Billecart-Salmon Brut Champagne Sous Bois NV

Non-Vintage Sparkling Wine from Champagne, France
JD 94
JS 94
AG 93
WS 93
WE 93
W&S 93
12.0% ABV
Item # 333722

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$78.95
List $100.00   Save $21.05

750ml
In stock 12+ Available
94 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "The NV Champagne Sous Bois Brut pours a medium yellow to deeper straw hue, and the nose is warming and more generous with notes of toast, red fruit of ripe raspberry, spice, and espresso. The palate is rounded, with rich texture though dry, offering notes of orange peel and currant. It has a silky texture and a fairly long finish, with ripe concentration. It is drinking well now and should drink well over the next 15 years. Drink: 2022-2037. (11/7/22)"

94 points James Suckling: "Attractive and complex nose of salted almonds, apricots, figs, raspberries and white chocolate. Tangy green apples, too. Fine bubbles here, with vibrant acidity and sleek, integrated layers. Dry and rich yet all in balance. Equal parts chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier, with about 30% reserve wines. Aged six years on lees. Drink now. (3/6/23)"

93 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "Rich, radiant and resonant, the Brut NV Sous Bois is wonderfully expressive. Dried orchard fruit, spice and chamomile build nicely with aeration. This release is based on 2015 with 40% reserve wines, a blend that works so well. Delicate floral and dried herb notes linger. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: 2nd quarter 2022. Drink: 2023-2030. (May 2023)"

93 points Wine Spectator: "Fragrant, with hints of graphite, cherry blossoms and spices, revealing a firm frame of vivid acidity that's tightly meshed with flavors of blackberry tart, lemon granita and salted Marcona almond. Shows a raw silk–textured mousse that carries a chalky note on the finish. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Disgorged spring 2022. Drink now through 2026. (11/30/23)"

93 points Wine Enthusiast: "[$100 list] Fermented in wood, as its name suggests, this Champagne does have a toasty character that has transmuted into maturity with spice. It is now ready to drink. (Dec 2023)"

93 points Wine & Spirits: "This is equal parts chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, pinot noir from Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, and pinot meunier from the Marne Valley, all fermented and aged in oak casks, without undergoing malolactic conversion. One-third of the blend is reserve wines, married over the course of six years on the lees in bottle. The latest release buzzes with limestone freshness and the pale herbal richness of chamomile flowers. A stylish blend with earthiness that powers through it. (2022)"

92 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(2011 base vintage; 33% premier and grand cru chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, 33% premier and grand cru pinot from the Montagne de Reims, especially Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, 33% meunier from the right bank of the Vallée de la Marne; 30–35% reserves; vinified and aged in oak casks at low temperature; partial malolactic fermentation; aged 6–7 years on lees; 7g/L dosage). Sous bois is literally ‘under wood’, inspired by oak-fermented parcels destined for Billecart’s top cuvées. Its aspiration is to uphold the mandate of Billecart in freshness, tightness and elegance. The savoury grip of 2011 is well massaged by the generous richness of the style, and oak fermentation is unashamedly the lead act here. Idealistically, method should never trump terroir or season, but when vintage presents so little worthy of showcasing, this is the ideal. An epic, swirling current of impressive magnitude and richness sweeps up deep strokes of caramel, honey, crème brûlée and roast nuts, all holding long on the finish amidst impressive line of tangy lemon juice acidity and fine chalk minerality. It’s silky, creamy, buttery and unashamedly bold, a sure victory for a dismal season. (2020-2021)"

92 points Essi Avellan, MW: "34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir, 33% Pinot Meunier. On the nose, there is a soft, vanilla-laden depth of notable oakiness as a result of all the base wines being vinified and aged in oak. It is unapologetically pronounced and graciously free of any oxidative tones. The bold richness continues on the palate, which comes with an accentuated acidity that beautifully cuts the power of the wine and brings liveliness. Full of fruit and flavour, this is a beautiful assemblage of equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. This will take age, too. Dosage 7g/l. (Aug 2022)"
94 points Audrey Frick (JebDunnuck.com): "The NV Champagne Sous Bois Brut pours a medium yellow to deeper straw hue, and the nose is warming and more generous with notes of toast, red fruit of ripe raspberry, spice, and espresso. The palate is rounded, with rich texture though dry, offering notes of orange peel and currant. It has a silky texture and a fairly long finish, with ripe concentration. It is drinking well now and should drink well over the next 15 years. Drink: 2022-2037. (11/7/22)"

