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Billecart SalmonChampagne

€204.50
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Vintage
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TECH SHEET

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Vintage
2012
Country
FranceFrance
Region
Champagne
Type
Champagne
Producer
Billecart Salmon
Grapes
ChardonnayPinot Noir
Alcohol
12.5% vol.
Bottle
750 ml

Wine profile

Sparkling

DosageExtra Brut
Acidity
Body
Alcohol12.5% vol

Tap or hover a scale

Wine profile · Sparkling

Dosage Extra Brut

Level 1 of 5 — Dry and taut – almost no sugar

What it is

Dosage is the small amount of sugar (the liqueur d'expédition) added to a sparkling wine at the very end. It decides whether the wine is bone-dry or sweet.

Where you feel it

On the tip of the tongue and on the finish: the balance between sugar and acidity.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the producer's technical sheet or a published review.

It comes from the category on the label, set in EU law in grams of sugar per litre: Brut Nature under 3 g/L, Extra Brut 0–6, Brut under 12, Extra Dry 12–17, Sec 17–32, Demi-Sec 32–50 and Doux over 50.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Brut Nature / Extra Brut This wine
  2. 2Brut
  3. 3Extra Dry / Sec
  4. 4Demi-Sec
  5. 5Doux

In practice, for this wine

Great with oysters, shellfish and sushi; a pure aperitif.

Wine profile · Sparkling

Acidity

Level 5 of 5 — Crisp and racy – like freshly squeezed lemon

Above typical (4.5) · Typical: average of 138 sparkling wines at Vinogrande

What it is

Acidity is the wine's freshness: it gives energy, makes your mouth water and helps the wine age. Too little and it tastes flat; too much and it feels sharp.

Where you feel it

On the sides of your tongue, and in how much your mouth waters after you swallow. The more you salivate, the higher the acidity.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

Labs measure total acidity (grams of tartaric acid per litre; most wines sit between 4.5 and 8 g/L) and pH (usually 3.0 to 3.8; the lower, the more acidic). Our scale turns that into how it feels in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: soft, little freshness
  2. 2Medium−: gentle
  3. 3Medium: fresh and balanced
  4. 4Medium+: lively, mouth-watering
  5. 5High: crisp, racy This wine

In practice, for this wine

Ideal with oysters, shellfish, sushi and fried food; it stands up to sharp, salty dishes. Serve cold, great as an aperitif.

Wine profile · Sparkling

Body

Level 4 of 5 — Full and broad – like single cream

Above typical (2.4) · Typical: average of 138 sparkling wines at Vinogrande

What it is

Body is the weight and texture of the wine in your mouth. It comes mainly from alcohol, extract (everything dissolved apart from water), glycerol and, in sweet wines, sugar.

Where you feel it

Across the whole tongue: how much the wine fills your mouth. Think skimmed milk, whole milk and cream.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: Vinogrande's tasting notes and wine description.

There is no single number for body. Labs measure dry extract (many wines are between 18 and 30 g/L) and alcohol, which WSET says has the biggest effect on body. Our scale rates the weight in the mouth.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Light: fluid and delicate
  2. 2Medium−: light-ish
  3. 3Medium: rounded
  4. 4Medium+: broad This wine
  5. 5Full: dense and rich

In practice, for this wine

Wants dishes with structure: red meat, roasts, mushrooms, aged cheese.

Wine profile · Sparkling

Alcohol 12.5% vol

Level 3 of 5 — Balanced – soft warmth on the finish

Above typical (2.5) · Typical: average of 135 sparkling wines at Vinogrande

What it is

Alcohol is made when yeast ferments the grape's sugar. It brings warmth, adds to the body and carries the aromas.

Where you feel it

As warmth in your throat and chest when you swallow, and a slight burn on the nose when it is high.

How we set this level

For this wine, the level comes from: the alcohol stated on the label — On the label: 12.5% vol.

It is the one axis that is always measured: it comes from the % vol on the label. Still and sparkling wines: under 11% = 1, up to 12.4% = 2, up to 13.4% = 3, up to 14.4% = 4, 14.5% or more = 5. Fortified wines (Port, Madeira…) have their own scale: under 16.5% = 2, up to 18.4% = 3, up to 19.9% = 4, 20% or more = 5.

The 1–5 scale follows the WSET tasting grid. We start from the producer's technical sheet and Vinogrande's tasting notes, plus measured data where it exists, such as the alcohol on the label. Only when that is missing do we use the typical profile of the style, region or grapes, and we say so.

The 1–5 scale

  1. 1Low: under 11% vol
  2. 2Medium−: 11–12.4% vol
  3. 3Medium: 12.5–13.4% vol This wine
  4. 4Medium+: 13.5–14.4% vol
  5. 5High: 14.5% vol or more

In practice, for this wine

Classic balance, at ease with most dishes.

Critics & awards

Serve & enjoy

Temperature 8–10 °CFridge 3 h · or ice bucket with water 20 min
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Description

It all began in 1818, when Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon founded a Champagne house that was, above all, mindful of the excellence of its wines.

Since then, every member of the Billecart family has committed to carrying on the family tradition through an unchanging pledge: "Give priority to quality, strive for excellence".

The Wine AdvocateRP 96Reviewed by: Kristaps Karklins

Billecart-Salmon's Nicolas François 2012 marks the first release since 2008 and is another success for the house. The fundamentals remain unchanged: cold settling and low-temperature fermentation, a small proportion vinified in oak barrels and partial malolactic fermentation (20% was blocked in 2012).

The vintage was marked by a prolonged flowering, significant rain and mildew pressure, resulting in a small harvest. The grapes for this cuvée were picked between 17 and 22 September. “It was crucial to select only the ripest grapes, as ripeness varied significantly between parcels,” explains Billecart's chef de cave, Florent Nys.

But what about the wine itself? Disgorged in May 2023 with a dosage of 3.8 grams per litre, it offers aromas of lemon confit, honeysuckle and ripe peach, combined with nuances of beeswax and orange zest. On the palate it's full-bodied, broad and enveloping, with a layered, concentrated core, chalky structure and vibrant acidity despite the warm vintage.

It ends with a persistent, saline finish, hinting at the gastronomic complexity that has emerged with this remarkable time in bottle. Compared with the 2008, which remains more closed and reserved, the 2012 is broader and more expressive.

What to serve with this wine

Dishes calculated from this wine’s profile, grapes and region.