2010 Petit Chablis

The 2010 Petit Chablis is a gorgeous wine within its peer group. It possesses attractive depth buffered by the structure and minerality of the vintage. Dried pears, flowers and a hint of licorice wrap around the generous finish. Readers looking for an affordable introduction to Chablis should start here. Quite simply, this is an absolutely beautiful bottle of wine. Anticipated maturity: 2012+. Bernard Billaud told me he views 2011 as a classic Chablis vintage, one of the few producers who holds that view. The growing season got off to an early start, with flowering that was three weeks ahead of schedule. The harvest began on September 10, as opposed to late September/early October, which is much more common. I tasted most of the 2011s from tank and/or barrel, except the Petit Chablis and Chablis, which were bottled in May 2012. Always eloquent, Billaud describes 2010 as a ‘grand millesime.’ Vintage 2010 at the domaine was characterized by a rainy summer with little heat. On average, yields were down 25%. Billaud bottled his 2010 grand crus in May 2012. Importer: Langdon Shiverick, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (213) 483-5900