Billaud-Simon : Chablis Village "Tête d'Or" 2022

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Chablis Village "Tête d'Or" 2022 Billaud-Simon

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a pale golden color with light green reflections, reflecting its youth and the predominance of primary aromas.

Nose

The nose is intense and expressive, dominated by notes of citrus (lemon, lime) and white fruits (green apple, pear). Floral nuances of white flowers are accompanied by subtle touches of honey, while the characteristic minerality of the Kimmeridgian terroir expresses itself with elegance.

Palate

On the palate, the wine charms with its smooth and opulent texture while maintaining vibrant freshness. The present and well-integrated acidity brings liveliness without aggressiveness. Harmonious minerality and slightly saline notes gradually emerge, offering a lovely length on the finish.

Food and wine pairings

This Chablis Village "Tête d'Or" 2022 pairs naturally with seafood and shellfish: oysters, scallops, mussels, lobster served cold or warm with butter. It also accompanies delicate fish (sole, turbot) beautifully, prepared simply or with light cream sauces. Smoked salmon, terrines and pâtés, as well as goat cheeses also make excellent pairings. White poultry with citrus or herbs, along with dishes based on green vegetables (asparagus, green beans), harmoniously complement this mineral and refreshing wine.

Serving and cellaring

Chablis Village "Tête d'Or" 2022 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature between 50 and 54°F. This wine can be appreciated now but will continue to evolve until the early 2030s, developing greater complexity while preserving its characteristic freshness.

A prestigious Chablis faithful to the minerality of the Kimmeridgian terroir

The estate

Founded in 1815, Domaine Billaud-Simon now extends over 17 hectares of prestigious vineyards within the Chablis appellation, in Burgundy. Since 2014, the estate has belonged to the Faiveley family, a Burgundy négociant house established in 1825 and led by Erwan Faiveley. The estate stands out for its exceptional vineyard holdings, including four Grands Crus and four Premiers Crus. Renowned for the precision and breeding of its wines, Billaud-Simon perpetuates a style faithful to the mineral expression of the Kimmeridgian terroir. Technical management is overseen by Olivier Bailly, estate manager for more than ten years.

The vineyard

The Chablis Village "Tête d'Or" comes from a rigorous selection of the best parcels from the estate’s village appellation. These vines, around fifty years old, are rooted in the characteristic Kimmeridgian soils of Chablis, composed of marine limestone rich in fossils and iodine dating from the Jurassic era. This unique geology gives the wines their distinctive saline minerality. The region’s semi-continental climate, with its harsh winters and temperate summers, encourages slow ripening of chardonnay, thus preserving the freshness and natural acidity of the grapes. The vines are managed using environmentally respectful practices, with a specific pruning technique known as the "Chablis method" and deliberately limited yields to concentrate aromas.

The vintage

The 2022 vintage stands as a classic vintage for Chablis. The climatic conditions made it possible to obtain grapes with a fine balance between ripeness and freshness, essential characteristics for the expression of the terroir. Harvest took place under favorable conditions, allowing perfectly healthy fruit to be picked at optimal maturity.

Vinification and aging

The grapes for the Chablis Village "Tête d'Or" 2022 are harvested by hand and then carefully sorted. After gentle pneumatic pressing, the must undergoes cold settling in stainless steel tanks for clarification. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, preserving the aromatic purity and freshness of the fruit. Aging takes place mainly in stainless steel tanks in order to preserve the wine’s pure and mineral character, in the classic style of the House.

Grape variety

100% chardonnay