Founded in 1818, this Champagne house belongs to those producers of the first hour, one could also say to the pioneers of Champagne production. The name originated from the marriage of Nicolas Francois Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon in precisely that founding year. An eventful history with mixed fortunes followed, for example when Charles Billecart returned home from the First World War to find not only the property badly damaged but also a ransacked cellar. However, Billecart-Salmon was and is always a somewhat special Champagne house.
It is considered the inventor of the modern and today extremely popular rosé Champagne; until the first bottle of Billecart-Salmon a rather mediocre and not too highly rated "Prickler".
Today, the house belongs to the Frey group of companies, which also owns the Bordeaux château La Lagune and the Rhône icon Jaboulet Ainé, though this has not changed the quality-oriented philosophy. The house calls 14 hectares its own, 140 hectares are leased, and to cover the need for grapes they purchase from another 50 hectares.
Unlike other Champagne producers, Billecart-Salmon places great value on the Pinot Meunier variety because of its freshness. Whilst both feet are firmly on the ground of tradition, the company is also open to change; more recently introduced are Champagnes whose base wines matured in small, used oak barrels.
Francois Domé is the man who pays meticulous attention to every step in production, working alongside vineyard manager Denis Blée.
Whether in gastronomy or among private connoisseurs, the Champagnes of Billecart-Salmon enjoy an excellent reputation because of their reliable high quality.
Route
