Billecart-Salmon's 2018 250th Anniversary Cuvée: Two Centuries of Champagne, One Bottle
Billecart-Salmon is one of the few Champagne houses that can claim two centuries of uninterrupted family vision, and one of even fewer that has done so with such grace, precision, and consistency. All seven generations of Billecarts who have led the house have adhered to the motto “Give priority to quality, strive for excellence,” and this philosophy is reflected in the consistently elegant wines across their portfolio.
The 2018 250th Anniversary Cuvée marks two milestones at once: the house's 200th birthday and the 250th anniversary of American independence—fitting, since the U.S. was one of Billecart's first export markets and remains one of its most important. The Statue of Liberty on the label isn't a gimmick. It's a genuine acknowledgment of a relationship that has lasted as long as the house itself. And this bottling is available exclusively in the U.S. market. If you're reading this, it was made for you.
The Vintage: Why 2018 Is Complicated—and Why That Matters
Along with marking the 200th anniversary of Billecart-Salmon, the 2018 growing season in Champagne was undeniably notable. The vintage was defined by record-breaking heat, high yields, and the earliest harvest on record—a recipe sure to please both houses and growers. However, for Champagne connoisseurs, these traits can be frightening. Such conditions tend to produce fruit high in sugar and low in acidity, leading to rounder, more generous wines that may lack freshness. For Billecart-Salmon, a house whose entire winemaking identity is built around preserving freshness through cool fermentation, 2018 was a challenge they were uniquely equipped to meet. After tasting the wine, I am happy to report that they succeeded.
What's in the Bottle
The wine is composed of 65% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and 35% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, with all fruit sourced from Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards. Ninety-seven percent of the wine was vinified in stainless steel to preserve freshness, and it received a restrained dosage of 4.9 g/L, allowing the natural sweetness and concentration of the 2018 fruit to provide the wine’s richness. The nose leads with mineral notes of crushed rock, complemented by aromas of toasted sourdough developed during the 63 months the wine spent sur latte. The personality of the 2018 vintage reveals itself through ripe red apple and pear aromas. The palate is where this bottle truly crescendos—rarely have I tasted a wine balanced by such extremes. Mouth-filling richness, possible only through high-quality ripe fruit, is balanced by salinity and laser-sharp acidity. The finish is persistent, with none of these pronounced qualities lingering alone.
The 2018 Billecart-Salmon 250th Anniversary Vintage Champagne $119.99 is a great bottle of Billecart-Salmon—one that exemplifies the house motto by prioritizing quality and achieving excellence. I am happy to be an American in this moment, as this bottling is available exclusively in the U.S. market, and I would very much like to drink more of it. Don’t miss your chance to experience this remarkable bottle!
- Graham Collis, K&L Redwood City (and currently working harvest in Germany!)
I am completing the winemaking certificate program at UC Davis, and hope to one day make some super interesting wine. I am so excited to be at K&L where I have the opportunity to learn about wines from all around the world, and the customers that buy them.