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| NEW ARRIVAL • IN STOCK |
| CHAMPAGNE |
| H. Billiot Fils |
| AMBONNAY GRAND CRU |
| (with updated
reviews) |
 |
 ...these are some of the finest Champagnes being made today, and I highly encourage readers to check them out. This is a superb set of wines from top to bottom. —Antonio Galloni, VINOUS Billiot’s wines are packed with plenty of flavor, yet they combine their depth with a rare elegance and harmony that sets them apart from many of their peers. They are also very much wines of place, and some of the purest expressions of Ambonnay to be found... — Peter Liem, CHAMPAGNE GUIDE  |
| Delicious,
classy and complex are attributes
everyone wants in a fine wine. (And if it’s
affordable, then even better.) Personifying all these virtues, CHAMPAGNE H. BILLIOT FILS champagnes have often become a go-to choice for wine loving crowd jaded by big Champagne house’s cliché. The Billiot name is one of the two pillars of the grand cru of Ambonnay along with their neighbour/friend Egly-Ouriet. The Billiots are also some of the loveliest and warmest people we’ve met in Champagne, utterly without guile and free from all pretensions, yet dead serious about their craft. Louis Billiot had a press in Ambonnay in the beginning of the 20th century, pressing grapes for Mumm and Moët & Chandon, but it was his grandson Henri Billiot who was responsible for the creation of the estate. Henri, being the eldest of five siblings, took the family’s holdings in Ambonnay and began producing estate-bottled champagne exclusively from grand cru vines. Henri’s son Serge Billiot took over the winemaking in 1954, and in the years to follow he expanded the range of wines and established the reputation of the estate.  Champagne H. Billiot Fils
five-hectares of vines are all in Ambonnay grand cru
village, spread over 18 parcels. Even more
impressive is that all but one of their parcels are
on the mid-slope, in the most favoured portion of
the vineyard area, expressing the classical
character of this famous village. All of the wines
are fermented in enameled steel tanks and the wines
are neither fined nor filtered. In addition, they do
not go through malolactic. “We have 100-percent
grand cru vines, which always give a high degree of
maturity,” says Serge, “so we don’t need the malo.” |
| I am a huge fan of the Henri Billiot estate in Ambonnay, and I find all of their wines to be well worth buying... I have a particular fondness, however, for Billiot’s Brut Rosé, one of my favorite rosés in all of Champagne. — Peter Liem The wines are made mainly in (enameled steel tanks), the malo avoided in the interests of fresh, precise, ethereal aromas in impressive balance with that profundity of flavours that still registers in my wine memory 15 years after I first encountered it. — Michael Edwards, THE FINEST WINES OF CHAMPAGNE |
| Serge officially retired in
2011, and today the estate is in the hands of his
daughter Laetitia Billiot. The champagnes
she releases continue to be a reliable source of
vinous goodness, reflective of the talent of the
vigneron and a model progeny of Ambonnay’s finest
terroirs. “The wines of Ambonnay are very vinous,
with a lot of strength,” says Laetitia, “but they
are also very fine, with delicacy and finesse. They
stay fresh for a long time.” The chalky, mineral laden soil of Ambonnay grand cru can be no more gregariously expressed than by CHAMPAGNE H. BILLIOT FILS. These champagnes do what truly great Champagne does best: to simultaneously quench and inspire thirst. They please people who seek happiness in the glass. We constantly received inquiry when these classic grand-cru Champagne will reappear and so take great pleasure to announce that they are now available in stock. Orders will be served on a first-come first-served basis, subject to final availability and written confirmation. The offer prices are valid only for order requests taken up to 23 June 2017. Full payment is required to secure confirmation. No further discount and no reservation is allowed. ** With thanks to references and quotes from Peter Liem’s invaluable online reference ChampagneGuide.net ** |
| The Offer |
| (updated review /
commentary in red) • PRICES ARE NETT, VALID UNTIL 23 JUNE 2017 • SUBJECT TO REMAINING UNSOLD & WRITTEN CONFIRMATION rosé & vintage  “...one of my favorite rosés in all of Champagne.” Peter Liem Brut Rosé Grand Cru S$ 75 / 750 ml, for 3-bottles or more S$ 80 / 750 ml 84 BOTTLES AVAILABLE (50% 2014, 25% 2013 and 2012; 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay with 8% red wine Pinot noir from 2012) Instead of a saignée, this is a blend of 4-8% red wine (Bouzy Rouge), vinified in wood for one year. The rosé from Billot is particularly celebrated for its expressiveness and highly vinous character. While Champagne lovers never can seem to get enough of rosé champagnes, the truth is that there are too few truly exciting rosé Champagnes in existence today. Billiot’s rosé, however, is a 100% grand cru wine from the juice from only the first pressing. It never fails to be a standout. It exudes a joyous, candid exuberance and is an epitome of class in a glass. A must-try for the new Champagne pilgrims as well as an essential feature in the cellar of the more seasoned collectors. “Packed with fruit, this is flowery and inviting, its flavors of strawberry, melon and pink grapefruit feeling ample in fragrance yet focused and enlivened by brisk acidity. It’s