Unfortunately they were fully booked for the week we were there, but they replied to our request very promptly and we’re extremely polite and courteous. Always a measure of a good company - how they deal with you when they can’t serve you. Well done!
A fantastic visit. This is a beautiful winery with a rich history and excellent attention to detail. Our tour guide Felician was passionate and knowledgeable. Thank you for a memorable experience.
The reviews for the tours looked very promising at Billecart-Salmon and I'd enjoyed a (rare) demi-sec many years ago back in Oddbins heyday so thought it was worth a look. I'm normally a Roederer drinker but I kept that quiet.
There's a nice lounge where I found some fellow tourists. The final group arrived and we started our tour with Patricia. They limit the tours to 10 people, twice a day so you need to book well in advance. The tour covers all of their pristine production process including chilled stainless steel, elegant oak aging and cellared bottles. They have a beautiful small vineyard in a walled garden nearby. The group size is great for any questions about the process and company history and our guide was very knowledgeable. The grapes were thinking about forming from the flowers when I was there in early June. We finished with an unrushed tasting in a beautiful room. Brut Rose, 2012 Rose (Elisabeth Salmon) and 2018 (Nicholas Francois).
The business is family owned and looks well run in all aspects, long may it continue. This is in stark contrast to some other houses.
Some blundering with my hire car's satnav left me near Rue Billecart in Ay which is the wrong village! Billecart-Salmon in in nearby Ay-Champagne. I then overshot it slightly and left the the car in a quiet church car park. The traffic can be bad getting out of Reims and you can get stuck behind agricultural vehicles around Ay-Champagne so leave yourself plenty of extra time, this is a tour you definitely don't want to miss!
It's just about walkable from Ay railway station on a sunny day and pleasant along the canal. I went on a stroll over to Ay looking for lunch, fewer options than I thought. Make sure you get the right bridge if you walk along the south side. If you are a keen walker and have time you can also walk from Epernay but I don't know what the whole route is like.
Visita bellissima! Visitate "Le Clos Saint-Hilaire" (molto suggestivo), la Tinaia, gli Chais e le Cantine di gesso. Degustazione finale di Brut Blanc de Blancs, Brut Rosé, Elisabeth Salmon Brut Rosé (Stupendo!) e Brut Sous Bois, tutti eccezionali! Atmosfera familiare e ovunque pulizia maniacale. Guida (Patrizia) preparatissima, cordiale e simpatica. Da non perdere!
The online booking process was quick and simple and the date and time were quickly agreed by email from Jerome. Having visited most of the Champagne houses over the years both in and around Epernay, this was by far the best. We were joined by a few other couples on the tour from America and Belgium and ended with a sit down tasting in the family dining room. Jerome was our guide throughout which lasted around 2.5 hours. Billecart Salmon is one of our favourites and to see the vineyards and the cleanliness of all the areas and hear of the history was amazing. I would not hesitate in recommending a visit. You will however need to book well in advance as you can not simply turn up.
My husband and I visited Billecart-Salmon as part of our honeymoon trip. The tours are the perfect size at 8 people, they walk you through every part of the property & it is of course topped off with a delicious tasting. This is a family owned & operated establishment, and they really treated us as an extension of that when we visited. Patricia is by far the best tour guide - she was informative, passionate & hilarious. Billecart-Salmon is an absolute MUST SEE if you are a bubbly lover!
Well worth the trip. Jerome was a fabulous host on the extensive tour around the grounds and cellars culminating in a tasting which he guided us through with expert care and a great sense of humour. We had a wonderful day. Thank you.
Unforgettable experience. Very small group tour including some champagne judges. Our guide was amazingly knowledgeable and because their tasting room is being renovated we had to do our tastings in the family dining room! Amazing tasting. Exports to 114 countries with 24% of production staying in France.
Truly unique experience with learning about the family owned and run business (only few in Champagne) as well as tasting exceptional champagne. Billecart Salmon stands out with it’s story and special fermentation process, also vintage champagnes that are appreciated by the most picky champagne connoisseurs.
Een huis met verfijnde champagnes. Als je een rondleiding reserveert kan je kiezen of je nieuwsgierig, kenner of professional bent, wat zeer interessant is als je de basisuitleg al in andere huizen gekregen hebt.
Ik had het geluk de enige te zijn die een rondleiding geboekt had op die dag. Zeer sympathieke ontvangst, gedegen uitleg, en een degustatie waarbij de topwijnen te proeven waren (helaas niet de Clos St. Hilaire maar wel de Cuvé Elisabeth Salmon).
Als er al een minpuntje was, dan was het dat de bottelarij niet te bezoeken was - dat heeft blijkbaar te maken met regelgeving rond de veiligheid.
Geen goedkope rondleiding maar wel een diepgaande met zeer goede proeverij.