2008 Billecart-Salmon 'Cuvee Nicolas Francois' Champagne Magnum
Lamont's Cottesloe
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Average Critic Score: 96.75/100
First created in 1964 as a tribute to the House's founder, Cuvée Nicolas François is Billecart-Salmon's prestige blanc cuvée, a blend of Grand Cru Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs and Grand Cru Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims, partially vinified in traditional oak casks to add depth and complexity.
The 2008 vintage has become one of the most celebrated in Champagne history, producing wines of exceptional tension, precision, and longevity. This Magnum (60% Pinot Noir from Aÿ, Mareuil, and Verzenay, 40% Chardonnay from Le Mesnil, Chouilly, and Cramant) was disgorged in 2022 with a dosage of just 2.9 g/L. Partial vinification in old oak barrels (17%) adds texture to a wine defined by its chalky minerality, crystalline structure, and long, salty finish.
Rated 98 points by Tyson Stelzer, who ranks Nicolas François among the top three prestige cuvées in the world alongside Krug Clos du Mesnil and Krug Vintage. Also scored 96-97 points by Wine Enthusiast, Wine Advocate, and Vinous. A Magnum of singular pedigree, drinking beautifully now but built to evolve for decades.
Critic Reviews
98 Points - Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide
“Alongside Clos du Mesnil, Nicolas-François Billecart 2008 is my most anticipated release of the year and indeed the decade. I believe this to be the very last cuvée to be released from 2008, the vintage of our lifetimes. Since anointing the 2000 vintage Champagne of the Year in the inaugural edition of The Champagne Guide, I have tasted every top vintage back to 1975, awarding an incredible rolling average score of more than 98 points, a feat achieved by just two other cuvées: Krug Clos du Mesnil and Krug Vintage. This ranks Nicolas-François Billecart in the top three in the world.”
97 Points - Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast
“A blend of fruit from mainly Grand Cru vineyards, this beautiful Champagne is now fully mature. With toasty characters, touches of fresher fruit and taut acidity, the wine has a little spice from wood fermentation. It is a great Champagne ready to drink.”
96 Points - Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
“The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François was disgorged during the third quarter of 2022 with less than three grams per liter. It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioche and pastry with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and crystalline, with racy acids and a chalky texture, the palate is tense and the finish is long, penetrating and salty. It exhibits perfect Billecart style, yet tension is present, a sign of the vintage.”
96 Points - Antonio Galloni, Vinous
“The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart remains quite potent and young. It's starting to gain some weight, but it remains a classically austere Champagne. The fruit is reticent, and its contours are angular. The 2008 is a very good wine, but it is a Champagne that belongs to the prior era here. Vinification was 83% in tank and 17% in oak, likely a decision made to give the wine more body in this decidedly lean vintage. Dosage is 2.9 grams per liter. Disgorged: first trimester 2022.”
Wine Details & Information
Vintage: 2008
Varietal / Style: Champagne
Producer: Billecart-Salmon
Country: France
Region: Champagne
Bottle size (ml): 1500ml
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