Wine Advisor
Samuel Billaud, Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir 2020
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: William Kelley
From a parcel that unites east and west exposures, Billaud's 2020 Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir is a brilliant wine in the making. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of white flowers, orange oil, nutmeg, oyster jus, freshly baked bread and crisp stone fruit, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with terrific tension and concentration, concluding with a long, penetrating finish.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Frankly, I would not place the 2020 Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru among my favourite editions of this wine; it’s just missing some of the trademark mineralité and subtle reduction that I associate with one of my favourite Chablis winemakers and lacking a bit of complexity. The palate is better, well balanced with the weight one expects of a Grand Cru, though I prefer more bite towards the finish. Fine, but not up to Billaud’s usual standard.
About the Producer
Since 1815, the Billaud family has been one of the oldest winegrower families in Chablis. Samuel represents the sixth generation inheritor of the Chablisian spirit. His father André, his grandfather Jean, and his great-grandfather Jules have passed on to him all the passion and knowledge of this wonderful profession. After 20 years as a winemaker and winegrower in the family estate, Samuel Billaud created his own wine merchant and winemaker house. He naturally turned to purchasing grapes, taking great care to adjust his choice of vinification and aging to accurately translate the intrinsic qualities of each meticulously selected plot and the Chardonnay grape variety. He acquired 4 hectares of vineyards on the best-exposed slopes of the most beautiful climates of Chablis. He operates his own vineyards distributed in the Petit Chablis, Chablis, Chablis Premier cru Vaillon, Séchet, Mont de Milieu, Montée de Tonnerre appellations, as well as Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir and Les Clos. A Distinctive Style In search of a fine and faithful expression of each terroir, Samuel Billaud strives to preserve its full value and produce wines revealing all its complexity. His great mastery, experience, and know-how are found in his wines, precise, both fresh and firm in their structure, and intensely mineral. The Estate It is located in the heart of the village of Chablis, with cellars dating back to the 13th century. The wines are vinified and aged in tanks and barrels for a duration of 12 to 18 months depending on the appellations. The Average Age Of The Vineyard The average age is 40 years, the soil is composed of argilo-calcareous Kimmeridgian marls, associated with the Chardonnay grape variety. The vines are grown in reasoned struggle, pruned, and plowed to preserve all the typicality of the Chablis terroir. A Procurement Strategy For Optimal Quality Samuel Billaud specializes in purchasing grapes from the most beautiful terroirs of Chablis. An activity made possible thanks to the trust built patiently with partner winemakers, which allows him to vinify perfectly healthy and ripe Chardonnays harvested from the plots. Whether from his own vineyard or his trading activity, Samuel Billaud benefits from exceptional climates, all located on the most beautiful slopes, resting on soils mainly composed of Kimmeridgian argilo-calcareous marls.
