# Billecart-Salmon Vintage 2013 (2013)

- **Producer:** Billecart-Salmon
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** sparkling
- **Grapes:** Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier
- **Region:** Champagne, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €112
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lemon, cherry, yellow peach, pomelo, blueberry, toast point, shortbread, chestnut cream, butter, pastry, brioche, chalk, toast point, hazelnuts, marmalade, chopped almond, preserved lemon, minerally smoke

## About this wine

The Billecart-Salmon Vintage 2013 is a distinguished Champagne from the Champagne region of France. This Extra Brut sparkling wine is a product of a house with a deep-rooted history, founded in 1818 and maintained by the same family for seven generations. The 2013 vintage benefited from a mild summer and extended growing season, contributing to the wine's balanced profile. A key characteristic of this wine is its extended aging process, including over seven years spent on its lees and nine years of maturation in ancestral chalk cellars, underscoring the producer's dedication to developing complex and age-worthy Champagnes.

## Interesting facts

- Aged for over 7 years on lees.
- Nine years of maturation in chalk cellars.
- Extra Brut style with 3g/L dosage.
- Family-owned for seven generations.

## Food pairing

The wine's high acidity cuts through the richness of creamy sauces and fatty proteins, while its complexity complements delicate seafood. Citrus notes in the wine can echo citrus elements in dishes, and minerality can enhance the brininess of shellfish.

## Wine making process

The Billecart-Salmon Vintage 2013 is produced using the traditional method for Champagne. Following primary fermentation, a secondary fermentation in the bottle creates the wine's effervescence. A defining aspect of its production is the extended aging period, with the wine spending over seven years on its lees and an additional nine years maturing in the estate's chalk cellars. This lengthy maturation process is a deliberate choice to develop complexity and refine the wine's texture and aromas. The blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier is carefully selected to achieve the house's signature style.