2015 Chablis Valmur
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Tasting notes
(Billaud works with east-facing vines on the left side of this grand cru): Bright lemon-yellow color. Citrus fruit aromas complemented by smoky, spicy oak. Fat and thick but backward, with harmonious acidity and stony minerality energizing the middle palate. Finishes powerful and long but not hot, with a pungent flavor of crushed citrus peel. Billaud noted that the right side of this grand cru produces more complex wine but needs to be picked later. This example is distinctly soil-driven and brisk, with a rising finish.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Neal Martin, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2015 Chablis Grand Cru Valmur, matured in used three-and four-year-old barrels, exhibits a slight reduction on the nose that initially detracts from the precision, but it soon gains clarity and offers lovely scents of white peach and clementine. The palate is very well balanced with fine delineation and is quite spicy with that reduction resurfacing towards the finish. I hope it disappears with bottle age because there is some very attractive tropical-tinged fruit tucked in just underneath.
About the producer
Samuel Billaud started making wine under his own name in 2009, but he is one of the most experienced producers in Chablis, having made wine in the region since 1985.