2017 Domaine Samuel Billaud Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru

BY NEAL MARTIN | MARCH 25, 2024

I have praised Samuel Billaud’s wines for around a decade now, going so far as to suggest that they rank amongst Chablis’ premier tier of producers, alongside Raveneau and Dauvissat. A recent dinner at the splendid Lorne restaurant, the same that saw the 1973 La Fleur-Pétrus opened, also witnessed a bottle that ‘sizzled’ with potential.

The 2017 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru has a riveting bouquet with precise, flinty, petrichor scents that convey energy and terroir. Perhaps it shows less of the lemon sherbet element that I observed previously and more salinity. The palate is beautifully balanced with impressive tension and verve. Lime and lemon zest emerge towards the energetic finish that suggests this will drink well for 15 to 20 years…if you can resist temptation. 93/Drink 2024-2040.

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