B-21 Top Recommendation
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As the former head winemaker at Domaine Billaud-Simon, Samuel Billaud was part of an esteemed Chablis family, until a family feud over the sale of the estate caused him to break away on his own. As it turns out, the family’s loss is a Chablis-lover’s gain. Crafting wines from village to Grand Cru level with an intimate knowledge of the terroir of each vineyard site he sources from, the outstanding Chablis of Maison Samuel Billaud exhibit depth, precision and tension throughout the entire range. These are gorgeous, fine-tuned expressions of Chablis reflecting the uniqueness of each site, carefully crafted by Samuel Billaud with attention to detail at every level.
Although Samuel’s first vintage at the new Domaine was in 2009, he is among the most experienced producers in Chablis, making wine in the region since the 1985 vintage. When Domaine Billaud Simon was finally sold to the large Burgundian negociant Faiveley, Samuel was allowed to pick some of his favored plots of vineyards for his own domain, enabling him to secure some of the finest vineyards in Chablis including those formerly used by Raveneau, Dauvissat and Droin. Like most great producers, Samuel’s work begins in the vineyard, employing sustainable viticulture where possible and lowering yields to increase the power and depth of the wines. The Kimmeridgian soils of limestone, clay and fossilized oyster shells add a seductive acidity and minerality to his Chablis, with fresh apple and white peach flavors balanced by flinty silex. In addition there is a distinct, creamy brioche nuance, a result of leaving the wines on the lees for much longer than typical (a minimum of 12 months for his village wines and up to 18 months for his Premier and Grand Crus) all while maintaining a bright, linear-focused freshness and minerality. The low-yielding 2019 vintage only added to the concentration and complexity of the wines, enjoyable now, but with a restrained use of oak enhancing age-worthiness at the top tiers.
Wine critic Neal Martin of Vinous believes "we should see him right at the top of Chablis producers alongside the likes of Raveneau and Vincent Dauvissat" while multiple experts and importers have called him a “rising star.” With wine making talent in the upper echelon of producers in the region and 90 plus point ratings across the portfolio, Samuel Billaud has now acquired “rock star” status in Burgundy, creating some of the most elegant and evocative Chablis of 2019, which we are excited to introduce at an exceptional value. | 
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