Domaine Billaud-Simon Montee de Tonnerre, Chablis Premier Cru, France

比約西蒙酒莊湯尼爾園（夏布利一級園）干白葡萄酒

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Notes of citrus oil, crisp green apple, fresh peach and oyster shell introduce the 2018 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive wine that's tightly wound after its recent bottling. Bottled under Diam like all of these 2018s, it will reward some bottle age.

The 2016 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre has turned out well, unfurling in the glass with a reserved bouquet of citrus oil and oyster shell. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, taut and racy, without the depth and dimension of a great vintage but showing its pedigree on the long, stony finish.

The 2014 Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre is a knockout wine from what is essentially now the Chablis branch of Maison Naively under winemaker Olivier Bailly. It has a lifted, slightly floral bouquet with attractive apple blossom, gooseberry and granitic aromas that are well defined. The palate is fresh and vibrant, very good salinity here with a tensile, steely and almost penetrating finish. This is a great Montée de Tonnerre and it comes highly recommended.

The 2013 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre comes from 45-year-old vines and is matured for 14 months. It has a crisp, granitic, frangipane-tinged bouquet that is well defined, offering more flinty scents as it opens in the glass. The palate is fresh and citric on the entry, fresh and vibrant with crisp acidity and a touch of spiciness on the finish. It does not quite possess the detail of a top tier Montée de Tonnerre although you can appreciate the length. Fine, though I suspect that the 2014 will be at a higher level.

The 2012 Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre comes from 2.51 hectares of 40-year-old vines and sees 15 months in stainless steel. It has a crisp, marine-influenced bouquet that opens nicely in the glass. The palate is clean and fresh, quite weighty in the mouth with a taut citric finish that needs another 12 months to unwind. Drink 2015-2022. It is confusing having both a Samuel Billaud and a Billaud-Simon producing wines in Chablis, but unfortunately that is the case while the intra-family dispute goes on. One hopes it is resolved sooner rather than later. Charles Louis Noel Billaud established the estate in 1815, thereby making it one of the forefathers of the region. Bernard Billaud returned to the domaine in 1991, whereupon he seized the opportunity to ratchet up the quality by installing a pneumatic press and stainless steel tanks. I have tasted the wines regularly here in the UK and they have always been impressive. For sure, the 2012s were perhaps a little more inconsistent due to the challenges of the growing season. But the grand crus certainly deliver where it matters – in the glass – while I appreciate the premier crus remaining true to their respective terroirs. Post-script: As this report went to print, news filtered through with regard to the sale of Domaine Billaud-Simon to Maison Faiveley, giving them a strong foothold in the region. How this will impact Samuel Billaud remains to be seen, though it clearly thwarts any hopes of him returning to farming the vines that he once tended (wouldn’t it be a twist if Faiveley subsequently appointed him winemaker!). Exact details are yet to emerge, but hopefully all parties can move forward. Importer: Langdon Shiverick, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (213) 483-5900