Billaud-Simon : Chablis Grand cru "Vaudésir" 2022

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Billaud-Simon’s Chablis Grand cru "Vaudésir" 2022

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows a pale gold color with slightly greenish highlights.

Nose

The nose reveals beautiful aromatic complexity with intense notes of white flowers, notably linden and acacia. These are joined by aromas of ripe white fruits such as pear and apple, accompanied by nuances of fresh citrus. With aeration, subtle touches of vanilla and honey emerge, along with a pronounced minerality evoking iodine and the saline notes characteristic of the Kimmeridgian terroir.

Palate

On the palate, the wine reveals a fine structure balanced between richness and vibrancy. The attack shows concentrated, ripe fruit with lovely volume. The mid-palate offers a round texture and a well-defined mineral tension. The acidity, perfectly integrated, brings the freshness essential to the expression of the grand cru. The long, persistent finish focuses on mineral notes of white stone and flint, with a subtle touch of citrus.

Food and wine pairings

This Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir 2022 pairs ideally with seafood, notably oysters, shellfish, and crustaceans. It also complements beautifully white-fleshed fish prepared simply or with light butter sauces. Poultry in creamy sauces and certain aged goat cheeses also make excellent pairings.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to serve this Chablis Grand cru "Vaudésir" 2022 at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. This wine can be enjoyed now but also has excellent aging potential until around 2035.

A grand cru from Chablis expressing the full minerality of the Kimmeridgian terroir

The estate

Founded in 1815, the Domaine Billaud-Simon is among the historic houses of Chablis. Since 2014, the estate has belonged to the Faiveley family, a prestigious Burgundy house. Olivier Bailly currently oversees the estate’s technical management. Spanning 17 hectares, the vineyard includes four grands crus and four premiers crus. In 2025, the entire estate obtained organic farming certification. Billaud-Simon stands out for its philosophy of revealing the authenticity of the Kimmeridgian terroir through elegant, mineral-driven wines.

The vineyard

The Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir comes from a 0.50-hectare plot located in the Climat Vaudésir, one of the seven grands crus of Chablis. This terroir benefits from a south-southeast exposure and rests on Kimmeridgian soils composed of limestone marls rich in marine fossils dating back 155 million years. These soils, enriched with a notable proportion of clay, give the wine its characteristic minerality and complexity. The vines, around 32 years old at the time of the 2022 harvest, are managed according to the principles of sustainable viticulture, now certified organic.

The vintage

The 2022 vintage in Burgundy and in Chablis proved particularly favorable after the difficulties encountered in 2021. Climatic conditions allowed for balanced ripening of the grapes. The white wines of the 2022 vintage are characterized by beautiful aromatics combining notes of citrus and ripe stone fruits, accompanied by delicate floral fragrances. The palate structure shows a supple, fleshy texture supported by a fine framework and pleasant roundness, promising excellent aging potential.

Vinification and aging

The grapes for the Chablis Grand cru "Vaudésir" 2022 were harvested by hand at optimal ripeness and then carefully sorted. After slow and gentle pneumatic pressing, the must underwent cold static settling. Alcoholic fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts, mainly in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, complemented by the use of large-format oak casks. Malolactic fermentation occurred naturally. Aging lasted around 14 months, divided between stainless steel tanks and large French oak barrels, thus preserving the wine’s aromatic purity and minerality.

Grape variety

100% chardonnay