In the glass, a very luminous pale pink hue, almost peach, beneath a fine, steady stream of bubbles. The nose is discreet on opening, then reveals fresh red fruits — redcurrant, wild strawberry — lifted by a touch of citrus zest and a floral note. The palate surprises with its texture, both creamy…
THE CUVÉES OF MAISON BILLECART-SALMON
In the glass, a very luminous pale pink hue, almost peach, beneath a fine, steady stream of bubbles. The nose is discreet on opening, then reveals fresh red fruits — redcurrant, wild strawberry — lifted by a touch of citrus zest and a floral note. The palate surprises with its texture, both creamy and fluid: it glides over wild strawberry and finishes on a barely tangy raspberry note, with no perceptible sugar, as the dosage is extra brut, around 5 g/L. Serve chilled, between 8 and 10 °C, in a tulip glass rather than a flute; it is best enjoyed within two to four years of purchase.
Le Rosé is a rosé d'assemblage built on the three Champagne grape varieties: 45% chardonnay from the finest crus of Champagne, 35% pinot noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne, 20% meunier from the Vallée de la Marne and the southern slopes of Épernay (proportions of the 2020 base). The colour comes from a small proportion of pinot noir vinified as red wine, mostly in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, the house's home village. The wines ferment slowly, at low temperature, in stainless steel vats — the house method since 1958 — then the cuvée rests for 36 months on lees before being dosed extra brut, around 5 g/L. This reference is the bare 75 cl bottle, delivered without a gift box: exactly the same wine as the boxed version, at the price of the bottle alone.
The house of Billecart-Salmon was born in 1818 in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ from the marriage of Nicolas François Billecart and Élisabeth Salmon: he ran the business, while his brother-in-law Louis Salmon, an oenology enthusiast, crafted the wines. Two centuries later, it remains independent and family-run, led by the seventh generation around Mathieu Roland-Billecart, with Florent Nys as cellar master. The turning point came in 1958, when Jean Roland-Billecart borrowed from brewers the technique of long fermentation at low temperature and cold settling: this is where the freshness and finesse that define all the house's wines come from.
Rosé is the cherished child of this philosophy. In the 1970s, Jean Roland-Billecart decided to rework rosé champagne, aiming for a very pale colour, a taste of freshness and a few notes of red fruit, going against the more deeply coloured rosés of the time. The gamble made Le Rosé the iconic cuvée of Billecart-Salmon, today dosed extra brut. Without a gift box, it's the bottle you keep for yourself.
The wine's citrus zest brings out the shrimp, and its creamy texture stands up to the buttery pastry: the aperitif takes on a festive air without overpowering the rosé.
The pairing recommended by the house with raw langoustines: the sweet, briny flesh of the prawns meets the red fruit of the rosé, and the extra brut dosage keeps the whole pairing crisp.
The richness of the salmon calls for a pale, fresh rosé: the strawberry and raspberry notes of the wine act as a condiment, and the tangy finish revives every bite.
Claire D.
Verified customer reviewThe same Rosé, without the box
I always buy it without the gift box: it’s for us, not for giving. Pale colour, strawberry, raspberry, very fine bubbles. Served well chilled with salmon, it was perfect. Bottle well protected on delivery.
Julien R.
Verified customer reviewVery good aperitif rosé
A fine, fresh rosé, noticeably less sweet than the ones I knew. A bit pricey, but it’s Billecart-Salmon and the price without the box stays reasonable. Carefully packed.
