A blend of fruit from mainly Grand Cru vineyards, this beautiful Champagne is now fully mature. With toasty characters, touches of fresher fruit and taut acidity, the wine has a little spice from wood fermentation. It is a great Champagne ready to drink.
97 points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (Dec 2023)
Lovely precision and drive to this with aromas of lemon curd, brioche, praline, apricots, pomelos, mandarin zest and salted caramel. It’s held together by a sharp, citrusy backbone of acidity, balanced with a fine, silky mousse. Both structure and softness here. Citrus fruit brightness on a beautifully elegant and seamless finish. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. 150 months on lees. 2.9g/L dosage. Drink or hold.
97 points, James Suckling (May 2023)
The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François was disgorged during the third quarter of 2022 with less than three grams per liter. It has a delicate, pure, clean bouquet with aromas of orchard fruits, spring flowers, honey and licorice, with hints of brioche and pastry with aeration. Medium to full-bodied, chiseled and crystalline, with racy acids and a chalky texture, the palate is tense and the finish is long, penetrating and salty. It exhibits perfect Billecart style, yet tension is present, a sign of the vintage. It is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir (sourced from Aÿ, Mareuil and Verzenay) and 40% Chardonnay from Mesnil, Chouilly and Cramant, and it matured 83% in tanks and 17% in old oak barrels.
96 points, Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)
The 2008 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is an electric, nervy Champagne that very much reflects the style of the year. Crushed rocks, mint, spice, dried herbs, hazelnut, lemon peel and marzipan are all beautifully laced together. The 2008 is just entering its first plateau of maturity, making it a fine choice for drinking now and over the next two decades, possibly more. The blend id 60% Pinot Noir (from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Ambonnay, Bouzy, Verzy and Verzenay) and 40% Chardonnay (from Mesnil, Chouilly and Cramant). It's a terrific effort, although I must add that a recent visit made it pretty clear that even better things lie ahead. Dosage is 4 grams per liter.
96 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (May 2023)
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