Wine Region: Burgundy - France
Grape: 100% Chardonnay
Tasting notes: There are two vineyards used to make this wine. One located in the Haut-Chapelot part of Chablis with vines of 35 years of age and the other located in Montée de Tonnerre also with very old vines. 25% of the wine is matured in 600 litre oak barrels to add subtle richness. This beautiful Chablis 1er Cru has a very precise bouquet, showing hints of white stone fruits, nectarine, white peach and also some green apple. The palate is boasting superb chalky notes, and a little bit of spice. This is a very refined wine. It can be paired with seafood, lobster, prawns and a selection of goat cheese. This wine can be enjoyed in its youth or kept for more than eight years.
Expert Rating
92-94 points Vinous
'From two plots on Haut de Chapelot and one in the namesake vineyard, the 2020 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru has quite a deep bouquet of dried honey, mineral and hints of green olive, unfolding nicely in the glass. The palate is well balanced with fine poise and crisp acidity. Elegant and finessed toward the finish, where white peach and citrus peel linger on the aftertaste. Very promising. (NM) '
91-94 points Burghound
'Billaud noted that this will also have about 20% wood in the final blend. A restrained, elegant and pure nose displays notes of various floral influences, citrus and mineral reduction. The refined but almost painfully intense medium-bodied flavors exhibit a lovely sense of minerality that adds a sense of lift to the impressively long and well-balanced finale. Lovely. *Burghound Sweet Spot Outstanding!* '
93 points Decanter
'Typical Montée de Tonnerre, with an elegant palate yet full of concentration and energy. Manages to be both rich and weighty, yet with lots of finesse and drive. Long future ahead. Drinking Window 2023 - 2028.'
93 points Wine Advocate
'The 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre is another notable success for Samuel Billaud this year. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of white flowers, citrus oil, white currants, freshly baked bread and beeswax, it's medium to full-bodied, ample and satiny, with a layered mid-palate underpinned by racy acids, concluding with a long, saline finish. Having parted ways with Domaine Billaud Simon, Samuel Billaud established his own state-of-the-art winery in central Chablis in 2009, and he has rapidly emerged as one of the town's best half-dozen producers, crafting wines characterized by textural seamlessness and unerring precision. Working with four hectares of organically farmed estate vineyards, supplemented by purchased grapes, manual harvesting of ripe but bright fruit is the rule here, followed by fermentation at 16 to 20 degrees Celsius in tank or inconspicuous wood, then maturation for 15 to 18 months on the lees for the premiers crus and grand cru bottlings. The 2020 vintage is another fine success, though readers will have a hard time choosing between the last half-dozen or so vintages at this address, so completely has Billaud realized each year's potential. (WK)'
About the winery: The Billaud family have been producing great Chablis since 1815. 6th generation Samuel set out on his own in 2010 and it is fair to say that after a decade, his dynamic approach and great winemaking touch have taken his domaine from a status of Rising Star to one of the very best, established growers in the region.
Samuel makes precise, elegant and terroir-true expressions of every vineyard in his care. His wines are electric and simply crackle with the tension and vibrancy which can be found in the region's best wines. Offering scintillating wines from the refreshing, steely fresh Petit-Chablis through to bold and dynamic Grand Crus, Samuel Billaud is a master of his craft, and as Neal Martin points out, "We should see him right at the top of Chablis producers alongside the likes of Raveneau and Vincent Dauvissat". These are singular Chablis and the sheer embodiment of purity and poise.
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