2004 Chablis Les Preuses
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Tasting notes
Lemon, spice, anise and hazelnut on the complex nose, along with a suggestion of oyster shell. Then densely packed and sweet, with superb energy and cut. There's an almost iodiney reserve here, and yet the wine is almost accessible today owing to its juicy sweetness of fruit and silky texture. Very elegantly styled Chablis, less minerally and austere than the Valmur but with compelling richness for the vintage.
Critic scores
Average Score
Pierre Rovani
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2004 Chablis Les Preuses (domaine) reveals a nose of intense purity. Its aromas of gravel, stones, candied citrus fruits, pears, and hints of toast lead to a crystalline, medium-bodied character. This feminine effort’s broad personality is filled with minerals, stones, iodine, and fresh herbs whose flavors linger in its amazingly long, detailed finish. Projected maturity: 2007-2014. Note: All the William Fevre wines tasted for this report are “domaine” bottlings, from the estate’s 40 hectares of vines (98.84 acres), which is clearly marked on the label. There are also Maison William Fevre – negociant – bottlings, none of which were tasted. The rapidity with which Joseph Henriot turned around this once moribund estate is remarkable. Under the supervision and winemaking of super-talented Didier Seguier (from Cucq-Les-Vielmur in France’s southwest, near Castres), Domaine William Fevre has been catapulted into the top echelon of Chablis’s producers (and if you don’t believe me, just ask Vincent Dauvissat or Bernard Raveneau). Didier Seguier attributes the estate’s success in 2004 to two key factors, “the fact that we treated the vines early and therefore did not have oidium problems,” and, just as importantly, “our yields were lower than most because this estate’s vines are over 40 years old and cannot produce plethoric quantities.” On average, across the entire estate, William Fevre harvested 60-65 hectoliters per hectares, 10-15% less than two of this region’s most famous stars, Vincent Dauvissat and the Raveneau brothers. Though Seguier loves his 2004s (“They are precise, classical Chablis.”), his preference is for the 2002s, “the finest vintage I’ve experienced.” Importer: Henriot, Inc., New York, NY; tel. (212) 605-6700
Rich and open, even rather fat! Atypical Chablis, but still clean as a whistle. Bravo. Big! Very long. (JR)
Pale yellow-green. Very discreet aromas of apple and spice. Creamy-sweet and round, with notes of apple, pineapple and spearmint. A rather easygoing grand cru with a lushtexture. Slow-building, very rich finish features powdered stone and white flowers. A "competition" wine, notes Hervet, who adds that Preuses needs time to become minerally, like Vaudesir and Vaillons.
About the producer
Established in the late 1950s, William Fèvre was one of the leaders in Chablis’s renaissance. Today he crafts benchmark expressions of fine Chardonnay from some of the top vineyard sites in the region, working with many of the best Premier and Grand Cru vineyards.