When Champagne Billecart-Salmon Came Visiting
Wine Park has been shipping in the stellar Champagnes of Billecart-Salmon for over 13 years and recently welcomed its export director for Asia Pacific to mark a major milestone in this sparkling journey.
Wine Park hosted a landmark visit by Sebastien Papin, Export Director, Asia Pacific for Champagne Billecart-Salmon with events and meetings across Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. Sebastien Papin’s visit included a tasting of Billecart Salmon’s Champagnes and a networking afternoon for the wine trade and media at the Koi Bar, St. Regis Mumbai on August 6. Wine Park founder and head Vishal Kadakia also formally launched orange wines from Radikon, an Italian winery that is a leading producer of this style. Kadakia launched three wines including two orange wines and one red which will initially be available in Maharashtra.
Speaking on the occasion, Sebastien Papin said, “This visit is very important for Champagne Billecart-Salmon as is the Indian market where we have had a presence for over 13 years with Wine Park and it has been quite fruitful. Our Champagnes have a wide presence and recall value in the Indian market which we see as having grown quite well and still retains good potential for the future. Papin also revealed a key upcoming development for Billecart-Salmon. “We recently changed the estate’s recipe for the Champagnes in keeping with changing trends. We noticed that Champagne drinkers prefer a less sweet, more concentrated and fruity style so we decided to reduce the dosage (added sweet liquid) for our standard Brut Champagne from 8.5 grams per litre to 4.5 grams per litre. To compensate for this change, we have increased the number of years we age our Champagne from 33 to 50 months which is a significant increase.
Papin also took the trade and media through a tasting of the two Billecart-Salmon wines that Wine Park imports – Billecart-Salmon, Brut Reserve NV (floral freshness and aromas of fresh fruits) and Billecart-Salmon, Brut Rose NV (red fruits, citrus and crisp acidity). Vishal added, “The journey with Billecart-Salmon began with a meeting with Sebastien at Vinexpo and has grown into a success with the Champagne, being received well by enthusiasts and connoisseurs across institutions and homes. While Indians in the past have perceived Champagne as a drink only to be consumed during celebrations, that is changing. And the fact that a prestigious, traditional house like Billecart-Salmon enjoy healthy demand in India proves there is an increase in the number of discerning palates in the country. Over the past 13 years, we have also shipped in the large format bottles namely the magnum, jeroboam (four bottles) and methuselah (eight bottles) units of the Champagne. Billecart-Salmon’s star continues to rise in India and this historic visit marks a celebration of this continuing sparkling journey.”
Vishal Kadakia was also delighted to formally introduce orange wines of Radikon, a family estate based in the northern Italian region of Friuli. Orange wines, interestingly are produced from white wine grapes that stay in contact with the skin for an extended period and are fermented using natural yeast and a minimal to nil use of sulphur. Orange wines, historically, were produced centuries ago in Georgia and in the past decade, have been produced in vineyards across Italy and France. Radikon is regarded as one of the world’s pioneering orange wine makers, based in Italy’s northern region of Friuli. The wines selected from the estate’s range, available in India now include the Radikon, SLATNIK Bianco 2022, a sumptuous Chardonnay blend that crackles with cherries, baked orange peel, and roses. There’s also the Radikon, SIVI Bianco 2022, a Pinot Grigio style, barrel aged and tasting of pear and citrus, finishing clean and Radikon, RS 22 Rosso 2022, a full bodied barrel aged Merlot blend.
Vishal said, “I had been looking forward to introducing orange wines to the Indian market for a long time since he first tasted these styles in Singapore and later in Paris where natural orange wines have become quite popular in recent years. “I was fascinated by the colour and palate of orange wines and the story behind how these wines are made. The fact that white wines can be produced in a style similar to red wines and bring out a unique flavour character in them. I loved these natural orange wines and believed these were ripe for launching in India.”
The Wines:
Radikon, SLATNIK Bianco
This sumptuous Chardonnay led blend expresses flavours of macerated cherries, baked orange peel, and roses. The palate boasts of rich texture tempered by subtle acidity and clean finish.
Radikon, SIVI Bianco
A unique Pinot Grigio style aged in barrels for 15 months that impart a tinge of copper to its colour, this exuberant white wine has a palate of pear and citrus and hints of cherry, good acidity and pleasant character.
Radikon, RS 22 Rosso
This full bodied Merlot blend expresses an intense bouquet of wild berries, spices, herbs and coffee tempered by modest acidity. This wine has spent over a year under oak thanks to which the tannins are silky while the finish is impressively long. ,About Champagne Billecart-Salmon
Billecart-Salmon is a highly prestigious and historic Champagne house based in the Mareuil-sur-Aÿ region of Champagne. Founded in 1818 by husband and wife Nicolas François Billecart and Elisabeth Salmon, the house of Billecart-Salmon is steeped in two hundred years of Champagne making history. The Champagne house meticulously handpicks grapes from 40 crus and its wines are sought by critics and enthusiasts alike.The Wines Tasted:
Billecart-Salmon, Brut Reserve NV
One of world’s finest champagnes, this wine has floral freshness and aromas of fresh fruits with refreshing acidity and graciously rising bubbles.