finely textured and harmoniously balanced, and like Billiot’s Brut Réserve based on the same harvest, it’s the best version of this cuvée that the estate has released in a long time.” Peter Liem 2012 Brut Millésime Grand Cru S$ 90 / 750 ml 24 BOTTLES AVAILABLE (70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay) With considerably more nuance, structure, and depth than the basic champagne, this vintage has only begun to develop its full potential after a few years in the cellar. It will develop into stunningly complex champagnes capable of taking your breath away. What’s more, this is vintage 2012 which many consider to be one of the recent most great vintages. For the cellar! “This is 70 percent pinot noir and 30 percent chardonnay, and like all of Billiot’s champagnes, it comes entirely from Ambonnay. It’s firm in structure and dense in flavor, showing the concentrated character of the vintage, yet it demonstrates finesse and poise as well, persisting on the palate with long, ample fragrance. Like many 2012s it remains notably youthful, needing several more years in the cellar to unwind, yet it appears to have all the requisite elements for a long and positive development.” Peter Liem “Billiot’s 2012 Brut Millésimé is a big, powerful wine that captures the natural intensity of Ambonnay. Even so, the 2012 is raw, tightly wound and in need of cellaring despite its considerable appeal and potential. There is no shortage of intensity to the dry, bracing finish.” Antonio Galloni prestige cuvées  “Cuvée Julie” Brut Grand Cru (vintage 2008) S$ 108 / 750 ml 36 BOTTLES AVAILABLE (50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay, 6 month in oak barrels, all 2008 fruits.) This second Tête de Cuvée is named for Laetitia’s daughter, Julie. The barrel-matured cuvée has a distinctive and individual character. It is a full-on expression of unbridled joie de vivre. This is laughter trapped in a bottle. A bold expression and the only cuvée raised in oak barrels, the “Julie” is a chewy, juicy wine that is a sumptuous companion for a vast option of gastronomy. We advise to serve this cuvée in a bigger glass to accentuate its vinosity and allow its gorgeous flamboyant aromas to expand. Pairs beautifully with many meat dishes, smoked foods, and flavourful dishes. “Made of equal parts pinot noir and chardonnay, this spent about five or six months in barrel. It has an unusually pronounced color, appearing almost like Billecart-Salmon rosé, and its fruit is concentrated and ripe, with a sleek structure and intense, soil-driven complexity. This is a remarkable expression of Ambonnay, and the finest Cuvée Julie that the estate has released so far.” Peter Liem “...a leviathan of vinosity and chalkiness.” Terry Theise “Cuvée Laetitia” Brut Grand Cru S$ 118 / 750 ml 48 BOTTLES AVAILABLE (A “solera” blend of 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir from vintage 1983 to 2013.) The flagship cuvée “Laetitia” which Serge created is one of the very rare solera-based champagnes around and let it be said that it does not exist for gimmicks. Serge Billiot has faithfully maintained vintage reserve wines every year since 1983 for the expressed intention of making this cuvée and the resulting wine is one of the most singular, unequivocally praised and iconic wines in the whole of Champagne: deep, complex, beguiling, multifaceted, contemplative and vinous. It defies categorisation because it masterfully blends the freshness of younger vintages with the autolytic complexity of the older reserve wines. There is always a tangy salinity in the finish of the “Laetitia” which lengthens, broadens and beckons interest. In short, it is and has always been a true and rare specimen of a spectacular yet understated mature Champagne. “This is drawn from a perpetual cuvée that contains selected vintages between 2013 and 1983. While Billiot has had some problems lately with oxidation in this cuvée, this release appears to be a return to form, showing a lively freshness and vibrant depth. It’s rich in body, its darkly toned fruit flavors complemented by underlying hints of bone broth and licorice, and it finishes with expressive length and detail.” Peter Liem “The NV Brut Cuvée Laetitia is superb in this release. Deep, powerful and intense, the Laetitia is absolutely striking from the very first taste. Scents of pear, mint and sage add to the wine’s eccentric yet captivating personality. In particular, the wine’s vertical structure really seems to give the wine energy in all directions.” 93 points, Antonio Galloni |
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ARTISAN CELLARS LATEST WINE LIST HERE >> This list outlines a compilation of artisanal wines that we carry. We take pride in the sourcing and provenance of our wines, from the most affordable to the higher ends. As importers, most of our wines come direct from the estates. We are proud to work with the most respected growers from every wine region, each of them representing the very best that their respective appellation is capable of producing. To augment our list, we occasionally include quality wines from only impeccable sources. Regardless of point of origin, we are always committed to shipping and storing them in ideal cellar conditions. Please write to sales@artisan-cellars.com or call us at +65 6838 0373 to inquire exact availability of wines, or to find out anything you wish to know our wines. |
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