Samuel Billaud 2022 Chablis Premier Cru Les Vaillons Vieilles Vignes, Burgundy

When 1er Cru wines are doing their thing you can tell instantly why the wines are highly revered and sought after, and this offering from Samuel Billaud is very much doing its thing. Aged in 15% new oak there is a richness and power here that is remarkable. Vaillons benefits from where it is located, the vines are south southwest facing so they are in nearly perfect conditions for ripeness in a region that struggles for that nearly every vintage. Here you have lemon confit on the nose with some orchard fruit and plenty of minerals. Dense and brawny on the palate but here you find a lovely floral component that weaves itself around the plushy fruit. Drinking gorgeous now but has plenty of potential to hold up and build more complexity in the cellar.