Champagne Billecart-Salmon Cuvee Nicolas-Francois Salmon Brut 2012

Billecart-Salmon is an unbeatable choice for consistently jaw-dropping Champagne – and this, a truly exceptional cuvée made from all grand and premier cru fruit, is in a class all its own. Ten years on the lees, unimaginable depth and complexity, 97 points, and one of the top expressions of Champagne... full stop.

Two hundred years of innovation, quality, and working with some of the best fruit anywhere in Champagne. Billecart-Salmon is a family-run empire that has survived and thrived for seven generations, over two centuries, in the heart of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. They own 100 hectares of their own grapes, and contract out with some of the greatest growers for another 300 hectares – all spread across 40 grand cru sites throughout the Champagne region. Their vintage cuvées get the choice picks of the top lots, and this supreme cuvée is selected and crafted from the very best Chardonnay in the Côtes des Blancs and Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and Vallée de la Marne – a blend of 60% Pinot from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ and Aÿ et Verzenay, and 40% Chardonnay from Mesnil-sur-Oger, Chouilly, and Avize.

The juice is vinified partially in traditional oak casks, helping to define the gorgeous character of this luxurious and powerful wine. After fermentation is complete, the wine is bottled and aged on the lees for an impressive 120 months, before disgorgement and a dosage of a light 3.8 grams per liter. Named after the founder of the house, this remarkable Champagne showcases the most exceptional terroirs of the region with finesse and elegance.

Drawing you in with aromas of apricot galette, vanilla bean whipped cream, clementines, and acacia blossoms, it’s immediately apparent how alluringly layered and rich this is. The golden-yellow hue glistens with an abundance of fine, persistent bubbles and a creamy mousse. Your first taste will take you through a wonderland of honey-butter biscuits, yellow apples, lemon zest, and lime leaf, with zippy accents of white pepper and cinnamon. Coming from the almighty 2012 vintage, this is quintessential elegance, with an everlasting finish accentuated by limestone minerality and a zippy acidic quality, primed to drink gorgeously now but able to age another couple of decades (if you can stand to). We don’t have nearly enough of this rare creature – just 10 cases – and it’s sure to fly, so make sure you grab yours while it lasts!

PAIRING IDEAS: Tuna tartare is my choice for this luxurious cuvée – the sesame seeds, soy sauce, ginger, lime, and avocado elements in this recipe will offer the perfect zippy, salty, and creamy accents to this gorgeous and complex wine.