Domaine William Fevre Chablis
“… delivering wines with an old-school aesthetic but contemporary precision and charm… their classical profiles and clear differentiation by site will delight Chablis purists.”
When I look back to sales from the early days of Vins Rare, circa 2001, there are just a handful of domaines for which I’ve offered for every single vintage. Domaine William Fevre is one of those few! I’ve always felt the domaine’s wines were among the best Chablis has to offer and that is even truer of their absolutely classic 2021 vintage!
I made an offer back in March of my remaining stock after attending the Los Angelese Paulee (those sold out in head turning fashion). Didier Seguier, Fevre’s winemaker was in attendance that day, as is typical the Grand Tasting featured the wines from the previous year’s harvest, which was 2021. He brought out the heavy artillery on that day, Les Clos, Preuses and Valmur. I still can’t get those wines off my mind. The cut, the purity, the acidity, the freshness, the chiseled minerality all screamed classic Chablis. These are among the greatest William Fevre wines I’ve ever tasted. Name any of the great vintages in the last 15 years, 2010, 2014, 2021 - I think hands down 2021 would be my choice. They were amongst the best wines in the room on that day. Maybe, if you’re splitting hairs in a side by side comparison, a smidge behind the Lafon Perrieres and the Leflaive Bienvenue Batard… but they are as serious as a wine gets.
I got lucky with these additional cases, but supplies are limited. If you missed these the first time around and like old school, classic Chablis with amazing length, purity and salinity…. buy these with confidence, you can thank me later!
A deft application of wood frames the beautifully elegant nose of essence of pear, green apple, acacia blossom, lemon rind and a plethora of classic Chablis scents. The dense and unusually powerful large-scaled flavors don't have the muscle of the Valmur but they're finer, all wrapped in a massively persistent and even more complex finale. As good as the Valmur is, and it's wonderful, there is just a bit more here.
- Burghound, 93-96 Don't Miss!
The 2021 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses is pure and ethereal, mingling notes of citrus soil, wet stones and white flowers in a youthfully discreet bouquet. Full-bodied, satiny and suave, it's refined and glossy, with racy acids and a saline finish.
- William Kelley, 94
This too could be from nowhere else other than Chablis with its combination of strong mineral reduction, cool citrus, shellfish and iodine. The dense, opulent and powerful large-bodied flavors brim with dry extract that imparts a sappy texture to the lemony and massively long finish. Not surprisingly for a classic Les Clos, this super effort is very much built-to-age and a wine that I would advise not touching for at least 6 to 8 years first.
- Burghound, 93-96 Don’t Miss!
Aromas of orange zest, peach, oyster shells, white flowers and freshly baked bread preface the 2021 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, a full-bodied, layered and textural wine of impressive breadth and depth in this vintage, exhibiting considerable concentration and concluding with a long, electric finish. This will delight Chablis purists.
- William Kelley, 95
