If a casting agent sent Mathieu Roland-Billecart to audition for the role of a seventh-generation, globally successful, luxury champagne house director, he would be hired immediately. At least, that’s what we thought during a recent lunch with him at NYC’s Michelin-starred Le Coucou.
The 43-year-old is multilingual and business-oriented. He was made a partner in a British branch of the global accounting powerhouse, EY, and practically sparkles with infectious enthusiasm.
Descending from a family of vignerons and shipping merchants, Roland-Billecart’s visionary forebearers came to the Champagne region northeast of Paris centuries ago to try their hand at a new kind of wine, one with bubbles in it. The family’s proprietorship in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ vineyards dates back to 1545.
When we sat down with him, Roland-Billecart was in NYC to publicize the release of the 2012 Elisabeth Salmon and 2012 Louis Salmon 2012, and also to promote his limited bottling of his 2007 Clos Saint Hilaire.
Connoisseurs will appreciate the rarity of a champagne that is harvested exclusively from a one-hectare (2.5 acres) plot and then matures for almost two decades before release. Roland-Billecart told us, “If you want to create greatness, you must have time.” Billecart-Salmon are proud members of Henokiens, an association of family businesses that have been in continuous operation for over 200 years. Put in perspective, this represents a brief moment in time, as vines have flourished in the area since the Romans cultivated them in the 5th century. By the 1850s, the region was still important, Paris being an easy river ride away. These wines quenched the thirst a burgeoning city demanded.
Today, at almost $600 per bottle, the house is barely breaking even on production from Clos Saint Hilaire, especially with a percentage of proceeds going to support the local food bank and environmental causes across the region. Because Billecart-Salmon is not a division of a luxury-brand conglomerate, Roland-Billecart and his family can operate on a different model, making champagne without quarterly earnings being the sole focus. This doesn’t mean it’s not a balancing act; Roland-Billecart knows he must run a successful business for the extended family that are shareholders, but he also has the ability to focus on quality, and, as we will explain soon, the environment.
This allows him to invest in projects that sustain and enhance the family and company legacy.
Current customers are among the most impressive in the world of luxury. If you go to Van Cleef & Arpels for a bauble, you will be served a glass of their Brut Réserve while you shop. And, if you work up an appetite while shopping, his champagne is also available at Per Se, The French Laundry, Jean Georges, Daniel, Little Nell in Aspen, and London’s Connaught Hotel. Many of the super-star chefs who run these restaurants are on record raving about the different cuvees, each of which, in its own way, compliments their food. All told, the wines are available in 120 countries, the U.S. representing their largest foreign market.
Roland-Billecart’s journey on the ethical road began when he banned all weed killers and chemical fertilizers in 2018. His predecessors started the process eight years earlier when they began experimenting with permaculture. In 2019, Roland-Billecart officially started the conversion to organic practices. It’s one thing to do this in the arid South of France, like Languedoc-Roussillon. It’s another in the wet, cold region where Champagne is located, and mildew is a constant threat. But he was undeterred. “This is something I had to do for my family, the earth, and all future generations.”
Another avenue Roland-Billecart is exploring is whether certain tree species will adapt to climate change while aiding vineyard growth. So far, he has planted 15 varieties but will have to wait years before he has an answer. “The short-term solution may not be the long-term solution.”
As European temperatures rise, the southern regions of Italy, France, and Spain are already in crisis. Olives and grapes are stressed, and production has plummeted. Vineyards are being ripped out, and hot-weather crops are replacing them.
Further north, where Billecart-Salmon is located, climate change is less dire, but the Champagne region is affected. “Our growing and harvesting calendars are not the same as they were 25 years ago. We have to acknowledge this.”
Our lunch over, Roland-Billecart headed out to a private party at Daniel’s new restaurant Maison Barnes, where culinary glitterati gathered to celebrate the release of the 2012 Elisabeth Salmon and 2012 Louis Salmon, having set the stage for the 8th generation of champagne makers.
Here is a sampling of three of their newly released champagnes:
Clos Saint Hilaire 2007
It took over 30 years from planting until the house felt the harvest was fine enough to be bottled. Now, 60 years after that planting, this site has achieved world-renowned status. Certified organic in 2022, Billecart-Salmon is currently a year into Biodynamic practice on this plot. 100% pinot noir, vinified entirely in oak barrels, slow in-cellar maturation on the lees, it has a rich and complex structure, delicate notes of freshly candied citrus, and a distinct mineral finish. One of the world’s most sought-after champagnes. Approximately $580/bottle
Elisabeth Salmon 2012
A rosé produced from chardonnay and pinot noir, the latter comprised of a small percent that is vinified as red wine from old vines. On the nose are hints of almond pastry, cedar, and oranges. $250/bottle
Louis Salmon 2012
Partially fermented in oak, from Côte des Blancs Grand Cru plots, this vintage has pronounced minerality and hints of marzipan, white fruit, and white pepper. $200/bottle
