Ratings & Tasting Notes:
98 points James Suckling
Review Date: 07/2018
Very impressive depth and detail here. The freshness is staggering. Citrus and grilled-hazelnut aromas lead to a palate that has a very concentrated, slightly creamy and taut feel. Super long and dense with lemon curd, white peaches and a toasty build to the finish. Superb!
97 points Wine Advocate
Review Date: 08/2019
The 2002 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François was disgorged in January 2015 with four grams per liter dosage, and it’s showing superbly, wafting from the glass with a complex bouquet that mingles confit citrus, peach and dried papaya with nuances of iodine, brioche and honeycomb. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, broad and vinous, with a rich and layered core that’s underpinned by serious structure and tension, concluding with a long and precise finish. This is one of the finest wines Billecart has released in the last decade, and it is well worth seeking out. (WK)
96 points Vinous
Review Date: 11/2020
The 2002 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is outrageously beautiful. The ripeness of the Chardonnay is front and center in a Champagne that delivers the goods, big-time. An infusion of apricot, orange peel, crème brûlée, chamomile, hazelnut and honey give the 2002 its racy, exotic personality. I enjoy it most with bottle age, but the 2002 is undeniably beautiful right now. The 2002 is a stunning NFB. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, done partially in oak (20%). Dosage is 4 grams per liter. (AG)
96 points Wine Enthusiast
Review Date: 12/2013
With its ripe fruits, rich texture and layers of toast, this is a great wine. It shows the quality of the great 2002 vintage brilliantly. It’s complex and concentrated with an array of mature fruit flavors that combine to a structured whole. It will improve with age, so drink this great Champagne through 2025 and perhaps longer. *Cellar Selection* (RV)
Cult Wines International Notes:
The 2002 Billecart-Salmon ‘Cuvée Nicolas-Francois Billecart’ is the House’s top-tier vintage bottling, representing a pinnacle of traditional Champagne elegance and longevity. This prestige Cuvée is named after the founder and is only produced in the finest years from a blend of Grand Cru and Premier Cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
The highly lauded 2002 vintage is widely considered one of the greatest of the modern era, resulting in a wine of exceptional depth and concentration. Following long aging on the lees, this Champagne displays tremendous finesse, combining delicate notes of lemon curd, toasted almonds, and honeyed complexity with a vibrant, penetrating acidity. This Millésime is prized globally for its silky texture, impeccable balance, and extraordinary potential for further aging, making it highly sought after by collectors.
Bottle Size:
750 mL
Storage History:
Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.
Condition:
Please note: The bottle shown is the exact bottle being sold.
Some minor label damage. Otherwise outstanding condition.
