2002 Billecart-Salmon "Le Clos Saint-Hilaire" Brut Blanc de Noirs Champagne

Just 3,700 bottles of this rare and magnificent specimen have been produced, from this exceptional Champagne Clos in the heart of Ay and the maison itself. The wine is 100% Pinot Noir from a parcel of vines planted back in 1964. Vinified in oak, it then spent a total of 15 years on its lees, prior to release earlier this year in 2019 with a dosage of just 1g/l. From one of Champagne’s most acclaimed vintages, this shows a welter of densely integrated fruit and flavour. Supremely generous, ripe and intense, but not overwrought, this exhibits layers of bruised apple, spice, cappuccino and savoury sous-bois and truffle. The acidity is soft and round and plays second fiddle to the power, texture and vinosity on the palate. Very gourmandise, this cries out for richly flavoured food – or to be drunk as a vin de contemplation. Either way, this is superb now and will age for years and years and then some more …. (JS)

Entirely vinified in oak and disgorged in May 2018, after 15 years on the lees in bottle, the 2002 Millésime Brut Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is a single-plot Blanc de Noirs from Pinot Noir vines planted in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in 1964. Highly fine and pure on the deep, elegant and spicy nose, with intense mirabelle and apricot flavors, this is a pure, salty, very finessed yet tensioned, complex, mineral and refreshing Pinot with intense and well-concentrated fruit, a juicy texture and persistent structure. The finish is very long but pure, fresh, salty and, in any case, highly stimulating! (SR)

I had the opportunity to taste this rare bird last month. It is probably the most memorable Champagne that we have in the store. It is also one of the most complex. It has an elegant nose of yellow fruits, creme brulee, roasted nuts and citrus. On the palate, it's a bit harder to describe, because there is so much going on! Initially, I got citrus, especially (juicy) oranges, followed by just a touch of honey and apricots and tart spices. The finish is exceptionally clean with sea salt notes and very generous minerals. This is THE one for any Champagne enthusiast or collector. It will keep many, many, years in your cellar, if you wish to do so. Very, very, small production and we are very lucky to have it here!