When you enter the family business – and that business has existed for five generations – it's tough to distinguish yourself. For Louis Billard, the newest addition to our shelf, it took leaving home to work for the very best (DRC, Roumier) to put light between himself and what generations before him had done.

Leaning hard on these experiences and expanded fruit sources, he’s taken over his family cellar to kick off an ambitious new winery in Burgundy. His first release is now here.

Billard’s network has given him access to some of the finest sites between both in the Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits; and he farms all of the CdB based vineyards himself. We specify the sites below.

His touch in the cellar is highly refined. For the reds, he's using a Jayer-like cold soak with a mixture of whole clusters prior to fermentation. White wines are all whole cluster pressed. Across the board, after élevage, the wines are moved to tank for 2-4 months before bottling: giving an exceptionally intentional mark of reduction in the lineup. A bottling there's a touch (20g/l) of sulfur added.

The result is one of the most refreshing new Burgundians we've comes across this year. Fine yet unadulterated and pure-fruited. Any serious burghounds will love these.

SHOP LOUIS BILLARD

2022 Louis Billard Volnay, Cote de Beaune $95
25% whole cluster seeing a 5 day cold soak. Raised in neutral barrel prior to 2 months in tank prior to bottling.

2022 Louis Billard Pommard Les Noizons, Cote de Beaune $95
20-year-old vines from one of the best village level vineyards in Pommard. South facing quality lets the wine be fermented whole cluster and raised in ⅓ new wood (mix of 500 and 228L).

2022 Louis Billard Les Chevrets, Volnay Premier Cru $125
Sitting between Les Santenots and Les Caillerets, fermented ¼ whole cluster.

2022 Louis Billard Pommard Les Fremiers, Cote de Beaune $125
40 year old vines from one of Pommard's finest 1er Crus. 50% whole cluster.

2022 Louis Billard Gevrey-Chambertin, Cote de Nuits $125
55 year old vines, 50% whole cluster.

2022 Louis Billard Meursault, Cote de Beaune $125
A blend of 'Les Grands Charrons' and 'Les Narvaux' which sees an extra couple months in tank after élevage, giving a beautiful flinty reduction.

2022 Louis Billard Vosne-Romanee, Cote de Nuits $140
55 year old vines fermented 50% whole cluster.

2022 Louis Billard Chassagne-Montrachet, Cote de Beaune $140
45-year-old vines raised for a year in 25% new wood before spending 4 months in tank before bottling.