Christian Salmon
Billecart-Salmon
Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne 2015
So this is not exactly Elizabeth. It is the same fruit that goes into the Elizabeth, but they made it only as a vintage. They did not put the Elizabeth name on it. There reason is, they believed it wouldn’t last two generations.
As a vintage, it is better than their N/V but not up to most Elizabeth’s I’ve had. However, it is about half the price of Elizabeth w/o less than half the quality.
It was a bit better than 93, 93.4 so I rounded down. — 2 months ago
Billecart-Salmon
Le Clos Saint-Hilaire Brut Blanc de Noirs 2005
Prior notes continue to apply…
When we visited Billecart-Salmon in October of 2021, we received a tour of the stunning estate. Along the way, our guide, Jerome, paused near a traditional “Clos” (a single vineyard, enclosed by a wall) on the property.
We could see a beautiful stone wall, surrounding a tiny 1 hectare parcel of “Clos Saint-Hilaire,” named after the Patron Saint & local church in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, where Billecart-Salmon is located.
Although we didn’t go into the Clos, we learned about how special this parcel is to the family; how it’s exclusively planted to Pinot Noir with vines dating back to 1964; how work in the vineyard is performed by hand and horse-drawn plows; how this parcel is farmed according to an age-old savoir-faire, adhering to principles of sustainable viticulture.
The wine is pale gold with a prominent bouquet of yellow apple, Anjou pear, raspberry, lemon curd, white peach, white blossom, desiccated white rose, wet stones, biscuit, brioche, almond paste, marzipan, crusty croissant, pie crust, toast, creamy texture and persistent, fine-beaded mousse and long elegant finish.
This is a 2005 “Blanc de Noirs” Champagne, comprised of 100% Pinot Noir, all coming from Le Clos Saint Hilaire, vinified entirely in oak casks to lend texture and body, and aged over 13 years sur lie prior to its recent release. Due to the vineyard’s small size, production is very limited, and wine only produced in the best vintages.
Cheers to beautiful wines expressing a singularity of time and place!
Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire (2005). — 18 days ago
Billecart-Salmon
Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne
This is the Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru with fruit sourced from Avize, Chouilly, Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger from mostly the 2017 vintage and some from the 2016 vintage. Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The NV BdB Grand Cru pours a light straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is youthful with notes of tart fruit: green apple, star fruit, split almonds, limestone minerals. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. This is super fresh and easy to love, in the house style. Drink now but could easily be cellared for years. Disgorged Q2 of 2023. — 3 months ago
Billecart-Salmon
Brut Réserve Champagne Blend
Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils
Cuvée Guy Moreau Vaillons Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2025
Очень неплохой рабочий шардоне 3023 года. Выпито с супругой 9 августа 2025 на балконе Pendeli resort. — 3 days ago
Domaine Tempier
Bandol Rosé Blend 2023
Very light salmon in color.
Strong nose of limes, grapefruits, light red fruits, citrus, green apples, earth and minerals.
Medium bodied with medium acidity. Crisp and refreshing.
Dry on the palate with light strawberries, limes, grapefruits, bitter herbs and earth.
Tangy finish with limes and light earth.
This is a refreshing Rosé from Bandol. Well balanced and easy drinking. Showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel.
Still young, and needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly, but already starting to drink very nicely.
Good by itself or with food.
91 points.
$50. — a month ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
94 that’s drifting towards 95. Hour decant.
Christian Moueix’s Oakvile property that sits to the north of Dominus and located on the Oakville Bench. There are some that believe there is a bench & others who don’t. I guess it comes down to education & experience that determines one’s opinion.
First time having the Ulysses and is different than the single digit 2000’s of Dominus I’ve had. More a bit of Cabernet candy. Less herbal, gobs of melted dark chocolate to chocolate cake, dark currants & cassis.
The nose shows; dark, ruby, ripe, dark currants/cassis, black raspberry, blackberries, black cherries, black plum skin, plum, baked strawberries & hints of hovering raspberries. Melted dark chocolate bar to cake, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanillin, some fresh tobacco, steeped black tea, mid berry cola, moist clays, very light, fresh herbs, understated dark spice, whiffs of graphite, dry river stone, dry brush, slightly withering; dark, red, blue & purple flowers.
The palate has M+ rounded, velvety tannins. It’s ripe, rich & lush; dark currants/cassis, black raspberry, blackberries, black cherries, black plum skin, plum, baked strawberries & hints of hovering raspberries. Melted dark chocolate bar to cake, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanillin, cocoa powder, caramel, some fresh tobacco w/ ash, sandalwood to cedar, mid used leather notes, steeped black tea, mid berry cola, anise to black licorice, dark spice with some palate heat, moist clays, very light, fresh herbs, understated dark spice, more pronounced graphite, dry top soils, dry crushed limestone, volcanics, dry river stone, dry brush, slightly withering; dark, red, blue & purple flowers-violets, excellent, round city with an elegant, lush, balanced, well kitted & tensioned, polished finish that lasts 90 seconds landing on fruit with softened earthiness.
Roughly 9 yrs in bottle & is just starting to reveal nice integration & evolution. Still acceding & has 15 plus yrs of life ahead of it, properly stored of course.
Paired w/ a Wagyu Ribcap.
I’ve been fortunate to sit next to Christian Moueix at dinner twice and he is authentic/genuine & humble as it gets.
Photos of; Ulysses winery, Christian Moueix, Cabernet fruit and their estate vineyard. — 19 days ago