2017 Chablis Mont de Milieu
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Tasting notes
The 2017 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru has a riveting bouquet with precise, flinty, petrichor scents that convey energy and terroir. Perhaps it shows less of the lemon sherbet element that I observed previously and more salinity. The palate is beautifully balanced with impressive tension and verve. Lime and lemon zest emerge towards the energetic finish that suggests this will drink well for 15 to 20 years…if you can resist temptation.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Chablis Mont de Milieu 1er Cru is an absolutely exquisite rendering of this site. Rich, layered and beautifully resonant in the glass, the 2017 possesses tons of depth, energy and complexity. Dried pear, marzipan, lemon confit, spice, petrol, dried flowers and chamomile are some of the many notes that grace this wonderfully inviting Chablis from Samuel Billaud.
The 2017 Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu confirms its strong showing last year, unwinding in the glass with aromas of peach, grapefruit and honeycomb, with some subtle musky floral tones waiting in the wings that I suspect will become more prominent with time. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, concentrated and gourmand, with racy acids and a long, saline finish. Billaud tells me that this was cropped at less than 20 hectoliters per hectare, and that shows.
About the producer
Samuel Billaud started making wine under his own name in 2009, but he is one of the most experienced producers in Chablis, having made wine in the region since 1985.