For years, Marc Billy has been behind some of Burgundy’s most illustrious wines, even if most drinkers don’t know it. As winemaker at legendary Nuits-Saint-Georges estate Henri Gouges, he’s been responsible for top level fine wines, famous for their depth and staying power.
Billyacum is Marc’s personal label - wines made in tiny quantities in his own cellar with equipment from Gouges. It’s a micro-negoce project, using fruit sourced from further south, in Beaujolais. He makes a red, but the star of the show is the rarely seen Beaujolais Blanc, made with 100% Chardonnay.
With a light touch in the cellar and subtle oak influence, this is a wine that could easily be mistaken for a far grander white Burgundy. After all, it’s Chardonnay made in the heart of Burgundy by a skilled and experienced winemaker, and it shows.
Marc makes just a couple of barrels of Billyacum wines each year. The white has superb mineral definition. It’s precise, detailed and taut, but it also has some of Beaujolais’ signature exuberance. For the quality on show, it offers remarkable value for money.
