Billaud/Samuel Chablis 1er cru Séchets Vieilles Vignes 2023

95 points Christy Canterbury, MW (TimAtkin.com): "A powerhouse of complexity, I wrote more descriptors on this Premier Cru than all the others. And there's not a bit of barrel influence here. It starts with hay, peak-season Vacherin Mont d'Or, fresh thyme and quinine. An arc of bracing acidity hovers over the palate, giving it tension and focus. This is built for the long-haul, if you give it the chance. Samuel's grandfather created the grafts for these 80-year-old vines, and his grandmother planted the vineyard. (2025)"

94 points/'5 Star Wine,' Jasper Morris, MW (Inside Burgundy): "Just bottled, after 18 months in tank. Not too dry and stony, though savoury in the best sense. Samuel’s Séchet is one of the great expressions of Left Bank Chablis, with its tightly wound finish and controlled salinity. Drink from 2028-2035. Tasted Jun 2025."

93-94 points Kristaps Karklins (Wine Advocate): "Another brilliant wine from Samuel Billaud, and one of the most classically Chablisien in character, the 2023 Chablis 1er Cru Séchet Vieilles Vignes derives from 90-year-old vines, the oldest of the domaine, and is aged entirely in steel for 18 months. Opening in the glass to reveal a bouquet of lemon zest, oyster shell, white flowers and crushed chalk, it’s compact and chiseled, with extraordinary purity, a bright, incisive line of acidity and a strikingly sapid, mouthwatering finish. Chablis purists will want to seek this out urgently, as it ranks among Billaud’s finest premiers crus this year. (3/6/25)"

92-94 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2023 Chablis Les Séchets 1er Cru comes from 90-year-old vines, vinified in stainless steel on the lees for 18 months. Crushed stone, sea cave and just a touch of menthol on the intense nose, this is beautifully defined. The palate is well balanced with just a touch of dried apricot and fig, animated and tensile. The penetrating finish lingers in the mouth. Superb. Drink: 2026-2042. (Aug 2024)"

91-94 points/'Sweet spot/Outstanding,' Allen Meadows (Burghound): "(from a .60 ha holding of 90+ year old vines raised in 100% stainless). Restrained aromas of citrus confit, iodine, spice and apple give way to strikingly textured and slightly denser medium-bodied flavors that flash evident power that builds on the bitter lemon-inflected finish that is markedly dry, sleek and balanced. The Billaud Séchet is virtually always excellent and the 2023 vintage should be no exception. Drink: 2030+. (Oct 2024)"