Samuel Billaud Chablis 1er Cru Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes 2022

Samuel Billaud comes from one of the best known families in Chablis, and this is a Premier Cru from the Les Vaillons vineyard made from old vine Chardonnay. Chablis sits on Kimmeridgian limestone, a soil packed with fossilised marine shells, and this chalk is the source of the wine's steely minerality and saline drive. The northern, cool climate keeps the fruit taut and the acidity high, while the old vines give lower yields and greater concentration and depth. The wine had a long élevage of around eighteen months, which adds texture while keeping the fruit precise. The colour is pale gold with green glints. The nose shows lemon, green apple and white flowers, with a wet stone and chalky mineral note that marks the site. The palate is dry and tightly wound, with citrus and orchard fruit carried by sharp acidity and a long, flinty, saline finish. This is a mineral, age-worthy Chablis with real cut and length. Serve it at 10 to 12 degrees in a white wine glass.