Domaine Billaud-Simon is renowned for producing some of the best wines in Chablis, long recognised for their steely, mineral style. Domaine Billaud Simon owns 20 hectares of vineyards in some of the best areas in Chablis. Most of the domaine’s wines see no oak at all, apart from the Premier Cru Mont de Milieu which is 40% vinified in oak and the Grand Cru Les Blanchots, which is 100% vinified in oak.
The name ‘Mont de Milieu’ makes reference to the defining characteristic of this hillside which previously marked a boundary between two points. On one side was the Chablis constituency (an area across which a Lord or town had the right to jurisdiction), at the time in the Champagne constituency, and on the other side was the Fleys constituency which fell under the Duchy of Burgundy.
Total surface area: 34 ha / Surface area of our parcel: 2 ha 77 a
Soils: Kimmeridgien clay-limestone
Exposure: Right bank. South – South/East
Cépage : Chardonnay
Hand harvested in order to preserve the quality of the fruit. The grapes are sorted manually on a vibrating sorting table in order to retain only the most healthy fruit. The grapes are drained naturally before being pressed using a pneumatic press in order to gently extract the juices and conserve as much aroma as possible. Static cold settling of the musts for 12 to 24 hours in stainless steel vats in order to obtain a bright, clear juice. Alcoholic fermentation followed by malolactic fermentation, both natural, in stainless steel vats. 14 to 16 months in stainless steel vats with, if necessary, some time spent in French oak barrels. The ageing process preserves freshness and minerality whilst bringing complexity and body to the wine. The wine is racked twice before being bottled at the end of Autumn.
Winter was cold, dry and short-lived. Bud-burst took place early (beginning of April) and was followed by a mild spring, aside from 10 consecutive days of frost from the 19th to the 29th April. Flowering began on the 1st June and took place in excellent conditions thanks to warm, dry weather in May and June. The growing cycle took place at two different speeds between the frozen vines (late and with less production) and the vines that were unaffected by the frosts (earlier and with higher production). Summer was rather mixed with excellent weather in July but a cooler month of August which enabled the vine to retain the water it needed. September was also very conducive to the vine with temperatures that were not too hot, thereby enabling the grapes to ripen slowly.
The spring frosts had a severe impact our yields: – 44% for Premiers Crus and -55% for Grands Crus. The grapes we harvested were healthy, small in size and perfectly ripe.
Clear, bright hue with light green tinges. This 1er Cru reveals a remarkably rich aromatic profile with ripe citrus fruits and white flowers. The palate is rich and round with exceptional length.
Quail terrine, sea bream with confit lemons, king prawns in ginger and lime.
10°C to 12 °C
Chablis, France
100% Chardonnay
Cork
13%
Yes
Yes
