Bill Nanson: Billaud-Simon 2023
Olivier Bailly on 2023: “February was a little dry – 5 weeks without rain. Frosts down to -4°C but the mildew wasn’t really present as we had a lot of dryness but in July the strong storms brought mildew out into the open – though very localised. So we lost volume due to that mildew but as it came so late in the season the losses were not serious – certainly when followed by 40°C temperatures, which also concentrated the wines. In the end, 2023 was a good year with a lovely combination of volume and quality. We couldn’t imagine harvesting such a volume at the start of the year – aided by the small heatwave at the time of the harvest, ensuring that all was ripe. The part harvested by machine was 04h00-10h00 each day, manual harvesting between 07h00 and 12h00 – cool grapes make such a difference – and that was after waiting to harvest after the peak of temperatures, so around 11 September. So clean grapes that were ripe – not wines with a high acidity but the impression of acidity when tasting.”
2023 Petit Chablis (Sur Les Clos) Two parcels from the flat land on the top of the hill above the grand crus of Les Clos and Valmur – totalling 1.33 hectares and assembled. Hmm – a fresh citrus invitation – lovely. Cool, vibrant – growing quite large in the mouth with a fluid and juicy style. Vibrant finishing – Excellent Chablis and a great 2023 PC !
2023 Chablis An assembly of many parcels (left and right bank vines) including some purchased must to augment the domaine’s right-bank vines – but a little over 4 hectares worth. Mainly tank elevage with just a few barrels. 12 months elevage – Tête d’Or has longer elevage with more barrel elevage. Extra width to this aroma. Hmm, so juicy – and more driving with direction. The finish with a proper mineral – slightly saline – flavour that could only come from here. Delicate, elegant even but wonderful stuff.
2023 Chablis “Tête d’Or” Parcel selections – ‘a skeleton of parcels that are always used ans always better and the rest are selected from some other areas depending on the vintage to make the best cuvée’ – a little wood including some new large-format barrels – 500 and 600-litres. Bottled at the same time as the grans crus. An extra volume to aroma again – another small step. More incisive, wide – dedicate again – but with such beautiful detail. Vibrantly finishing flavour of such finishing purity. Another small but important step forward here – clearly a great villages – well done !!
2023 Chablis Les Vaillons 1er Cru Two parcels in Chatains, 2 in Sechets and one each in Minot and Roncières – 3 hectares. A little more of this with wood elevage than in some previous vintages. Less aromatic volume but with a more direct and mineral first impression followed by a small floral component. There’s an extra structure – rigour even – here vs the village. Supple, elegant, but mineral too. This finish all about the more stony and mineral flavours, slowly fading – almost contemplatively. Beautiful stuff…
2023 Chablis Fourchaume 1er Cru Normally 0.25 ha. The last part of Vaupulent – as it’s such a small cuvée for here it has all tank elevage – the other 1ers are often a mix of tank and barrel… Completely different – a nose of rounder, riper, more golden citrus fruit but keeping a direct style. The concentration is more obvious here – with a small textural cushion. But juicy, melting flavour with a small extra kick of finishing interest – that’s a simply excellent wine – and one with not just a delicious finish, it’s tenacious too!!
2023 Chablis Vaulorent 1er Cru From Fourchaume, bought grapes in Vaupulent – the only difference for the label/capsules is the missing ‘Domaine’… Wider, more floral infused aromas – an extra freshness. Direct, ultra-pure, clearly a mineral wine – and the first with an extra intensity that borders on attractively strict. The Fourchaume has more today but this is more my style preference – another simply excellent wine!!
2023 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru Four parcels, 0.35 ha at the top pulled out after the 2015 harvest as there was virus and too low yields. 2.74 ha in total. Deep, faintly noble reduction enhancing that depth. So fluid, fine fresh intensity as the flavour washes over the palate. Not a MdM of overt oak – here it is about overt Chablis – a superb wine of energy and mouth-watering flavour – BUT – it’s a wine to keep at least 3 years as the structure is strict but at the same time so engaging.
2023 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru 2.15 ha in three parcels. Some of the oldest vines of the domaine are here with 80-85 years of age. An important part to the domaine – the average age of vines here is at least 40 years of age. All tank elevage for this wine. Delicate, airy – not the volume of many – but beautifully pure. The most direct wine so far – linear and pure – very mineral. Strict but less-so than the MdM today. The finish rewards with a reprise of flavour too – what another excellent wine – in any vintage – subtly but, again, tenaciously long…
2023 Chablis Bougros A small cuvée with a mix stainless steel barrels and wood, made from contracted grapes. The depth has a little barrel spice. The volume showing some citrus fruit. Obvious concentration here – and so much complexity too – both the fruit and the barrel components. The finish quite panoramic with good detail. A delicious and concentrated wine – wait 5 years !!
2023 Chablis Valmur Same size cuvée as the Bougros ie small !! A single 500-l barrel. Plenty of colour. Deep aromas, slightly creamy at the base. Larger in scale, width and intensity than the Bougros. The finish melts from a core of flavour with a really interesting vibration – holding impressively. That will be super – give it at least 2-3 years in the cellar…
2023 Chablis Les Blanchots The tiniest parcel of grand cru here, just 0.18 ha – also right at the top near their parcel of Les Clos. Two barrels but stainless-steel barrels. Less coloured. This nose is smaller but more incisive. Clearly more direct and intense – the most of these GCs so far. Quite linear finishing flavour that’s juicy but also overtly mineral – widening too with a chalky impression. That’s a great wine – a hint strict finishing so you should wait – I’d wait until this evening!!
2023 Chablis Vaudesir Three parcels here that come to 0.49 ha – two in the colder part – that brings freshness in warm years. A part with tank elevage and a part in demi-muid… This a more airy and high-toned nose – there is depth but it’s tight today. Large in the mouth – energetic – a little barrel flavour too. The finish wide, with a small vibration to the finishing flavours. Slowly fading…
2023 Chablis Les Clos A little extra colour again. Extra depth of aroma – slightly tighter in the high tones. Super shape – quite the more chiselled style of wine. I love this structure – the flavours a little strict – they beg patience on the part of the purchaser. The finish almost chewy with extract. For keeping – maybe 5 years – it could be quite special…
2023 Chablis Les Preuses All tank elevage last year but there’s some wood in 2023 to remove a little reduction during elevage… Lighter colour again. Hmm – a nose that’s a little diffuse but seems to have everything – freshness and airy florals before slowly becoming calmer. I love the scale – the presence – in the mouth. There’s concentration but never richness. There’s depth but the generosity is modest. The Blanchots remains my favourite character today but I sense a more complete wine here – but for this I would wait at least 5 years!! Bravo!
