2013 Billecart

I’m a big fan of matching wine vintages to special occasions. My husband and I were married in 2013, so on our anniversary, I love a nice 2013 bottle of bubbly.

This year, we enjoyed this gorgeous 2013 Billecart-Salmon. (It’s not currently available on wine.com, but they do have 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 & 2016 varieties if those are special years for you. )

The 2013 Billecart was soft and creamy, with beautiful brioche notes from the Chardonnay. It was lovely and rich with a nice, but muted acidity, and some great structure thanks to the Pinot Noir grapes. I would’ve liked more fizz, but I am almost always looking for more bubbles, and vintage Champagne isn’t usually the place for that.

If you’ve never had a Champagne with a little age on it, you’re in for a treat. It’s a different experience than cracking open a fresh bottle of bubby, but it’s just as much fun.

Expect more richness and elegance…a little more roundness, and a little less fizz, but plenty of vibrance. An older Champagne may not be as perky as the younger model, but it’s certainly not flat. 😉

A few notes on aging Champagne:

1. Do not keep Non Vintage (NV) Champagnes long term. These are not designed for aging and should be consumed in 1-3 years. How do you know if you have Vintage or NV Champagne? Look for a year on the label, If there isn’t one, it is NV, and you shouldn’t hang onto it.

   Still confused? Here are two examples:

   Non Vintage (NV): Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. No year on the bottle, great Champagne, drink it within 3 years.
   Vintage: Dom Perignon always has a year on it. They only make Champagne in years when the harvest is good enough. You can keep it for a long time.
   

2. Vintage Champagnes can be stored for decades. I’ve had 20-25 year old Dom Perignons that are absolutely perfect. Buying already aged Champagnes can be expensive. (It’s not unusual to spend $375+ on a vintage Champagne from a great year, if it’s more than a decade old.) Consider buying vintage Champagnes in the years they’re released and hanging onto them for a better value.
   

3. No matter how long you plan to keep them, please store all Champagnes on their side, and never on the door of your fridge. The opening and closing of the door causes rattling that will release the bubbles in your bubbly over time. It is NOT a problem to store your Champagne standing up in the fridge (on a shelf, not on the door!!) short term if you’re just chilling your Champagne to serve it.
   

Chin!

ps-This 2013 Billecart was terrific, but if you’re looking for a NV Champagne, I’m also a tremendous fan of their rosé Champagne. It’s one of my all time favorites. Their NV Brut Reserve is also really good.