[Akyung Wine Cellar] "Bubbles That Never Fade"... Sparkling Golden Champagne

<32> France's "Champagne Billecart-Salmon"
A Champagne House Established in 1818: 200 Years of History Across Seven Generations
Pioneers of the "Cold Fermentation" Technique: Freshness Blossoming at Low Temperatures
The "LE" Series: A New Era of Champagne Blending Long Aging, Ultra-Low Dosage, and Barrel Fermentation

Editor's NoteNo two wines under the sky are ever the same. Even when grapes are grown on the same land and vinified and aged using identical methods each year, the results are always different. Wine is a 'serendipitous drink,' born from the harmony of humans and nature. Each wine, disappearing silently after leaving behind a single vivid memory, holds a fascinating story. 'Akyung Wine Cellar' brings you these unique tales of wines, each crafted and matured under its own special circumstances.

Vineyard view of Billecart-Salmon Champagne.
[Photo by Billecart Salmon]

"May marriage and the vineyard last forever (Que le mariage et la vigne durent toujours)"

In the village of Mareuil-Sur-Ay in Epernay, Champagne, France, there is a story that a couple would walk their vineyard together each night, reciting this prayer. While the truth of this old tale cannot be confirmed, the couple did indeed spend their lives together, and their vineyard has continued to yield harvests for over 200 years, just as they wished.

Nicolas Francois Billecart, who founded Billecart Salmon in 1818, and his wife Elizabeth Salmon. [Photo by Billecart Salmon]

The protagonists of this story are Nicolas Francois Billecart and his wife Elizabeth Salmon. Nicolas, the husband, was known in his twenties as an ambitious figure in the region, acquiring several vineyards in the village thanks to his keen business sense. The woman who caught his eye was Elizabeth, the eldest daughter of the Salmon family, renowned for their grape cultivation. For Nicolas, who wanted to expand his vineyards, the Salmon family’s land and winemaking expertise were invaluable assets.

Their marriage, known to be both a pure romantic union and a thorough business partnership, led to the founding of the Champagne house 'Billecart-Salmon' in 1818. The couple included both of their family names in the brand, a striking departure from the French aristocratic norm of using only the husband's surname. As a result, the house logo still features the letters 'B' and 'S' side by side.

The house logo of Billecart Salmon in the form of overlapping 'B (Billecart)' and 'S (Salmon)'.
[Photo by Billecart Salmon]

The first thing the couple did after their marriage was to convert the basement of their home into a large wine cellar. At that time, commercial Champagne production was on the rise, and the passionate young couple spent their newlywed days in a space where their home and winery were indistinguishable. Their dedication has continued through seven generations to the present day. Billecart-Salmon, unlike most famous Champagne houses, has never been sold to outside investors and remains family-run, perhaps a testament to the couple’s prayer that their vineyard would endure forever.

A 200-Year Tradition Crafted with Modern Interpretation

"For us, winemaking is the core element; everything else is nonsense." <Sixth-generation owner, Antoine Roland Billecart>

Stainless fermentation tanks of Champagne Billecart-Salmon.
Photo by Billecart Salmon

Billecart-Salmon cultivates top-quality grapes across 170 hectares from the Cote des Blancs to Reims in Champagne, and is renowned for its innovative Champagne production methods. In particular, 'cold fermentation' has become a signature technique for Billecart-Salmon, enhancing delicacy and elegance while preserving freshness over time. Juice fermented at low temperatures maintains high acidity, making it suitable for long-term aging.

The cold fermentation technique, developed by Billecart-Salmon in 1952, involves lowering the temperature of the fermentation tank to 5°C, adding yeast two days later, and then fermenting slowly for three to four weeks at 13°C in stainless steel tanks. Afterward, the wine is vinified separately by grape variety and vineyard plot, then meticulously blended by the cellar master to maximize delicate flavors and aromas before bottling. The bottled Champagne is stored and aged in ancient underground cellars dating back to the 17th century. Billecart-Salmon is currently known as the first and only Champagne house to employ this process.

The underground cellar view of Champagne Billecart-Salmon.
[Photo by Billecart Salmon]

Additionally, to fully showcase the quality of their blends, Billecart-Salmon practices long-term aging. The legal minimum aging period for non-vintage Champagne is 15 months, and for vintage Champagne, three years. However, Billecart-Salmon ages its non-vintage Champagnes for three to five years and its vintage Champagnes for at least 10 years, sometimes up to 18 years. Prolonged bottle aging increases contact time with yeast lees, greatly enhancing the wine’s complexity and flavor.

