Billecart-Salmon Extra Brut Champagne 2006 1.5L

97 points James Suckling: "This shows depth and richness without being heavy. Complex aromas of sliced apple and peach follow through to a full body, with ultra-fine tannins and a long, layered finish. This is so vinous and flavorful. One-third fermented in barrel and no dosage. What a great wine, great Champagne. The winemaker says it looks you straight in the eyes. 80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay. (9/26/14)"

94 points Peter Moser (Falstaff): "Light golden yellow; very fine mousse. Delicate nuances of red cherry, yellow plum, hints of caramel and white peach, a touch of baby banana. Juicy, round and creamy on the palate, discreet fruit expression on the finish, subtle orange echo, rather timid acidity, thus even as zero dosage it seems a little sweeter and more opulent than expected, discreet salty note on the back palate. (11/21/19)"

94 points Wine Enthusiast: "Billecart-Salmon's style is dry, so an Extra Brut will be almost bone-dry. This wine is crisp and tight, bringing out grapefruit and citrus flavors and a steely, mineral character. It is still young, with freshness dominant, and needs to mature to blossom into a very fine Champagne. Drink from 2018. Alcohol 12%. (Dec 2015)"

92 points Tyson Stelzer (The Champagne Guide): "(disgorged June 2014 and August 2015; 75% pinot noir from Ay; Mareuil-sur-Ay, Ambonnay, Rilly-la-Montagne, Verzenay, Verzy; 25% chardonnay from Côte des Blancs; a little less than 20% pinot barrel-fermented; partial malolactic fermentation; aged 6 years on lees; 3g/L dosage). Billecart is striving for more personality in its wines, and this release reveals the character and dry structure of a ripe season, showcasing the diversity of the house in bridging its elegant cuvées and its richer sous bois style. This cuvée has evolved into a more savoury and secondary style, with a frull straw yellow--hue, contrasting the roast nuts, brioche, spice and honey of lees age with the grilled toast and gunpowder of reduction. In the current arc in its evolution it lacks generosity, the ripe white peach and grilled pineapple of the season having faded, and its firm, dry phenolic structure and grapefruit pith grip remaining, accented by partial barrel fermentation. This is purposely a food champagne and is true to a lesser vintage, though it finishes with good length of expansive pinot noir presence and well-integrated dosage. (2018-2019)"

92 points Wine Spectator: "Flavors of crunchy pear, pink grapefruit zest and ground ginger ride a lively bead set in a firm and toasty frame in this sleek Champagne. Smoky finish. Drink now through 2026. (2015)"

** Peter Liem (ChampagneGuide.net): "This is a blend of three-quarters pinot noir and one-quarter chardonnay, and ten percent of it was vinified in barrel. It certainly feels firmly pinot-driven, showing ripe notes of cherry and blackberry that are wrapped up in a tightly wound structure, and it takes some time to reveal itself in the glass. It's energetic and extroverted, demonstrating power without appearing overly opulent, and it feels finely delineated and subtly detailed on the finish, pinned down by an elegant chalkiness and prominent acidity. Last tasted: 11/14."