Created as a tribute to Elisabeth Salmon, co-founder of the House of Billecart-Salmon, Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is one of the estate’s most prestigious and sought-after Champagnes. First created in 1988, this exceptional rosé represents the pinnacle of Billecart-Salmon’s savoir-faire, combining extraordinary finesse, depth and complexity with the graceful elegance that defines the House style.
The 2013 vintage is composed of 53% Pinot Noir and 47% Chardonnay, sourced exclusively from exceptional Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards. The Chardonnay comes from Oger, Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, while the Pinot Noir is drawn from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Aÿ and Bouzy. Less than 10% of the Pinot Noir is vinified as red wine, using fruit from old vines in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ with a southern exposure, adding color, structure and subtle red-fruit richness to the final blend.
Only 5% of the wine is vinified in oak casks, allowing the cuvée to develop additional texture and complexity without sacrificing purity or precision. It then undergoes an extraordinary 115 months of aging on the lees, giving the Champagne remarkable depth and maturity while preserving its freshness and finely detailed character. A restrained dosage of just 4.4 g/L keeps the finish dry, energetic and beautifully defined.
In the glass, Elisabeth Salmon 2013 reveals a luminous salmon-pink color with delicate copper reflections, animated by an exceptionally fine and graceful mousse.
The bouquet is captivating and complex, opening with wild strawberries, ripe red berries and blood orange, followed by fragrant rose, violet and subtle sweet spices. As the Champagne develops in the glass, deeper notes of blueberry, cherry, pastry and gently toasted brioche emerge, accompanied by a distinctive saline and mineral character.
On the palate, the wine combines remarkable delicacy with measured power. Flavors of cherry clafoutis, orchard apple and blood orange unfold over a silky, beautifully structured texture. The mousse is refined and persistent, while vibrant acidity provides freshness and lift. A precise chalky minerality carries through the palate, leading into a long and elegant finish marked by citrus zest and subtle pastry notes.
There is impressive richness here, but never heaviness. Pinot Noir contributes depth, fruit and structure, while Chardonnay provides finesse, freshness and a beautifully sculpted mineral backbone. The result is a Champagne of exceptional harmony, combining maturity and complexity with remarkable energy.
A true prestige rosé, Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon 2013 is equally compelling as a collector’s bottle or as the centerpiece of an exceptional meal.
Blend
53% Pinot Noir · 47% Chardonnay
Vineyards
100% Grand Cru & Premier Cru
Chardonnay: Oger · Cramant · Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
Pinot Noir: Mareuil-sur-Aÿ · Aÿ · Bouzy
Winemaker Notes
A very luminous visual presence with soft salmony and slightly coppery glints of light. A very seductive blend of stunning brilliance draped in elegant effervescence. A sensual, refreshing expression of red and black berry fruits, sublimated by the floral elegance of peony and violet. An exquisite sensation of aromatic fullness rich in fully ripened fruits (blueberry and cherry pit). Beautifully refined and mature olfactory notes, opening on to the inimitable scent of fragrant roses and salty sea spray. A tactile, wholly delicate, impact of measured yet bewitching power. A harmonious flowering of moreish flavors and pastries (cherry clafoutis, Canada apples and blood orange jelly). A delicate mouth structure, progressing towards a finish on a hint of chalkiness and zest of Corsican clementines.
Expert Ratings
97 VINOUS: The 2013 Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon is much more exuberant than the 2012, even though on the surface, that does not exactly align with the respective vintages. The decision to use a bit more new oak, more still red wine and a touch higher dosage to soften the natural austerity of the year paid off handsomely. Rose petal, blood orange, spice and kirsch confer a decidedly exotic flair. The ample, substantial finish is striking. Dosage is 4.4 grams per liter. Disgorged: January 2024. (AG)
96 James Suckling: Very fragrant wildflower honey, citrus, sliced apple, nutmeg and pastry aromas. It's beautifully fresh and saline on the palate, with fantastic concentration, but in a delicate, silky way. Long, elegant and chalky finish. 53% pinot noir (Ay, Mareuil-sur-Ay (9%) and Bouzy) and 47% chardonnay (Cramant, Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger). 4.4 g/L dosage. Disgorged January 2024. Drink now or hold. (CN)
96 Jeb Dunnuck: The 2013 Champagne Elizabeth Salmon Rosé pours a deeper copper/salmon color, but not too dark, with more orange undertones. It offers notes of smoky wet stone, pithy grapefruit, and licorice. It has a long, fruity feel on the palate, with verticality and a fluffy mousse. The focus and backbone of Chardonnay really play into it in this vintage, which I prefer. Drink over the coming 20 years. Made from 53% Pinot Noir from Aÿ (sélection massale) and Bouzy, with red wine from parcels in Mesnil-sur-Aÿ, and 47% Chardonnay from Oger, Cramant, and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger. It was 5% barrel vinified and 95% stainless steel.
94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: Disgorged in January 2024 with a dosage of 4.4 grams per liter, the 2013 Rosé Elisabeth Salmon emerges from this cool, late-ripening vintage as a rather giving, generous rendition. It unfurls in the glass with aromas of dried apricot, dark cherry and grapefruit mingled with a subtle hint of mocha. On the palate, it is full-bodied, ample and enveloping, offering a sweetly fruited core underpinned by tangy acidity, culminating in a precise, perfumed finish. This is a fleshy, though somewhat old-fashioned Champagne that, at present, does not quite attain the depth of Louis Salmon of the same vintage; however, it would not be surprising to see it improve considerably with additional time on cork following disgorgement. It is composed of an almost equal blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and was vinified almost entirely in stainless steel, with full malolactic fermentation. Rating: 94+
Tasting Notes
Color: Luminous salmon pink with elegant copper highlights
Aromas: Wild strawberry, blood orange, rose, violet, blueberry, cherry and sweet spice
Palate: Cherry clafoutis, orchard apple, blood orange, pastry and chalky minerality
Style: Refined, powerful, silky and exceptionally precise
Finish: Long, fresh and mineral with citrus zest and delicate brioche notes
Winemaking
Vintage: 2013
Oak Vinification: 5%
Lees Aging: 115 months
Dosage: 4.4 g/L
Ageing Potential: More than 10 years
Bottle Size: 750ml
Food Pairings
Langoustines · Lobster · Wild mushroom and truffle risotto · Duck · Tuna · Salmon · Fine poultry · Aged Parmesan
Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon 2013 is a rare and beautifully mature rosé Champagne that brings together power, purity and extraordinary finesse — a fitting tribute to one of the founders of Billecart-Salmon.
< Show Less
