FRENCH WINE

WINE ADVOCATE 98 POINTS-"Entirely vinified in oak and disgorged in May 2018, after 15 years on the lees in bottle, the 2002 Millésime Brut Le Clos Saint-Hilaire is a single-plot Blanc de Noirs from Pinot Noir vines planted in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in 1964. Highly fine and pure on the deep, elegant and spicy nose, with intense mirabelle and apricot flavors, this is a pure, salty, very finessed yet tensioned, complex, mineral and refreshing Pinot with intense and well-concentrated fruit, a juicy texture and persistent structure. The finish is very long but pure, fresh, salty and, in any case, highly stimulating! Total production: 3,700 bottles. Tasted November 2018."

JAMES SUCKLING 98 POINTS - " A very composed Champagne with plenty of still fresh lemon and white cherry fruits on offer. There's impressive clarity, power and richness here. The nose has candied peach, strawberry, white cherry and grilled nuts. Very flavorsome palate with pastry flavors adding savory notes to the stone fruits and citrus. Toasted almonds and chalky minerals define the long finish. Still so young and powerful!

WINE ADVOCATE 97 POINTS - " 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."

WINE ENTHUSIAST 92 POINTS - "A rich wine, with delicious cream and apple flavors, lifted by fine acidity. It is opulent, packed with apricot and light honey character encased in a dry, mineral framework."