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Domaine William Fèvre
If it looks like Chardonnay and tastes like Chardonnay, it probably is Chardonnay. Unless it’s Chablis, and then it's a whole different ball game. Technically a Chardonnay but Chablis, with its lean citrus notes and cult following has always stood apart from its contemporaries.
Que sera sera, whatever Chablis Chablis
Yet if there is one producer that stands out from the crowd, it would have to be William Fevre. Synonymous with the famous Chablis characteristics: power, vivacity, light yellow colour and excellent quality, Domaine Fevre is to Chablis what Château Margaux is to Bordeaux.
The domaine was handed to William in the 1950s from his father, who had been making wine for 20 years. Under William’s direction, the estate began a decade long renovation process, which saw him increase his parcels by 1,114% in 39 years. The sale of the vineyard for an undisclosed sum in 1998 saw new investment by the new owners (the Henriot family, of Champagne fame), notably in the vinification process. A forerunner to the organic farming movement, William Fevre obtained the coveted HVE (High Environmental Value) certification in 2015. The last parcels of land are currently being turned over to biodynamism, and we expect the entire domaine to be 100% biodynamic by 2020.
The domaine was handed to William in the 1950s from his father, who had been making wine for 20 years. Under William’s direction, the estate began a decade long renovation process, which saw him increase his parcels by 1,114% in 39 years. The sale of the vineyard for an undisclosed sum in 1998 saw new investment by the new owners (the Henriot family, of Champagne fame), notably in the vinification process. A forerunner to the organic farming movement, William Fevre obtained the coveted HVE (High Environmental Value) certification in 2015. The last parcels of land are currently being turned over to biodynamism, and we expect the entire domaine to be 100% biodynamic by 2020.
White hot
Makers of five of the seven Chablis Grand Crus (Les Clos, Les Preuses, Vaudésir, Valmur and Bougros), 16 hectares of the 78-hectare vineyard is dedicated the superior wine (12 hectares are for Premier Cru production). The excellent exposure, 30 to 60-year-old vines, low yields and historic Marls and Kimmeridgian limestone terroir mean William Fevre’s Chablis is ripe for ageing and worthy of its critical acclaim and gold medal status at 2019’s International Wine Challenge.
Notable facts and vintages
- 2002 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Clos ranked #9 on Liv-Ex “the 10 best-performing wines in the index between December 2014 and December 2015” which went from €1,029 to €1,278 (that’s up 24.2% in one year) and considered one of Burgundy’s Biggest Risers in 2015 according to “The Drinks Business”, receiving a whopping 19/20 points from Jancis Robinson in 2004.
- The 2017 vintage was excellent quality, but Fevre’s Grands Crus production was reduced approximately 60% due to late April frost.
- In July 2018 William Fèvre Cellar Master, Didier Seguier was named “White Winemaker of the Year” at London’s 34th edition of the International Wine Challenge.
- Domaine William Fèvre collected four gold medals in 2019, proving again they are the leading producer in Burgundy - William Fevre’s Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir 2016 with 97 points was one of two highest scoring wines in 2019’s International Wine Competition.