Pre Arrival Billaud-Simon Chablis 1er Cru “Montée de Tonnerre” 2022

91 BH

94 JM

Notes:

Moderate though also easily detectible wood is present on the nose of iodine, white flowers and a hint of oyster shell. The markedly finer middleweight flavors exude evident minerality that adds a sense of lift to the balanced, nicely dry and impressively long finish that displays the natural class of a fine MdT. As with many of these 2022s, it could use more depth but the style is lovely and understated. Burghound 91 Outstanding!

An even lemon yellow. The concentrated warmth of Montée de Tonnerre is showing here in a very attractive way, a little more compelling than Mont de Milieu. Less flamboyant up front then the 2023 but if anything offering greater intensity behind with really well harnessed marine minerals. Beautiful persistence. Drink from 2027-2034. Tasted Jul 2024. Jasper Morris 94 | 5 Stars

Producer: Domaine Billaud-Simon has been established in Chablis since 1815 and today farms nearly 17 hectares, all located within roughly two kilometers of the domaine. Its holdings include four Grands Crus—Les Clos, Vaudésir, Les Preuses, and Les Blanchots—and four principal Premier Crus: Montée de Tonnerre, Fourchaume, Mont de Milieu, and Vaillons. The estate was acquired by the Faiveley family in 2014, but remains a distinct domaine with its own winery and team. Olivier Bailly oversees the estate, continuing a style centered on Chardonnay, old vines, precise harvesting, and a generally restrained approach to oak. The compact geography of Billaud-Simon's holdings is particularly notable: despite having parcels on both banks of the Serein, its entire estate remains concentrated within the historic core of Chablis.
Vineyard: Montée de Tonnerre occupies one of the most distinctive positions among the Chablis Premier Crus. It lies on the right bank of the Serein as a continuation of the Grand Cru hillside, rather than across the river with many of the appellation's other Premier Crus. The name derives from the old Roman road connecting Auxerre and Tonnerre, which climbed the hillside here toward the plateau. Billaud-Simon has an especially useful cross-section of the vineyard, with parcels in all three component climats: Chapelot, Pied d'Aloup, and Montée de Tonnerre proper. The oldest vines are in Pied d'Aloup and reach approximately 87 years of age. Historical domaine information places its total holding at roughly 2.5 hectares, with about two-thirds coming from Chapelot and the remainder divided between Pied d'Aloup and Montée de Tonnerre proper. This range of positions gives the domaine fruit from different elevations and exposures within the cru rather than a single parcel. The underlying Kimmeridgian limestone and marl, rich in marine fossils, is fundamental to the geology of the site.
Winemaking: Billaud-Simon traditionally handles Montée de Tonnerre with a strong preference for stainless steel, keeping oak to a minimum. The 2022 was an exception in a small but specific way: approximately 6% of the wine was matured in barrel, with the overwhelming majority remaining in tank. That is useful context because it distinguishes the actual élevage of this vintage from generalized descriptions of the domaine's winemaking. The small barrel component was intended primarily to contribute texture rather than make oak a defining feature. Published domaine information for its Chablis production describes hand harvesting, gentle pressing, temperature-controlled fermentation, and extended maturation before bottling. The warm, dry 2022 growing season produced ripe Chardonnay, but the estate's old vines and the limestone-rich Montée de Tonnerre site provided the raw material to retain freshness alongside that ripeness.
Technical Details: Chablis Premier Cru AOC; Montée de Tonnerre climat; 2022 vintage; 100% Chardonnay; estate-grown fruit; parcels distributed across Chapelot, Pied d'Aloup, and Montée de Tonnerre proper; approximately 2.5 hectares historically reported; oldest vines in Pied d'Aloup approximately 87 years old; right bank of the Serein adjacent to the Grand Cru hillside; Kimmeridgian limestone and marl; hand harvested; primarily stainless-steel élevage; approximately 6% matured in barrel for the 2022 vintage; 750ml bottle. The domaine recommends serving Montée de Tonnerre at approximately 10–12°C.
Food Pairing: Oysters, chilled shellfish, crab, langoustines, seared scallops, Dover sole, turbot, roasted halibut, grilled branzino, poached lobster, sushi and sashimi, roast chicken, gougères, goat cheese, Comté, and young Gruyère. Montée de Tonnerre's combination of Chardonnay concentration and firm acidity makes it versatile enough for both simply prepared shellfish and richer fish or poultry dishes.