2011 Chablis Vaillons

From disparate estate parcels (each separately vinified) in several lieux-dits – but principally Sechet and Roncieres – the Billaud-Simon 2011 Chablis Vaillons leads with high-toned herbal essences, lemon oil, and smoky, fusil evocations of crushed chalk. An admirable sense of mid-palate brightness and lift allied to density leads to a finish of bright citricity and relatively austere but impressively-persistent stoniness. I suspect this will be best enjoyed by 2017. When I last visited Bernard Billaud on a June day for my issue 191 report focusing on vintage 2008, he agreed for the first time to show me his young grand crus in advance of bottling and alongside the premier crus that I was used to tasting at that season of the year. Unfortunately, he made emphatically clear on this most recent occasion that such would not be the case; indeed, I was not offered any of the 2012s to taste, but instead the full 2011 collection, and a report on Billaud-Simon’s 2012 will have to wait for next year, before which, in any case, they will not have been put on the market. (In keeping with existing conventions at The Wine Advocate – and seeing that there are modes of vinification in common and only one overlap in cru designations – I have not indicated as part of each wine’s description whether or not it relies entirely on domaine as opposed to contract fruit.) Imported by Langdon Shiverick, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (213) 483-5900

Pale yellow. Green apple, lemon and white flowers on the nose, plus a suggestion of mint. Juicy flavors of yellow fruits and flowers are freshened by brisk lemon and lime notes. Nicely balanced, rather supple wine with closing notes of apple, pear and peche de vignes.

Lively and lifted. Very cool and Chablis-like – with a really juicy finish. Then a little chewy and stony. Already a hint of the wet-wool syndrome. Certainly can't be faulted for being atypical… (JR)