To further express the subtlety and purity of their final Champagne, Billecart-Salmon reduces the dosage, or added sugar content. During production, Champagne undergoes 'degorgement,' the removal of yeast sediment after secondary fermentation. Since a small amount of wine is lost during this process, dosage is used to replenish it. The 'liqueur d'expedition' added at this stage determines the final sweetness of the wine.

Reserve wine stored in the underground cellar of Billecart-Salmon Champagne.
[Photo by Billecart Salmon]

Applying these winemaking techniques, Billecart-Salmon has rebranded its non-vintage wines under the 'LE' series. This lineup, which both honors the house’s tradition and incorporates modern sensibilities, emphasizes a pure and distinctive style. The flagship of the LE series is 'Champagne Billecart Salmon Le Blanc de Blancs.'

Le Blanc de Blancs is a Champagne crafted from two years of the finest Chardonnay harvested from Grand Cru vineyards, blended to perfection. Loved by wine enthusiasts for its complexity and fresh finish, it is produced in an extra brut style with very low sweetness. The wine displays a brilliant golden hue, with elegantly fine greenish bubbles that create a magical impression. It offers chalky nuances, pronounced minerality, and aromas of brioche, butter, and citrus fruits such as lemon. With its superb harmony of chalkiness and minerality, this Champagne pairs beautifully with caviar or premium aged sashimi.

Champagne Billecart Salmon Le Blanc de Blancs

In addition to stainless steel tanks, Billecart-Salmon also utilizes oak barrel fermentation. Barrel fermentation imparts various oak-derived characteristics to the wine, a method widely used in Burgundy, France. At Billecart-Salmon, barrel fermentation is employed not only for the wood's qualities but also to introduce oxidative flavors. To focus on these oxidative notes, they use barrels that have been in use for an average of over 15 years. Fermenting in such neutral barrels adds subtle flavors to the blend that cannot be achieved with stainless steel fermentation alone.

'Champagne Billecart Salmon Le Sous Bois' is made exclusively from wine fermented 100% in oak barrels. This unique Champagne blends the three classic grape varieties of Champagne-Chardonnay (43%), Pinot Meunier (29%), and Pinot Noir (28%)-and encapsulates the traditional philosophy and expertise of Champagne making in a single bottle. The entire wine undergoes cold fermentation in oak barrels, utilizing reserve wines dating back to 2006.

The result is a Champagne with lively golden brilliance and persistent, fine bubbles. Aromas of dried fruit, fresh citrus, and stone fruits unfold harmoniously, followed by subtle buttery notes. Toasted bread and toffee nut flavors spread across the palate, making this an outstanding Champagne that showcases both power and maturity.

Large oak barrel of Champagne Billecart-Salmon's Foudre.
Photo by Billecart Salmon

'Champagne Billecart Salmon Le Sous Bois'

An Icon of Rose Proven by Taste, Not Color

Billecart-Salmon is also renowned for its exquisite and delicate rose Champagne. Interestingly, because the name 'Salmon' is spelled the same as the English word for the fish, it has inadvertently boosted the fame of their rose Champagne, despite there being no actual connection. Charles Roland Billecart (1886-1963), the fourth-generation descendant, was one of the first winemakers to champion the production of rose Champagne. From the past to the present, Billecart-Salmon has used the term 'Champagne Rose' rather than 'Rose Champagne,' emphasizing the Champagne itself over the style. This reflects the belief that, if tasted blind, one could not distinguish between color and flavor.

Oak barrels of Champagne Billecart-Salmon.
Photo by Billecart Salmon

Rose wine is typically made through maceration, where red grape juice is left in contact with the skins to extract color and polyphenols-the longer the contact, the deeper the color and the more intense the extraction. However, Charles believed this method, while suitable for fresh and savory Provencal-style roses, risked imparting too much tannin to the wine. He did not want tannins in Billecart-Salmon’s Champagne, so he adopted the method of blending white wine with red wine. While rose wines are generally not made by blending finished red and white wines, rose Champagne is a recognized exception, and Billecart-Salmon was among the first to use this technique.

The signature rose of Billecart-Salmon is 'Champagne Billecart Salmon Le Rose.' With its subtle and gourmet aromas, Billecart-Salmon Le Rose is regarded as the benchmark for rose Champagne. It offers a shimmering color, remarkable finesse, and the intense nuances that define rose Champagne at its best. Champagne Billecart Salmon Le Rose is a blend of 45% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, and 20% Pinot Meunier. Its intensely radiant pale pink color and elegant bubbles create a dazzling ensemble. The wine exudes refined red berry aromas that stimulate the appetite, complemented by hints of white flowers and citrus for a diverse aromatic profile. On the palate, the creamy texture from the fine bubbles and the delicate notes of wild strawberry and raspberry add sophistication, with a perfect harmony of diverse flavors.

Champagne Billecart Salmon Le Rose