The birth of Domaine William Fevre is attested in 1959, with the first harvest declared by the homonymous owner, descendant of a family who traded grapes in Chablis since 1750. Currently the extension of the vineyards, which cover 78 hectares (including 15.9 Premier Cru and 15.2 Grand Cru), makes this winery one of the largest in the entire Chablisienne. The plants are bred according to the principles of sustainable cultivation and, in 2015, the Domaine has obtained the highest level of environmental certification in France: the High Environmental Value (HVE).
For this Premier Cru Vaillons everything starts in a lieu-dit of the Côte des Vaillons, facing south-east on clay-limestone soil, where the grapes are harvested by hand in small wooden crates. The bunches, after passing a careful sorting table, are gently pressed, then fermented performing malolactic. The wine finally ages for about 14 months: 6 months in 6years old barriques (more “neutral” and able to preserve crispness) on the fine lees, and 8 months in cement tanks.
This 2017 vintage, with a pale straw-yellow color and greenish reflections, smells of yellow plum and medlar, lime and pink grapefruit, then chamomile and verbena with a hint of mushrooms in the finish and the inevitable flint. The mouthfeel is creamy but immediately diluted by an important acidity (almost “electric”) and a good flavor that accompanies a sip of great intensity and persistence, closed on iodine tones.
Rating: 91/100
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