2020 Samuel Billaud Chablis 1ER Vaillons Vieilles Vignes

(92 Points) Notes of white flowers, citrus zest, freshly baked bread, blanched almond and orange oil introduce the 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons Vieilles Vignes, a medium to full-bodied, layered and tensile wine that's racy and precise, uniting the charm of the site with the tension of maturation in stainless steel. It's bottled under Diam. Having parted ways with Domaine Billaud Simon, Samuel Billaud established his own state-of-the-art winery in central Chablis in 2009, and he has rapidly emerged as one of the town's best half-dozen producers, crafting wines characterized by textural seamlessness and unerring precision. Working with four hectares of organically farmed estate vineyards, supplemented by purchased grapes, manual harvesting of ripe but bright fruit is the rule here, followed by fermentation at 16 to 20 degrees Celsius in tank or inconspicuous wood, then maturation for 15 to 18 months on the lees for the premiers crus and grand cru bottlings. The 2020 vintage is another fine success, though readers will have a hard time choosing between the last half-dozen or so vintages at this address, so completely has Billaud realized each year's potential. Wine Advocate