Domaine Samuel Billaud Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2021

Description

Product Description: Only 300 bottles—and every drop demands your attention. From Chablis’ most iconic Grand Cru site, the 2021 Domaine Samuel Billaud Les Clos is a rarity in both volume and expression. Just 300 bottles were produced, and they capture Billaud’s signature precision and mineral clarity with haunting intensity. Grown on the steep, stony slopes of Les Clos, this Chardonnay reflects the site’s full-bodied power and saline backbone. The bouquet is deeply Chablisien—wet stone, citrus zest, iodine, and subtle smoke, layered with hints of honey, pear, and bread crust. On the palate, it’s coiled and chalky, with prodigious dry extract and racy acids. This is not a wine that shows all at once; it reveals itself in layers, with time and air. Expect this to cellar gracefully through 2041. Serve with lobster, turbot in beurre blanc, or aged Comte if you’re pulling a cork early. Maker Samuel Billaud is a winemaker renowned for his precision, mastery, and dedication to producing wines that authentically express the complexities of Chablis’ exceptional terroir. Located in the heart of Chablis, with cellars dating back to the 13th century, Samuel Billaud combines the region’s rich history with modern techniques to create wines of remarkable freshness, firm structure, and intense minerality. With a focus on quality, Samuel sources grapes from some of the finest plots in Chablis, including Grand Cru vineyards such as Bougros, Valmur, Les Preuses, and Blanchot, and Premier Cru sites like Les Furnaces. Through a meticulous approach to both vineyard management and winemaking, Samuel ensures that each vintage reveals the true character of the land, producing wines that are complex, precise, and balanced. The Vineyard At Samuel Billaud, the philosophy is rooted in a deep respect for Chablis’ terroir, with the goal of revealing each vineyard’s unique expression through careful and precise winemaking. The estate’s vineyards, with an average age of 40 years, are planted on the Kimmeridgian clay-limestone marl, a soil type that imparts the characteristic minerality and freshness for which Chablis is renowned. The vines are managed using sustainable practices such as disbudding and ploughing, which help preserve the purity of the Chablis terroir while promoting the healthy growth of the vines. Samuel’s sourcing strategy is equally focused on quality, building trusted relationships with local winegrowers to access the best grapes from the region’s most exceptional sites. In the winery, Samuel Billaud is committed to maintaining balance and complexity in every wine. Fermentation is carefully monitored, with a focus on using low-temperature settling and gentle pressing to preserve the delicate flavours of the grapes. For certain Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines, Samuel favours fermentation in 450-litre barrels to add complexity, allowing the wines to interact with the lees and oxygen for optimal balance. Aging on fine lees in large containers enables the wines to develop mineral tension and freshness. After maturation, the wines are transferred to stainless steel vats for several months to emphasise their crispness and vibrancy. Through this process, Samuel Billaud’s wines reveal the true richness, elegance, and potential of the Chablis terroirs, reflecting the delicate balance between tradition and innovation. Tasting Notes NOSE – Flint and citrus Pear skin, lemon zest, iodine and crushed stone, with gentle smoke and spice. PALATE – Deep and driven Structured and mineral, with layers of yellow fruit, chalk, and ginger spice. FINISH – Saline and persistent A long, mouth-watering finish with precise acidity and lingering minerality. Reviews & Accolades There are only 300 bottles of the 2021 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, but the wine has turned out superbly, mingling aromas of citrus zest, clear honey, white flowers, wet stones, freshly baked bread and iodine in a classically Chablisien bouquet. Medium to full-bodied, deep and chalky, with prodigious reserves of dry extract, racy acids and a long, saline finish, anyone lucky enough to taste it will be delighted. – Wine Advocate, (2023) The 2021 Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru has a very composed bouquet with slivers of fresh Conference pear, smoke and flint, a hint of saffron emerging with time. The palate is supremely well-balanced with a tangy entry. It’s fresh and vibrant with a strict and energy-driven finish, a dash of spice and stem ginger emerging on the aftertaste and leaving the mouth tingling. Superb. – Neal Martin, Vinous, 93 (Sep 2023) Finer