Billecart-Salmon Le Clos St Hilaire 2009

Noah Williams - Stunning but hard to justify the price

8/10

Tried this at a wine dinner event and it's genuinely brilliant — perfectly balanced, bone dry acidity, gorgeous fruit. But £525 is a LOT of money. I've had champagnes at half the price that got me 80% of the way there. If someone else is buying though, say yes immediately.

Ryan Mitchell - This is what the fuss is about

9/10

I've been slowly working my way through the big champagne houses and Billecart-Salmon Le Clos St Hilaire is right up there. The 2009 vintage has this confident maturity to it — everything is perfectly in place from the second you pour. The acidity is precise without being sharp and the finish just lingers beautifully. Treat yourself if you can.

Hannah Brooks - Beautiful champagne, brutal price tag

7/10

Saw this on the list at a fancy restaurant and split it with friends. It's elegant and structured with great acidity that keeps it fresh and lively. But at this price point I wanted to be completely blown away and I was only mostly blown away. A very good champagne that costs like a great one.

Sophie Brennan - Liquid sophistication

9/10

The guy at my local wine shop talked me into this for my 50th birthday. Poured it for a few friends and the room went quiet — that's how you know it's good. The bubbles are incredibly fine and everything just sits together perfectly. Easily the best bottle I've opened this year.

Clara Johansson - Opened it and the whole table stopped talking

10/10

Brought this to a dinner party thinking it might be a bit much but honestly it was perfect. So expressive on the nose — you get hit with all these aromas before you even take a sip. The balance between the fruit and the fizz is spot on, nothing fighting for attention. Everyone wanted to know what it was. Career best champagne purchase for me.

Suki Patel - Worth every penny for a special night

9/10

Opened this for our 10th wedding anniversary and honestly it was the highlight of the evening. The bubbles are so fine and delicate, nothing like regular champagne. There's this incredible depth to it — layers of flavour that kept changing as the night went on. At £525 it's not an everyday thing but for a once-in-a-lifetime bottle, absolutely no regrets.

Carlos Mendez - Best champagne I've ever had

10/10

My father-in-law brought this to Christmas dinner and I nearly fell off my chair. You don't even need to swirl it or anything, the aromas just hit you straight away. The finish goes on forever in the best possible way. I now understand why people get obsessed with prestige champagne.

Luciano Bianchi - Really impressive but I'm not sure I get it

8/10

Got this as a gift and I'll be honest, I'm more of a beer person usually. It's clearly a step above anything I've had before — smooth, complex, long aftertaste. But would I spend £525 on a bottle of fizz myself? Probably not. That said I did keep going back for another sip so maybe it's working on me.