Champagne Billecart-Salmon - Non-Vintage Brut Rosé (Circa 1980s/1990s)

The Excellence of Rosé Champagne Tested by Time

Champagne Billecart-Salmon is a family-owned and independent House, renowned since its founding in 1818 for the finesse and elegance of its sparkling wines. Their non-vintage Rosé is a true benchmark of quality, acclaimed by critics alongside icons like Laurent-Perrier Rosé. It is distinguished by its balance, lightness, and notes of fresh red fruit.

This bottle is estimated to be from the late 1980s or early 1990s based on the specifics of its label and cap.

A Collector's Champagne: The Mysteries of Aging

While most non-vintage champagnes are meant to be enjoyed young, great rosés from houses like Billecart-Salmon age beautifully. Extended aging on lees in the cellars, followed by rest in the bottle, transforms the initial fruity lightness into a fascinating complexity, offering a unique experience for the connoisseur.

• Appearance: The initial rosé evolves towards coppery, orangey hues, revealing maturity.
• Nose: The primary notes give way to a tertiary bouquet of honey, brioche, dried fruit, rancio, and sometimes delicate undergrowth, while retaining a touch of candied red fruit.
• Palate: The mousse is more delicate. The wine gains in complexity, displaying a buttery texture and mature aromas, carried by a still present acidity which guarantees its vivacity.

Collection Conditions: An Untouched Rarity

For a Champagne of this age, the condition of the bottle is a guarantee of its quality:

• Level: Perfect (in the bottleneck).
• Label/Cap: Slightly stained and worn but beautiful
• Colour : Very beautiful and perfectly clear (difficult to capture in a photo)
• Overall condition : Very good

Tasting Suggestions

Serve very chilled (8°C) in a wide flute or white wine glass:

• Ideal as an aperitif to impress.
• It enhances a dish of smoked salmon or sushi.
• Perfect with soft cheeses with bloomy rinds (Brie, Coulommiers).
• It also pairs very well with a dessert of candied red fruits or an almond tart.