Domaine Samuel Billaud

Samuel continues to make many of the most exciting wines coming out of Chablis today, equal in quality to Jean-Marie and Bernard Raveneau, but at a fraction of the price. His 2020’s are a great range. Samuel decided to pick early, from the 28th August to the 6th September, and to age all his wines for at least 10 months on the fine lees, in order to achieve a winning combination of ripe, appley fruit on the nose, fresh, succulent texture on the palate and fine minerality and salinity on the finish. Samuel likens his 2020’s to his 2017’s – high praise indeed as the 2017’s are currently developing into spectacular wines.

A ripe, open and yet elegantly classical Chablis, offering rich dessert apple, pink grapefruit, fresh racy acidity and the classic Chablisesque 'bite' of steely backbone. Intense minerality shows the quality of the 2022 vintage, with a tension to balance the wonderful fruit structure.

Samuel started harvesting his AC Chablis plots on the 25th of August, early for this region. Hand-picked, fermented in steel tanks at a low temperature. The hint of creaminess shows a degree of battonage which adds mouthfeel and texture. 45 hl/ha were the average yields for his Chablis plots.