Billaud-Simon Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru

2021

Burghound 93: A pure and notably more elegant nose offers up its aromas of pear, apple, spice, white flower, iodine and a hint of oyster shell. There is first-rate delineation to the gorgeously textured, even delicate, flavors that exhibit fine cut on the markedly dry, lemony and youthfully austere finale. This beauty could use more depth but given that it should easily repay up to a decade of keeping, improved complexity is all but a given.

Vinous 90-92: The 2021 Chablis Vaudésir Grand Cru, which will see some cask ageing later on during its maturation, has a finely-tuned bouquet with nettle, granite and light white flower aromas. Good intensity. The palate is well balanced with a sapid entry and fine acidity; it's just beginning to dumb down midway through, so the finish is missing the complexity expressed by the Blanchots. The cask ageing will fill this out a little, so it will be interesting to taste in bottle.

Decanter 93: Nice example of Vaudésir which is rounded and showing lots of complexity already. White flowers on the nose, some stone-fruit characters on the palate combining with orange/grapefruit zest and some subtle hints of honey and acacia. Crisp and focussed acidity, Needs a coupe of years to really start to blossom.

2022

Burghound 91-94: Here too there is a vague whiff of exotic fruit lurking in the background of the moderately oaked nose of mineral reduction, pretty floral and ample spice wisps. There is excellent punch to the markedly finer if much less powerful and imposing middleweight flavors that exude a subtle minerality on the lingering, firm and built-to-age finale. This needs to develop more depth but that should not be a problem if it's allowed at least a few years of cellaring.

Decanter 93: Sunny, warm, toasty and plenty of acidity. A grand cru with power yet retains plenty of finesse and purity. Partly matured in barrel, the oak is certainly evident, although Olivier Bailly says the wood will virtually disappear after a year in bottle.