Billecart-Salmon Les Clos Saint-Hilaire Blanc de Noirs Brut

Billecart-Salmon Les Clos Saint-Hilaire Blanc de Noirs Brut

$820.00
6 + $738.00 each
12 + $684.70 each
Out of stock

Vintage

1998

Size

750ml

Country

France

Region

Champagne

Description

Le Clos Saint-Hilaire has no right to its profound echelon. It is but a premier cru, although this is more a reflection on the inadequacies of an oversimplified cru system. More significantly, in soil (deeper and less chalky than, for instance, the Clos des Goisses at the other end of the village), and in aspect (due east, far from the sought-after south-facing orientation), it has no claims to greatness. It is but a near flat expanse beside the press house in the village. The genius of François Domi and the painstaking attention to detail of Billecart play a dramatic role. I could not name another wine at this level, anywhere in the world, of which the same could be said.


Alongside Krug Clos d’Ambonnay, Billecart Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is the king of blanc de noirs. It was conceived as Antoine and François Roland-Billecart stood on the wall of the clos late one night during harvest in 1995. With plenty of red wine in stock for rosé, they decided they could afford to put this pinot noir in the cellar for a decade to see how it looked on its own. With no barrels in the house, Antoine drove a big truck to Olivier Leflaive in Meursault just before vintage, returned with 25 barrels, and Le Clos Saint-Hilaire was born.

 

To stand in this place and behold Le Clos Saint­-Hilaire is a time­-stopping experience that will stir the depths of your soul. It's twilight won’t fade for at least another 15 years. 100 points - Tyson Stelzer