This is the second-ever release of BILLECART-SALMON RED "Le Réserve," created to celebrate RED's 20th anniversary in the fight against AIDS in Africa. Le Réserve has become my favorite perpetual cellar blend utilizing a whopping 70% of reserve wines.
Founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver in 2006, RED has partnered with iconic brands such as Nike, Apple, Beats by Dre, Armani, and Gap to raise more than $800 million for the Global Fund in the fight against AIDS. Billecart-Salmon first joined the movement in 2016 with a special bottling to mark ten years of impact, and Bono personally reached out again to ask the House to help celebrate twenty years. Billecart-Salmon was honored to oblige. For every bottle sold, $5.00 goes directly to the fund.
Crafted from Billecart-Salmon's signature Le Réserve cuvée, this release is built on a 2021 base and blends sixteen different vintages dating back to 2006: 28% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, and 37% Pinot Meunier. Grapes are sourced from over 40 crus across 300 hectares within roughly 20 kilometers of Épernay, drawing on Montagne de Reims for Pinot Noir, Vallée de la Marne for Meunier, and Côte des Blancs, Vitryat, and Sézannais for Chardonnay. Vinification is 95% stainless steel and 5% oak, including 400 casks averaging over fifteen years old and twenty-six large oak barrels, all fermented at the low temperatures that have long defined the House's style. Chief winemaker Florent Nys and the tasting committee guide the blend toward the finesse, elegance, and balance Billecart-Salmon is known for.
