2018 Chablis Les Fourneaux
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2018 Chablis Les Fourneaux 1er Cru comes from 1.25ha of 35-year-old vines and sees 12–18 months on the fine lees. It has a rich, extravagant bouquet of dried honey, cumin, fern and orange pith aromas. The palate is well balanced with a malic opening, dovetailing into a more typical 2018 midpalate, quite spicy with a detailed and linear finish. Good build here. A Fourneaux that finishes on a high note.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The 2018 Chablis 1er Cru Fourneaux has turned out beautifully, wafting from the glass with notes of citrus oil, fresh peach, beeswax and subtle hints of oyster shell. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered, it's bright and precise, with a nicely concentrated core of fruit, racy acids and a long, penetrating finish.
The 2018 Chablis Les Fourneaux 1er Cru is one of the more voluptuous wines in this range. Lemon confit, almond, and dried flowers are some of the nuances that build in a Chablis that offers quite bit of creamy resonance but plenty of energy as well. I imagine it will drink well with minimal cellaring.
Unoaked, bottled. Just a touch smoky in its mineral first impression with the fine citrus fruit a little more hidden than on the Montmains. Almost a little bit nutty and opens up to some green fruits. Deep and creamy on the palate (lees influence, I presume), perfectly balanced between the acid tension and the fruit. The acid may be a little lower than in some vintages but there’s no lack of freshness. Underlying power. (JH)
About the producer
Samuel Billaud started making wine under his own name in 2009, but he is one of the most experienced producers in Chablis, having made wine in the region since 1985.