Mont de Milieu Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay

My first time here in Chablis! I chose to have with dinner (Wine Not, a fantastic wine bar & restaurant in Chablis) a bottle from a winemaker who doesn’t need a great deal of introduction nowadays. Samuel Billaud has fast become one of the region’s most exciting winemakers, so I was eager to try something of his. This was on the list for the veritable bargain of €65. Mont de Milieu is a premier cru from the right bank of the Sereine, a vineyard which shares a very similar aspect, and soils, to Les Clos. The 2020 here is a wine of immense presence, structure, classicism, with a slight hedonistic character. The flavours lean toward the fuller side of the spectrum, with flavours of marzipan, orange peel and fresh cut marmalade, with a hint of honey. But there is terrific zip on entry, incredible minerality; any weight to this wine is lean, muscular and structured, possessing deft acidity, a lovely herbaceous quality (think tomato vine) and a finish to die for. I’ve immediately bought four bottles of this back home and can’t wait to enjoy it again.