Billecart-Salmon : Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart 2002

There's a buoyant, almost ethereal quality to this elegant Champagne, offering a rich range of blackberry pâte de fruit, crystallized honey, grilled nut and oyster shell flavors, set on a fine, chalky mousse. Long and mouthwatering, with a clean, citrus-infused finish. Drink now through 2027. 1,500 cases imported.

Very impressive depth and detail here. The freshness is staggering. Citrus and grilled-hazelnut aromas lead to a palate that has a very concentrated, slightly creamy and taut feel. Super long and dense with lemon curd, white peaches and a toasty build to the finish. Superb! Drink or hold.

The 2002 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is a gorgeous, mature Champagne. Baked apple tart, spice, tangerine oil and white truffle abound. There's tons of texture and body here, the result of an additional year of aging before bottling, a touch of new oak (18%) and the natural opulence of the year. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: June 2024.

How can one resist this superb cuvée, driven by a straight, pure, saline backbone. The wine is perfectly poised and stretches out incredibly. A great bottle.

The nose is aromatic/fruit-driven, delicate, very elegant, beautifully handled, and offers lovely fruit ripeness. It reveals notes of white peach, apple, mirabelle plum, and crème brûlée, combined with very fine hints of cane sugar, roasted/toasted nuts, roasted pineapple, a touch of nectarine compote, and an imperceptible hint of oak. The palate is fruity, fine, delicate, elegant, suave, and offers creaminess, linearity, good fruit ripeness, lovely freshness, a very appealing richness, and a certain roundness. The effervescence is creamy, very fine, lively, and highly elegant. On the palate, this Champagne expresses very delicate notes of lemon and pineapple, complemented by a discreet touch of clementine, pear, and nuts, as well as very subtle hints of stewed fruit, custard, spices, and a very discreet hint of honey on the finish. Good length and beautiful persistence. Suavity on the finish. A very lovely Champagne!

With its ripe fruits, rich texture and layers of toast, this is a great wine. It shows the quality of the great 2002 vintage brilliantly. It's complex and concentrated with an array of mature fruit flavors that combine to a structured whole. It will improve with age, so drink this great Champagne through 2025 and perhaps longer.