Members -- 19 hours ago
Return to roots: Billecart-Salmon's top cuvée contains past, present and future
A Blanc des Noirs from illustrious champagne house Billecart-Salmon brings ancestral savoir-faire to the fore
Words: Aobh O'Brien-Moody
Not every champagne is created equal. In the case of Billecart-Salmon’s top cuvée, Le Clos Saint-Hilaire, humble farm animals take a cut of the credit. In recent years, the 207-year-old Maison – which has long relied on organic and biodynamic-inspired farming methods – has made a timely return to the ancient art of champagne production. Organically farmed, the Clos is manually ploughed by work horses; once the horses have paid their dues, sheep are enlisted to graze the harvested grass, fertilising the soil.
A novel approach, sure, but this return to a centuries-old Champenois method of maintaining the soil and tending the vines is a pragmatic one, too. It increases porosity and biodiversity: the roots grow deep and the minerals they extract from the soil foster the growth of smaller, more concentrated grapes, in time revealing the unique characteristics and flavours of this generous terroir. The result, once vilified in oak casks, is an outstandingly pure mono cru, which is enhanced by Billecart-Salmon’s decision to add minimal liqueur after disgorgement in order to showcase the typicality of the singular Pinot Noir grape.
Billecart-Salmon’s Le Clos Saint-Hilaire 2007
Named after the patron saint of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ – home of Billecart-Salmon since the marriage of Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon in 1818 – the Clos Saint-Hilaire is a single one-hectare plot of Pinot Noir vines that were planted in 1964 by a fifth generation member of the Billecart family, Jean Roland-Billecart. After many years of painstakingly tending the vines, Billecart-Salmon was rewarded with a remarkable harvest in 1995, resulting in the very first Clos Saint-Hilaire vintage. Just a few years later, the 2002 vintage was awarded the prestigious score of 100 points by internationally acclaimed wine critic James Suckling. Currently, the house is on its wonderfully ageable 2007 vintage.
The Clos Saint-Hilaire plot was planted in 1964
Over the decades, Billecart-Salmon’s small pocket of land, a verdant oasis in the historic hillsides of Champagne, has continuously evolved into a haven for biodiversity and a vision of the ideal vineyard of future champagne-making. Surrounded by a two and a half-metre wall, the Clos benefits from a microclimate that protects the plot from extreme temperatures and outside humidity. Birdhouses, insect hotels and hedgehog huts exist alongside over 40 trees and countless shrubs. There are also four beehives made from used champagne casks and several water points designed to cater to a diverse range of species, including a small pond with a beach. It’s a life-sized laboratory, and a compact yet crucial part of Maison Billecart-Salmon’s commitment to preserving the ancient relationship between land and winemaker.
Billecart-Salmon’s CEO Mathieu Roland-Billecart
Today, Billecart-Salmon is owned and run by seventh-generation family member, CEO Mathieu Roland-Billecart. Under his masterly guidance, the Clos Saint-Hilaire produces a limited release of between 3,500 and 6,000 individually numbered bottles per vintage. The extremely rare and distinguished cuvée appears golden with intense highlights of coppery pink and is characterised by hints of freshly candied citrus and ripened white and yellow fleshed fruits, with a finish of mineral chalkiness. Its elegance, harmony and complexity are testament to the rich Clos Saint-Hilaire terroir; Billecart-Salmon’s dedication to the use of ancestral savoir-faire; and its deep respect for the environment. Within one bottle exists past, present and future.
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