94 points James Suckling: "Attractive and complex nose of salted almonds, apricots, figs, raspberries and white chocolate. Tangy green apples, too. Fine bubbles here, with vibrant acidity and sleek, integrated layers. Dry and rich yet all in balance. Equal parts chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier, with about 30% reserve wines. Aged six years on lees. Drink now. (3/6/23)"

93 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "Rich, radiant and resonant, the Brut NV Sous Bois is wonderfully expressive. Dried orchard fruit, spice and chamomile build nicely with aeration. This release is based on 2015 with 40% reserve wines, a blend that works so well. Delicate floral and dried herb notes linger. Dosage is 5 grams per liter. Disgorged: 2nd quarter 2022. Drink: 2023-2030. (May 2023)"

93 points Wine Spectator: "Fragrant, with hints of graphite, cherry blossoms and spices, revealing a firm frame of vivid acidity that's tightly meshed with flavors of blackberry tart, lemon granita and salted Marcona almond. Shows a raw silk–textured mousse that carries a chalky note on the finish. Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Disgorged spring 2022. Drink now through 2026. (11/30/23)"

93 points Wine Enthusiast: "[$100 list] Fermented in wood, as its name suggests, this Champagne does have a toasty character that has transmuted into maturity with spice. It is now ready to drink. (Dec 2023)"

93 points Wine & Spirits: "This is equal parts chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, pinot noir from Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, and pinot meunier from the Marne Valley, all fermented and aged in oak casks, without undergoing malolactic conversion. One-third of the blend is reserve wines, married over the course of six years on the lees in bottle. The latest release buzzes with limestone freshness and the pale herbal richness of chamomile flowers. A stylish blend with earthiness that powers through it. (2022)"

92 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(2011 base vintage; 33% premier and grand cru chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, 33% premier and grand cru pinot from the Montagne de Reims, especially Aÿ and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, 33% meunier from the right bank of the Vallée de la Marne; 30–35% reserves; vinified and aged in oak casks at low temperature; partial malolactic fermentation; aged 6–7 years on lees; 7g/L dosage). Sous bois is literally ‘under wood’, inspired by oak-fermented parcels destined for Billecart’s top cuvées. Its aspiration is to uphold the mandate of Billecart in freshness, tightness and elegance. The savoury grip of 2011 is well massaged by the generous richness of the style, and oak fermentation is unashamedly the lead act here. Idealistically, method should never trump terroir or season, but when vintage presents so little worthy of showcasing, this is the ideal. An epic, swirling current of impressive magnitude and richness sweeps up deep strokes of caramel, honey, crème brûlée and roast nuts, all holding long on the finish amidst impressive line of tangy lemon juice acidity and fine chalk minerality. It’s silky, creamy, buttery and unashamedly bold, a sure victory for a dismal season. (2020-2021)"

92 points Essi Avellan, MW: "34% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir, 33% Pinot Meunier. On the nose, there is a soft, vanilla-laden depth of notable oakiness as a result of all the base wines being vinified and aged in oak. It is unapologetically pronounced and graciously free of any oxidative tones. The bold richness continues on the palate, which comes with an accentuated acidity that beautifully cuts the power of the wine and brings liveliness. Full of fruit and flavour, this is a beautiful assemblage of equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Meunier. This will take age, too. Dosage 7g/l. (Aug 2022)"
Product SKU 333722
Producer Billecart-Salmon
Country France
Region Champagne
Varietal Champagne / Sparkling Blend
Vintage NV
Size 750ml
Color White
Blend Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay in equal parts
ABV 12.0%
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