Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve (1.5 L)

In 1958, Jean Roland-Billecart borrowed a technique from the brewing industry — double cold-settling of the must followed by fermentation held at ~13°C for 3–4 weeks (against an industry norm of 2–3 days) — and permanently altered the aromatic architecture of this house. That single decision is the reason Le Réserve tastes the way it does: aerially pure, tightly wound, and structurally precise rather than broad and toasty. The grapes are drawn from ~300 hectares across 40 crus within 20 km of Épernay, spanning chalk-dominant soils of the Montagne de Reims (Pinot Noir), Côte des Blancs (Chardonnay), and Vallée de la Marne (Pinot Meunier). Chalk here acts as both thermal regulator and water reservoir, driving the vertical tension that defines the house style. The blend runs ~40% Pinot Meunier, ~30% Chardonnay, ~30% Pinot Noir, with 50%+ reserve wines drawn from up to 15 back-vintages, vinified parcel-by-parcel in 150 individual 40-hl thermoregulated stainless tanks. Dosage is 3 g/L Extra Brut. What separates this magnum from the standard 75 cl is not merely volume: the 1.5 L format ages under lower oxygen-to-wine ratio, extending the lees-contact phase — currently averaging ~50 months in 17th-century chalk tunnels — and producing a creamier, more integrated mousse. The MyOrigin QR code on the back label discloses disgorgement date, dosage, and reserve wine composition per individual bottle.