2020 Chablis 1er Cru Sechet Vieilles Vignes

The 2020 Chablis Séchets 1er Cru has a delicate and precise bouquet, understated initially, though it "expands" with aeration. Scents of orange blossom and melted candle wax emerge with time. The palate is well-balanced, and the entry is light and tangy. It has fine weight, but it doesn't have the complexity I seek in a Chablis. This finish is par for the course insofar that nothing is inherently substandard, just that it fails to hold my interest. This is disappointing, given its showing from barrel, where I scored it much more highly. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting.

Always one of the highlights in Billaud's range, the 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Séchet Vieilles Vignes has once again turned out brilliantly. Exhibiting aromas of crisp orchard fruit, white currants, citrus zest, pastry cream and freshly baked bread, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and chiseled, with an ample core of fruit, racy acids and a long, saline finish. It's worth a special effort to seek out.