The 2023 Chablis Bougros Grand Cru, which comes from a mid-slope parcel, matured in barrel for 12 months plus 6 months in tank. It has a complex nose that blossoms in the glass, with crushed limestone infusing the yellow plum and subtle orange pith scents. This is razor-sharp in terms of definition. The palate is very well balanced, harmonious and poised, with a fine bead of acidity, gentle grip and a touch of stem ginger on the finish. This is very classy and surely one to cellar for the long term.

Demonstrative and broad shouldered, Samuel Billaud’s 2023 Chablis Grand Cru Bougros is sourced from a west-facing plot at the top of the climat, near Les Preuses, and is produced from purchased fruit, though Billaud himself decides the harvest date and it’s his team that picks the fruit. Jumping from the glass with aromas of baked bread, spice, peach and pear, it’s ample, textural and giving, laden with tangy acidity and a saline quality that balances the richness of the fruit, concluding with a long, intense finish. It’s aged for a year in barrels, followed by six months in tank.

Tank sample. 50% vinified in 456-litre barrels. Power and youth show here in the aroma. So creamy and silky in the mouth that you don't feel the power except in the length. A promising grand cru but hard to assess at the moment. Not as good value as his premiers crus. (JH)