. was one of Billecart's first export markets and remains one of its most important. The Statue of Liberty on the label isn't a gimmick. It's a genuine acknowledgment of a relationship that has lasted as long as the house itself. And this bottling is available exclusively in the U.S. market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe wine is composed of 65% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and 35% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, with all fruit sourced from Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards. Ninety-seven percent of the wine was vinified in stainless steel to preserve freshness, and it received a restrained dosage of 4.9 g\/L, allowing the natural sweetness and concentration of the 2018 fruit to provide the wine’s richness. The nose leads with mineral notes of crushed rock, complemented by aromas of toasted sourdough developed during the 63 months the wine spent sur latte. The personality of the 2018 vintage reveals itself through ripe red apple and pear aromas. The palate is where this bottle truly crescendos—rarely have I tasted a wine balanced by such extremes. Mouth-filling richness, possible only through high-quality ripe fruit, is balanced by salinity and laser-sharp acidity. The finish is persistent, with none of these pronounced qualities lingering alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e2018 is one of the most celebrated recent harvests in Champagne — a year of abundant sunshine, exceptional ripeness, and the kind of natural balance that makes a wine both expressive and age-worthy. Robb Report called it a vintage \"you should be stocking up on.\" Antonio Galloni of Vinous recently noted that Billecart-Salmon has \"never been better.\" The two facts together make this release hard to overlook.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWinery Notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBlend:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e65% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims, 35% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eClassification:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e100% Grand Cru and Premier Cru fruit\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVinification:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eStainless steel, with 3% vinified in oak casks\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLees aging:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e63 months\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDosage:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e4.9 g\/L (Extra Brut)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelease:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eExclusive to the American market\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Pinot Noir brings structure, depth, and that characteristic red fruit energy that defines the Montagne de Reims. The Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs adds precision, white flower aromatics, and the chalky minerality that anchors the wine. Sixty-three months on the lees builds layers of complexity without sacrificing the freshness that is Billecart-Salmon's signature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the glass: toasted sourdough, crisp red apple, white flowers, lemon zest, and a long, mineral finish. Power and lift at once, with no heaviness.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"CHAMBERS \u0026 CHAMBERS","offers":[{"title":"750 ml","offer_id":53422180860269,"sku":null,"price":119.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0481\/8940\/7391\/files\/billeanniv.png?v=1780941022","url":"https:\/\/artisan.wine\/products\/billecart-salmon-250th-anniversary-cuvee-2018-champagne-france","provider":"Artisan W\u0026S","version":"1.0","type":"link"}