Originally created in 1988, as a tribute to the co-founder of the house, the 2008 vintage spent ten years ageing in the Billecart-Salmon cellars - and is now finally ready to be unveiled as an elegant, fresh and truly sophisticated wine.
Elisabeth Salmon was a woman of great character. Independent and avant-garde, she fearlessly guided the house through its inception in 1818, and together with her husband, co-founder Nicolas François Billecart, she made the bold choice of pursuing her passion for the terroir in Champagne.
The 2008 vintage of the Elisabeth Salmon cuvée is the expression of the best terroirs for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Champagne and is a result of over a decade of patience.
A work of fine craftsmanship with complex, precise and meticulous composition, vinified in small vats to reveal the unique character of each parcel: cold fermentation in order to preserve the purity of the fruit, unparalleled expertise in red wine vinification, and for the first time ever, the integration of wines vinified in oak casks.
It’s a fascinating exercise to taste the wine alongside the house’s famous Brut Rosé NV. The NV, a blend of 40% Chardonnay, and 30% each of Pinots Noir and Meunier, is paler and more delicate in character, fresh but with a generous, pure red fruit character.
Pour the Elisabeth Salmon and the difference is immediately apparent. It’s a deeper hue, the fruit character is darker, and it’s altogether a more structured and mineral wine. It’s a different blend – no Pinot Meunier here, just 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. And for the first time, 17% of the wine was vinified at a low temperature in oak barrels, which are 15 years old on average.
2008 was a fresh year, explained Matthieu, and the oak was used to add extra complexity and richness. This is a Champagne that you could happily lay down for a decade or more, if you enjoy the tertiary characters that come with aged Champagne. Or just enjoy it in its youth.
Words by Amy Wislocki, Decanter Magazine Editor & Regional Editor (Champagne, Alsace and Loire)
