H. Billiot Fils

From Terry Theise:

100% Grand Cru, particularly satisfying Pinot Noir here. Fresh, bracing red-grape Champagnes with long, swollen midpalate flavors. Just 5 hectares in size, so availabilities are scarce! Billiot does not filter his wines, and they never undergo malolactic fermentation. That makes them very frisky and reductive when they’re first disgorged, and occasionally a Billiot bottle will show a slightly metallic aroma for the first few minutes. That’s rare and nil if you hold the wines six months after disgorgement. Billiot seems to want liveliness most of all, as he can presume upon lavish and deep fruit flavors. If you know the wines of Egly-Oriet (Billiot’s friend and neighbor) they couldn’t be more different. Egly pulls you down into its mealy-ripe depths; Billiot lifts you up on a billowing fountain of fruit. His wines have marvelous stamina and brightness. They’re hedonistic but not sloppy. Too firm and impeccable to be sloppy! A round 350 cases are available for the U.S., and they sell SCHNELL, so don’t delay! We didn’t get to see Billiot this year, as a family emergency caused him to postpone the appointment. As I write, the promised case of samples of new cuvees hasn’t arrived. I imagine the N.V. will spring forward a year, and the 1996 vintage should be available (can’t wait to taste that!) I’ll update you as best I can.