BILLECART-SALMON 250th Anniversary Cuvee Vintage Extra Brut 2018

BILLECART-SALMON 250th Anniversary Cuvee Vintage Extra Brut 2018

Billecart‑Salmon 250th Anniversary Cuvée, Vintage Extra Brut 2018 is a limited‑release Champagne created to mark both the house’s 200th harvest and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, created specifically for the American market, blending Grand and Premier Cru Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in a finely chiselled, mineral style.

Producer Notes

This wine, with an extra brut dosage, is dominated by great Pinot Noir flavours which is tempered by the elegance of the Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and that signature touch of Pinot Meunier.

Drinking Window

2028-2038

Producer tasting notes: (2018 vintage)

"The yellow colour has soft golden undertones, naturally enhanced by a fine, dynamic effervescence. A shining, very radiant effect that brings out the full potential of nine years of maturation in our ancestral chalk cellars. Palate: A nervy, charming, tactile delight (chestnut cream, fresh blueberries and shortbread), emphasized by a delicate texture. The wine rises to a distinguished complexity with a persistent finale, crisply structured by the high-quality potential of such a sought-after vintage. Aroma: The delicious intensity of precise fruit with citrusy and nutty notes (grapefruit pulp, slivered almonds). A nuanced sensory development built around pastry scents (raw butter, white fruit jelly). A masterful aromatic expression with a refined, refreshing purity. Tasting: A deeply sculpted vintage with a noble, exquisitely distinctive character. Enjoy to the fullest with red tuna, papaya and avocado, or with pan-fried foie gras, peaches, verbena, rhubarb and verjuice." - Champagne Billecart-Salmon

Terroir and blend

The cuvée is built from 100% Grand and Premier Cru fruit: roughly 65% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and 35% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs. All parcels are sustainably farmed and selected for ripeness, tension and chalk‑driven precision.

Vinification and aging

About 3% of the base wines are vinified in oak casks, the rest in stainless steel to preserve freshness and definition. The wine then spends around 63 months aging sur lattes before disgorgement and is finished as an Extra Brut, emphasizing purity and structure over dosage‑driven richness.

Tasting profile

The color is pale gold with bright, luminous reflections and a fine, abundant, lively effervescence. The nose shows refined stone fruits (nectarine, mirabelle), blueberries, delicate white and purple flowers, and subtle chalky nuances with hints of Alsatian anise biscuits. On the palate, a creamy, inviting attack leads into an energetic, layered mid‑palate with brioche, shortbread, honeysuckle, poached pear and white flowers, all framed by incisive chalky minerality and a long, finely chiselled, savory finish with notes of almond and peach.

Character and food pairing

Commentators describe this 2018 Anniversary Cuvée as one of the most complete recent releases from Billecart‑Salmon, combining richness with great precision and length. It is particularly well suited to grilled or butter‑poached lobster, premium long‑aged ham, and other refined dishes where its depth, creaminess and mineral cut can fully express themselves.