2006 Billecart-Salmon Nicolas-Francois

60% Pinot Noir from premiers crus of Montagne de Reims and Vallé de la Marne. 40% Côte de Blancs. 5% fermented in 15-year-old pièces. Dosage 6 g/l. Deep gold. Very flirtatious nose soars out of the glass. Transparent and delicate. Firm and still quite structured and backward. Very immediate on the nose. Not that dense but a very confident blend. 18 points

The 2006 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François is showing superbly, bursting with aromas of warm bread, citrus oil, wild berries, smoke and gingerbread. On the palate, it`s full-bodied, broad and voluminous, with a concentrated and fleshy core, chalky dry extract and lively acids despite the vintage, concluding with a saline finish. It was disgorged in April 2018 with 5.5 grams per liter dosage, and it`s the usual blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, derived from Verzenay, Ambonnay, Ay and Mareuil-sur-Ay, as well as the Grands Crus of the Côte de Blancs, emphasizing Mesnil. 95 points