10/12/26 - 

Louis Billard is making some of the most exciting wines coming out of Burgundy right now and 2024 only marks his third vintage! Louis grew up in the Hautes Cotes de Beaune near Meursault and is the fifth generation in his family to make wine. However Louis left home in order to hone his skills before starting his eponymous Domaine. He spent two years working at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti before heading to Newton Johnson Estate in South Africa and By Farr Estate in Australia. These roles helped him to gain an even better understanding of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in and outside of his home region. Tack on spending a harvest at Georges Roumier and Louis has made a fantastic resume for himself. Having tasted his wines since his first release in 2022, the wines just keep getting better, and they were delicious to begin with! I think his star is just beginning to climb.  

For winemaking, Louis implements a cold maceration before fermentation and utilizes a small amount of pump overs at the start of fermentation to keep the cap moist. He uses a range of whole clusters depending on what the vintage allows, and in 2024 that was 30-100% across different cuvees. All his reds are aged for 14 months in a mix of new and used barrels. This style of winemaking has really allowed for the terroir to shine through and results in such an open and ready to drink wine. Today we are highlighting four red wines of his that have really stood out to me, and they just happen to invoke a bit of a battle between Volnay and Pommard. The two neighboring villages have long been pinned against one another but today that all goes out the window! Billard's whole lineup is elegant and finessed with strong character that is fresh and light on its feet. As we slowly move closer to cooler temps and many meals shared with family and friends, I think you will be glad to have a few of these corks to pop.

-Hanna Krilov Cohen

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