The 2003 Chablis vintage at Domaine .

Not easy to place this vintage within the palette of the last ten millésimes.

The recollection of a possible comparison dates back to the famous 47 millésime which also emerged from a long heat wave, but one not quite as strong and more spaced out over time. 
Is it here perhaps that the difference lies?

After pruning from November to March, we had an early, warm Spring. 
The vines began flowering during the month of May, about 2 weeks ahead of a normal cycle.

A drop in temperature of minus 9 centigrade was recorded. This was the final deathblow, after fighting against the frost for a whole week: at the dawn of this morning 30% of the harvest had been destroyed.

By June 15^th, , flowering had finished. As every year, we planned the date of harvesting using the 100-day rule (consisting of adding 100 days to the date of end of flowering).

Harvesting was estimated at around September 23^rd.

The grapes which had escaped the frost were well formed: there is hope for a harvest of small size it is true, but not catastrophic. The quality of the vintage is not jeopardized.

The heat became increasingly suffocating, storms threatened with the risk of frost. 
There is no doubt: this will be an exceptional year but fraught with high risk.

The temperatures in the vineyard reached over 40_ centigrade.

The grapes dried up , as if "burnt with a blowtorch", everything was scorched, came to a standstill, became concentrated; 20 to 30% of the harvest evaporated.

16 August: Faced with this situation which could well turn into a catastrophe, the decision to harvest was taken by numerous estates in Chablis.

Analyses conducted on our Estate showed that the fruit had not quite reached full maturity. 
The maturing process had been halted by the strong heat and lack of water, only some rain could cause the fruit to complete its ripening. For this vintage the 100-day rule was brought into question, days of sizzling heat had to be deducted.

It was decided to wait and postpone harvesting until early September.

September 2^nd : 
Some fine gardeners' rain lasting a few hours lent support to the decision we had taken.

                                            It was right to wait

As forecast, the rain retriggered the ripening cycle of the fruit.

The grapes brought into the pressing rooms were perfectly healthy.

The skin of the grapes had filled out, thinned. They released a juice whose acidity had dropped after the rain, but which then increased and even became more assertive.

Our choice was to harvest fully-ripened fruit and have the opportunity to re-balance the low acidity of some of the growths.

Vinification raised no problem, malolactic fermentation continuing until completion. 
The wines are rich in matter, express themselves with utmost freshness imparting perfect management of the alcohol content.

For the nose, floral notes predominate.

In the mouth, the fruit has body, is voluptuous, has the lushness of flesh ripened but not scorched by the sun.The final notes are powerful, extending into lemon menthol pleasantly refreshing in the mouth. This vintage, exceptional through the climate, is CHABLIS indeed.

Will this 2003 vintage be ageworthy? One certainty is that the Premiers Crus and Grands Crus are structured for 8 to 10 magnificent years. The qualities of their youth are immediately remarkable: their balance will be confirmed in adulthood. Informed connoisseurs will sense the emotion of a Fine Chablis, broad-shouldered, with body and matter. As always the iodine mineral and lemon menthol freshness are ever present.

                                                                                                                  Domaine BILLAUD-SIMON.
                                                                                      Bernard Billaud-Simon.