2013 Billecart-Salmon Extra Brut Vintage Champagne 750 ml

Scoring an allocation of Billecart-Salmon is always cause for celebration, and since early 2020 we’ve been lucky enough to secure small shares of Billecart’s most prestigious vintage-bottlings—collector’s items like the $200+ Cuvée Louis Salmon and Cuvée Elisabeth.

But their brilliant Extra Brut remains one of the most anticipated—and extraordinary—offerings in vintage Champagne.

Grown in the outstanding 2013 vintage, dominated by fruit from Grand and Premier Cru sites, and rested for a staggering 89 months on the lees, the 2013 Billecart-Salmon Extra Brut Champagne was released last year to fantastic fanfare, and with a member-rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, it’s got few rivals.  

The nature of 200-year-old Billecart-Salmon is summed up in the story of New York wine legend Neal Rosenthal, who first obtained the Champagne in 1979 through a mercurial importer. It quickly became a sensation at Rosenthal’s shop. When his relationship with the importer soured and it seemed like Billecart might slip away, Rosenthal flew to Mareuil-sur-Aÿ to plead with the proprietor face-to-face—that’s how essential he believed Billecart was to his survival. 

After 200 years of operation, the house is still owned and operated by the Billecart family—and still producing the exquisite bubblies that have seduced countless wine lovers throughout the years. This one is bright, creamy, and luminous, with an inviting golden mousse. The aromas are led by yellow lemon peel, Asian pear, and freshly baked almond croissant, with a hint of ginger and jasmine florals. The mouthfeel is focused and vibrant, with elegant weight and lovely acidity that resolves in a long finish.