Chablis has no shortage of famous family names, and Billaud is one of them. But Samuel Billaud's own domaine, established in 2011 after he left the family estate his ancestors had built over generations, is very much its own project: smaller, more hands-on, and built entirely around his own reading of Chablis's best sites.
Starting Again, on His Own Terms
Leaving a well-established family domaine to start fresh is a significant decision in a region as tradition-bound as Chablis. Samuel Billaud made the move so he could work every parcel himself, from pruning through to bottling, rather than overseeing a larger operation at a distance. The result is a range that feels genuinely personal, not simply a continuation of a famous name.
A Grand Cru Specialist
The domaine's reputation rests heavily on its Grand Cru holdings, including parcels in Les Clos and Les Preuses, two of Chablis's most prized sites. Les Clos sits at the heart of the Grand Cru slope and typically delivers the most powerful, long-ageing wines in the appellation; Les Preuses tends toward a more perfumed, floral expression. Tasting both side by side is one of the clearest ways to understand how much a single hillside in Chablis can vary.
House Style: Precision Without Excess Oak
Billaud's winemaking favours restraint. Oak is used carefully and rarely dominates, letting the region's signature chalk-and-citrus minerality lead. The wines are built to age, but they also drink beautifully young, which makes the range approachable whether you are cellaring a Grand Cru or opening a village-level bottle tonight.
Why Chablis Belongs in a Burgundy Conversation
Chablis is technically part of Burgundy, though its cool climate and Kimmeridgian limestone soils give it a character closer to a category of its own. Including a producer like Samuel Billaud alongside Cote d'Or names is a reminder that Burgundy's range runs from the leanest, most mineral whites in France through to some of its most powerful reds, all under one regional umbrella.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Samuel Billaud start his own domaine?
He left his family's established Chablis estate in 2011 to build a smaller, more hands-on operation focused entirely on his own approach to the region's top sites.
What is the difference between Les Clos and Les Preuses?
Les Clos, at the centre of the Grand Cru slope, tends to produce the most powerful and age-worthy wines. Les Preuses is generally more perfumed and floral, a slightly softer expression of the same limestone terroir.
Does Chablis count as Burgundy?
Yes, Chablis is part of the greater Burgundy wine region, though its climate and soils give it a distinct, cooler-climate character compared to the Cote d'Or further south.
Explore the range in our Samuel Billaud collection, or browse our full Chablis collection at The Vintage Wine Club.
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