This complex Champagne has delicious aromas of waffle cones, vanilla beans, apricots and pastry with touches of white chocolate and salted caramel. It’s electric on the palate, which is creamy yet structured and focused, with a fine bead of bubbles and a zesty, tangy backbone of acidity. Long and tense finish. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay (all premier and grand cru), 10% of wines are vinified in oak casks. 10 years on lees. 3.8 g/L dosage. Disgorged in the second half of 2024. Drink or hold.
97 points, Claire Nesbitt, James Suckling (Mar 2025)
Billecart-Salmon’s 2012 Nicolas François marks the first release since 2008 and stands as another success. The fundamentals remain unchanged: settling and fermentation at low temperatures, a small proportion vinified in oak barrels and partial malolactic fermentation (20% was blocked in 2012). This vintage was characterized by a prolonged flowering period, significant rainfall and mildew pressure, resulting in a small crop. The harvest of fruit, which contributed to this cuvée, took place between September 17 and 22. "It was crucial to select only the ripest fruit, as maturation varied significantly between plots," explains Billecart’s head winemaker, Florent Nys. But what of the wine itself? Disgorged in May 2023 with a dosage of 3.8 grams per liter, it exudes aromas of candied lemon, honeysuckle and ripe peach, mingling with nuances of beeswax and orange zest. On the palate, it is full-bodied, ample and enveloping, boasting a layered, concentrated core, a chalky structure and mouthwatering acidity, despite the warm vintage. It concludes with a persistent, saline finish, hinting at the savory complexity that has emerged with such notable bottle age. Compared to the 2008, which remains tightly coiled, the 2012 is broader-shouldered and more demonstrative.
96 points, Kristaps Karklins, Wine Advocate (Apr 2025)
A composed, deeply refined nose unfolds with Granny Smith apple, macadamia and saline patisserie, accented by violet. The palate is poised and authoritative, its fine, persistent perlage carrying rose petal, fresh almond and a clean saline edge. Quietly powerful and precise, this has the drive and structure to age with distinction.
96 points, Anna-Christina Cabrales, Wine Enthusiast (Apr 2026)
A blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, the 2012 Champagne Nicolas François was aged in mostly stainless steel, with 10% in oak barrels, and was disgorged after a lengthy period on lees in March 2024. Rich and toasty, it’s brothy and lush with notes of baked apricot, preserved citrus, black cherry, and ample spice. Fleshy and full-bodied, it is ample in concentration, with a frothy mousse and a lasting, structured finish. Disgorged in April 2023 with 3.8 grams per liter dosage. Drink 2025-2040.
95 points, Audrey Frick, Jeb Dunnuck (Dec 2025)
The 2012 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart shows all the natural radiance of the year. There's gorgeous resonance and texture here. Apricot, spice, tangerine oil and lightly honeyed notes infuse the palate with notable depth and persistence. This rich, expansive Champage has a ton to offer. This release was disgorged nearly two years ago, which also adds to its complexity. Dosage is 3.8 grams per liter. Disgorged: May 2023.
95 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Apr 2025)
After the taut 2008 – a wine that leant heavily on the austerity of the year – the 2012 Nicolas François maintains an admirably frank and fat-free take on this intensely ripe, bright and concentrated vintage, further intensified by the recent move to lower dosage at the house. With its aromas of raspberry, pear and candied orange, the maturity of the year is certainly evident, although the wine carries a real squeeze of dried lemon-like maturing Chardonnay, feeling tight and racy right through to the close. Already showing some nutty maturity and brown pastry richness, it's a cuvée which has proven itself to age with aplomb over the last two decades. With a slightly finer natural balance and harmony than the 2008, the 2012 looks well set.
95 points, Tom Hewson, Decanter (Jan 2025)
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