A French sommelier turned me onto the wines of Samuel Billaud three years ago, and now, I’m hooked. The name may ring a bell: Samuel Billaud, once winemaker at his family’s legendary Domaine Billaud-Simon, founded his namesake estate in 2009. With a gravity-fed cellar (formerly Stéphane Moreau-Naudet’s), Billaud works with prime parcels in Les Clos, Vaudésir, Montée de Tonnerre, Mont de Milieu, Séchet, and Les Pargues, plus leased fruit from Blanchots, Valmur, and Bougros. This sneaky-good village-level Chablis comes from vineyards in Les Pargues, Chapelot, and Les Cartes (planted between the ‘50s and ’80s). Billaud's style pushes the limit of ripeness while preserving that high-wire mineral flair. It's an irresistible yin-yang of plush and precise, the hallmark of an epic white. After a few sips, you’ll be checking the label just to be certain it’s not a Grand Cru. Let's keep this between us ;) Allegra Angelo
