2016 Chablis, Butteaux, Vieilles Vignes, 1er Cru, Louis Michel & Fils, Burgundy

  • White
  • Dry
  • Medium Bodied
  • Chardonnay
Ready - mature
William Kelley
91+/100
Product: 20168011026
2016 Chablis, Butteaux, Vieilles Vignes, 1er Cru, Louis Michel & Fils, Burgundy

Description

This comes from two plots – Chapelot and the 90-yearold Cartes – this year, rather than the usual three, as the Pargues was hailed completely. This is very classic Chablis on the nose, while the palate has gorgeous concentration and purity, with a saline, marine finish. Punches above the weight of a normal village wine. Drink 2020-2024.
Adam Bruntlett, Burgundy Buyer

The brilliantly talented Samuel Billaud was finding family politics hard going, so he founded his own wine label in Chablis separate from Domaine Billaud-Simon. However with the sale of Domaine BillaudSimon to Faiveley in 2014, Samuel has got back a proportion of the vineyards for himself. Whether from domaine sources or purchased grapes, Samuel Billaud’s wines demonstrate his exceptional talent. Samuel feels that 2016 is very close in style to the outstanding 2014 vintage, and says that the concentrating effect of hail and frost early in the season, along with the cool ripening period has given a good balance of matière and acidity. This is a very promising set of wines which will gain in weight and complexity with élevage. Samuel is undoubtedly making some of the finest wines in Chablis.
Colour White
Sweetness Dry
Vintage 2016
Maturity Ready - mature
Grape List Chardonnay
Body Medium Bodied
Producer Domaine Louis Michel

Critics reviews

William Kelley 91+/100
The 2016 Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Vieilles Vignes had only been bottled two weeks before I tasted it, but even in its reserved state it was showing very well, offering up aromas of green apple, white flowers, nutty reduction and iodine. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with good tension and structure. This is one 2016 that will have some upside potential.William Kelley - 31/08/2018
William Kelley, RobertParker.com (Aug 2018)

About this wine

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is often seen as the king of white wine grapes and one of the most widely planted in the world It is suited to a wide variety of soils, though it excels in soils with a high limestone content as found in Champagne, Chablis, and the Côte D`Or. Burgundy is Chardonnay's spiritual home and the best White Burgundies are dry, rich, honeyed wines with marvellous poise, elegance and balance. They are unquestionably the finest dry white wines in the world. Chardonnay plays a crucial role in the Champagne blend, providing structure and finesse, and is the sole grape in Blanc de Blancs.
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Domaine Louis Michel

Prior to 1970 all the wines from this domaine were fermented and matured in old oak barrels. By 1980 the old oak had been thrown out and the domaine had switched entirely to stainless steel. Today the domaine is run by Jean-Loup Michel and is widely recognised as the prime exponents of unoaked Chablis in the region.
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