A blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Sourced from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Ambonnay, Verzenay and Verzy for the Pinots, and from Chouilly, Avize, Cramant, and Mesnil-sur-Oger for the Chardonnays. Around 15% of the lots are vinified in oak barrels. The 2007 Nicolas François is a brilliant Champagne with astonishing aromas of dried herbs, spices, white fruits, citrus, pear, peach and camomile, with chalky hints. With air, the bouquet becomes deeper and more complex. Gorgeous in the mouth, with a chiselled texture, laser-like acidity, racy finish, and lots of charm. This Champagne is built for long ageing (10‒25 years). One of the most powerful vintages for this cuvée. Fantastic! Dosage: 6g/L.

This is a laser-guided Champagne with fabulous energy and intensity with a tight palate, racy acidity and super fine phenolics. It goes on and on. Fine bubbles. Light pine and praline character. One for the cellar. 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. Disgorged 19 July, 2020. Wonderful now, but needs time to come together. Better from 2024 onwards.

The 2007 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is positively stellar. Elegant, polished and sophisticated, the 2007 dazzles with effusive aromatics and gorgeous balance. It's not an obvious wine, though, but rather a Champagne built for long, patient cellaring. The 2007 is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay taken from Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Ambonnay, Verzenay and Verzy for the Pinots and Chouilly, Avize, Cramant and Mesnil for the Chardonnays. In other words, as good as it gets for villages. The wine was done mostly in tank with about 15% of the lots vinified in oak. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. -- Antonio Galloni

This beautiful Champagne is amazingly at its peak. Not too mature, not too young, the wine is in fine balance, showing some nervy edge as well as touches of toast. With a small amount of wood vinification, the wine has extra fullness. Drink through 2025. - ROGER VOSS

The 2007 Brut Cuvée Nicolas François continues to show beautifully, wafting from the glass with scents of sweet orchard fruit, citrus oil, clear honey, white flowers, buttery pastry and warm biscuits. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and incisive, with racy acids, a vibrant core of fruit and a pillowy, elegant profile, it concludes with a long, penetrating finish. - William Kelley