2022 Samuel Billaud Chablis Les Grands Terroirs
“Stylistically, I would compare the 2022s to perhaps a slightly riper version of 2017,
but importantly, without compromising the balance. I see no reason why they shouldn’t age gracefully for as long as anyone would reasonably want to.” I agree with Billaud that his 2022s are lovely.”
It’s hard to believe it has been over 10 vintages since I was first introduced to Samuel Billaud! I fell in love with the wines in 2012 and have been buying them, writing their story, visiting the domaine and seeing first hand exactly what Samuel Billaud has been doing ever since.
You may recall from previous writings that Domaine Billaud Simon was sold to Faiveley in 2014. It was part of a generational transition. “Part of the family wanted to retire, part of the family wanted to make the most money out of it and one of them wanted to remain a vigneron,” said Erwan Faiveley in an interview with Jamie Goode.
Long before the sale, Samuel had anticipated the family dynamics. He was this lone soldier wishing to remain as a vigneron and so began cultivating a side project under his own name as a negociant, with his vast contacts to purchase grapes.
Once the sale with Faiveley was negotiated and finalized, he managed to keep some of the very best vines and was able to purchase a facility right in the center of Chablis. It was then that Samuel Billaud began to really make a name for himself, separate from Domaine Billaud Simon. With some of the best holdings in Montee de Tonnerre, Mont de Milieu, Sechet, Vaillons, as well as some very well sited parcels of village level Chablis, it's not a surprise that Samuel is making such a name for himself. He is a man that does not say a lot, he lets the wines do the talking.
Chablis is always part of my annual Burgundy trip, unfortunately a visit with Samuel was not possible this year. Needless to say I was anxiously anticipating tasting the wines, and when they were delivered last week I had a bottle opened before the driver was back in his truck.
My first observation while frantically opening the bottle was that he has gone to full Diam corks across the entire range (except for the grand crus). As I popped the cork, I clumsily spilled a bit on my desk, then realized I had no glass handy. Argh!...as I searched for a glass, I could already smell the wine’s aromatics, teasing and enticing me. The cool sea breeze, citrus and seashell scents envelopes you and proclaims, THIS COULD BE NOTHING BUT CHABLIS! The first sip offers a giving, sunny impression which feels very much open for business. However, as you swallow and let the flavors linger in your mouth you feel the minerality, the precision and acidity ooze into your jaw. Its one of those wines that doesn’t immediately show all of itself. Its that time between sips, the flavors sneak up on you and come in waves that reverberate across your palate. Just thinking about the wine makes my mouth water and carve another sip!
While this wine says Chablis Village on the label, it puts 90% of producer’s 1er crus to shame! If you don’t like this one, you don’t like Chablis!
