Provenance

Private Client

Critics Ratings

'The 1998 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François is an attractive, exotic wine. Hints of tropical fruit, hazelnut, dried flowers, spice, apricot jam, chamomile and tangerine oil show the gentle patina of time. The 1998 is mature or close to it, but it also has plenty of life ahead of it. This is an impressive showing, and such a pleasant surprise. At the same time, the wines of the present day clearly have greater finesse. Dosage is 5.8 grams per liter.' - Antonio Galloni, Vinous, 95/100 (Mar 2023)

'The 1998 Cuveé Nicolas François Billecart (60% Pinot, 40% Chardonnay) is another beautiful wine. The aromas are especially captivating and highly suggestive of Pinot, but the Chardonnay seems to take center stage on the palate, where the fruit is highly expressive. Like the Blanc de Blancs, the wine saw 50% malolactic fermentation and only 5% of the wine was aged in oak as the estate was in its early days of using oak and wisely chose a moderate approach.’ - Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate, 94/100 (Dec 2008)

‘Mature and savoury, this 1998 presents invitingly dark-fruited Pinot characters with blackberry and dried raspberry notes, enriched with browned pastry and honey. Tertiary complexity is creeping in with hints of seaweed and spice, and the palate shows some candied citrus weight typical of the year, alongside an alluring buttery richness. A fine 1998. Made from 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay, with 1.5% barrel fermentation.’ - Tom Hewson, Decanter.com, 94/100 (May 2023)

‘Disgorged in 2009, the 1998 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François is arriving at full maturity, wafting from the glass with aromas of mandarin oil, warm biscuits, dried fruits and spices. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, elegantly creamy and enveloping, with a textural but incisive profile, lively acids and a long, sapid finish.’ - William Kelley, Wine Advocate, 93/100 (Aug 2019)