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THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BEST FRENCH WINES 2004 - France
By Bettane & Desseauve
Palmares
Coups de coeur
Chablis 2001 
" The remarkable success of the domaine, in this difficult vintage 2001, confirms
its actual control of the vinification.
The wines have the elegance and the purety resuired by their great
origins. Contrary to our habit, we keep on prefering the wines vinified in stainless steel tank to the ones vinified in oak barrel, the balance being not
as perfect as it is in other producers, at least at the beginning of their
lives. We confess our weakness for a wonderful cuvée Les Clos, splendidly robust for the vintage and of a great nobility of
style. "
The notes upon
10:
Chablis
Grand Cru Blanchots vieille vigne 2001 ( 7,5
)
Chablis
Grand Cru Les Clos 2001 ( 8,5
)
Chablis
Grand Cru Les Preuses 2001 ( 8
)
Chablis
Grand Cru Vaudésir 2001 ( 8
)
Chablis
Premier Cru Fourchaume 2001 ( 8
)
Chablis
Premier Cru Mont de Milieu 2001 ( 8,5
)
Chablis
Premier Cru Mont de Milieu vieille vigne 2001 ( 8,5
)
Chablis
Premier Cru Montée de Tonnerre 2001 ( 7,5
)
Chablis
Premier Cru Les Vaillons 2001 ( 7,5
)
Chablis
Tête d'Or 2001 ( 7,5
)
Petit
Chablis 2001 ( 7,5
)
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Guide
Bettane et Desseauve
2003
..............2000 Vintage………
« This
Estate owns a complete range of the best soils of Chablis.
Concerning its Grand Cru, its older vines come from the Blanchots
and give way to a special cuvée vinified in barrels. Clos and
Vaudésir produce two wines of contrasted
style, one more mineral and more full-bodied but less
refined on the aromatic level (Clos) than the other. The
best cru of the right river side are well represented, with
here, much
more old vines on the Mont
de Milieu. The
Estate style is mainly influenced by a superband modern
stainless steel vathouse of an exemplary cleanliness. The
wines improve on the purety of expression but sometimes can
loose some of its inmmediate personality. We will not find
here the honey that we like so much in the
Raveneau and
Dauvissat cousins but a touch more floral, more sharply
mineral which will please to theunconditionnal purist of the
cabalistic minerality.
The
wines:
The wines of the
vintage 2000 find again the Estate to its best level,
as soon as we arrive at the Premier and Grand Crus,
with a special mention to the Mont
de Milieu Vieilles Vignes of
an exceptionnel delicacy. They need three or four years more
in bottle to express freely and more strongly. The basic
Chablis has to be improved,
less successfull than those of the domaine Grossot. Clos will certainly go
beyond Blanchots within
eight or ten years, but if we cannot wait so much,
Blanchots will please a wider public. »
Notes on
10
-
Chablis
2000 (7)
-
Chablis
Grand Cru
Blanchots
Vieille Vigne 2000 (8,5)
-
Chablis
Grand Cru Clos 2000 (8,5)
-
Chablis
Grand Cru Preuses 2000 (8)
-
Chablis
Grand Cru Vaudésir 2000 (8)
-
Chablis
Premier Cru Fourchaume 2000 (8)
-
Chablis
Premier Cru
Mont
de Milieu vieille vigne 2000 (9)
-
Chablis
Premier Cru
Montée
de Tonnerre 2000 (8)
-
Chablis
Premier Cru Vaillons 2000 (8)
-
Chablis
Tête d' Or 2000 (7,5)
-
Petit
Chablis 2000 (7)
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Carnets
de Dégustation
Bettane
& Desseauve
2002
N II - 23th May 2002
Domaine Billaud-Simon classed among the first
10 great Chablis:
.....................2000 Vintage..................
Chablis Premier Cru
Mont
de Milieu vieille vigne 2000
( 9/10
)
CHABLIS 2000
( 7
)
« The wine has
a very pale and clear color, a medium body, a pure and
frank savour of mineral type but slightly developped, it
shows an excellent vinification but its matter lacks of
personality »
CHABLIS Cuvée
Tête
d'Or 2000 ( 7,5
)
« Of a very
pale colour, it appears neat and mineral. Of a suitable
body, it presents a beautiful freshness in the mouth and a
final, not expressive for the moment. A real Chablis
of ageing. It will make an excellent bottle in three to four
years' time. »
CHABLIS Grand Cru
Les Blanchots vieille vigne 2000 (
8,5
)
« It reveals a
woody taste more emphasized than the Grands Crus. The
mouth lets appear a full body, a rich texture, a superb
vinosity and an extension of aroma. Certainly, more powerful
than Les Clos, it gives a touch of natural in the
expression. I will be inclined to put Les Clos under wood
rather than Les Blanchots. To be left to five to six
years. »
CHABLIS Grand Cru
Les Clos 2000 (
8,5
)
« The Cru
presents, as it must be, more character to the nose than Les
Preuses and more body. A powerful and straight wine with an
assertive minerality which will progress continually with
ageing. To be left to eight to ten years. »
CHABLIS Grand Cru
Les Preuses 2000
( 8
)
" Beautiful and
well balanced wine, its mineral tones are well asserted but
withless extension and delicateness than Le Mont de Milieu.
We must wait it a little."
CHABLIS Grand Cru
Vaudésir 2000 ( 8
)
« The maturity
of the grape is obvious because of the strong floral and
mineral aroma, with a little touch of citrus fruits which
evokes the next Grand Cru Les Grenouilles. The wine ends
with an alcohol too much present. It will well accomodate
fishes in sauce. »
CHABLIS
Premier Cru
Mont
de Milieu vieille vigne 2000
( 9
)
« A great
bottle, worthy of the vintage year and of the producer. The
nose very pure, straight, mixed with fine mineral notes and
freshly cut grass on a well worked back flavoured with
vanilla and wood. The mouth is elegant and complex and out
classes all the others Premiers Crus of the Estate. »
CHABLIS Premier Cru
Montée
de Tonnerre 2000 (
8
)
« Very pure
wine, similar by its shape to Les Vaillons, but just a touch
drunk in five years at least. »
CHABLIS Premier Cru
Les Vaillons 2000 (
8
)
" Pale
colour, expressive and high quality nose of fem, linden-tree,
splendid purity in mouth, well balanced and classical in
acidity: beautiful style. To be left to four to five years."
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