2009 Chablis Montee de Tonnerre

The 2009 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre emerges from the glass with layers of silky fruit and a crystalline precision that is hard to capture with words. This floats across the palate with inimitable grace and classiness. The richness of the fruit (peach and apricot) is very nicely balanced with floral and minty overtones. This is a terrific showing from Billaud-Simon.

The 2009 Chablis Montee de Tonnerre emerges from the glass with layers of silky fruit and a crystalline precision that is hard to capture with words. The wine floats across the palate with inimitable grace and classiness. Richness in the fruit (peach and apricot) is very nicely balanced with floral and minty overtones. This is a terrific showing from Billaud-Simon. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. Billaud-Simon is now run by Bernard Billaud, following the exit of his nephew, Samuel Billaud, last year. The 2009 harvest began in late September and ran into early October, quite late by Chablis standards in this vintage. Not surprisingly, the Billaud-Simon 2009s are built on an expression of generous fruit that shows the ripeness and softness of the vintage. The 2009s were bottled beginning in September, 2010. As is quite common, the premier and grand crus saw a longer elevage, here roughly 16-18 months. The last of the grand crus were bottled in May, 2011. I also tasted most of the 2010s from tank and barrel, including several lots of the Petit Chablis and Chablis that had just been racked and were impossible to read. The estate began harvesting the 2010s on October 1st. It was a year in which maturation happened only at the very end of the season. Importer: Langdon Shiverick, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (213) 483-5900

Pale straw-yellow. Reticent but pure aromas of white peach, citrus peel and lime oil. Juicy and sappy in the mouth, with a distinctly taut quality to the stone fruit and powdered stone flavors. The wine's sweetness is nicely buffered by minerality on the long, firm back end. I'd give this four or five years in the cellar. The estate makes this wine from a blend of parcels, one each in Pied d'Aloue, Montee de Tonnerre and Chapelot.