2002 Billecart-Salmon, Nicolas Francois 1x750ml

Vinous 95

The 2002 Brut Cuvee Nicolas Francois Billecart is a gorgeous, mature Champagne. Baked apple tart, spice, tangerine oil and white truffle abound. There’s tons of texture and body here, the result of an additional year of aging before bottling, a touch of new oak (18%) and the natural opulence of the year. Dosage is 3 grams per liter. Disgorged: June 2024. [Antonio Galloni, 04/25/2025]

Anticipated maturity: 2025-2035

Robert Parker 97

The 2002 Brut Cuvee Nicolas Francois 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. [William Kelley, 08/30/2019]

Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038