2006 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru***
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Tasting notes
An airy, expressive and ultra refined and pure nose trimmed in very subtle wood notes offer up aromas of white flower, quinine, saline, minerals and seashore nuances that give way to rich and robust, indeed huge flavors that are perhaps a bit less refined than those of the Valmur or Preuses but there is another dimension here of depth that more than compensates. A great wine with a long future that should develop slowly yet because of all the mid-palate fat, be enjoyable young.
Critic scores
Allen Meadows, Burghound
David Schildknecht, Vinous
More reviews and scores
Fevre’s 2006 Chablis Les Clos reflects its location in the chalky, stony upper reaches of that cru, with juicy lime; high-toned herbal essences including a hint of peppermint; fresh pit fruits; and a palpably chalky mineral dimension. Incredibly dense, yet shapely and not in the least heavy, this penetrates with uncanny grip, leaving your palate absolutely wrung-out. There is no doubt a wealth of nuance not even perceivable at this stage, but the stage is already set for an unforgettable show to reward anyone lucky and patient enough to follow this for 15 or more years. The 2005, incidentally, is equally dense and gripping, but more refined and forthcoming. Didier Seguier has presided over a remarkable surge in quality at this address during the past decade in which Henriot has owned Fevre. The wines are now every bit as impressive as the estate’s vast and superbly-situated acreage, not to mention uncannily consistent in quality. Somehow, Fevre has acquired a reputation in some quarters simply for their widespread use of oak. In fact – just as at the region’s other top addresses, Dauvissat and Raveneau – the wood here is nearly always discreet, and Seguier is keen to finish the elevage on most of his wines in tank once he deems them to have spent long enough in barrel. Hand-harvesting and two sorting tables help insure quality of fruit, and Seguier’s insistence that botrytis was unproblematic for him in either 2006 or 2005 is ably supported by the gustatory evidence. Fermentation was relatively rapid, he relates, and the malo-lactic transformation not especially profound, due to the dominance of ripe, tartaric acid in the fruit. With one exception, the grand cru wines (all of which are vinified ca. 80% in barrel) had just been prepped for bottling (including cross-flow filtration) when I tasted them, but that did not prevent them from showing brilliantly. Importer: Henriot, Inc, New York, NY; tel. (212) 605-6706
Pale, bright yellow-green. Knockout nose combines ripe pineapple, dried fruits, lemon, lime, crushed stone, minerals and mint. A wine of outstanding intensity, power and thrust, with sappy mineral and toasted bread flavors saturating the palate. Most impressive today on the explosive, mounting, tactile finish, which leaves the mouth vibrating. This called to mind Corton-Charlemagne-or a great Austrian riesling. Winemaker Seguier loves this but feels that the 2004 is in the same quality league. And the 2007 is even more chalky, he adds.
Riper citrus on the nose, even a touch of honey despite the intense minerality of youth. Citrus with a little white pepper. Broader on the palate than les Preuses. Powerful, great clarity and extremely crisp on the finish – quite eye watering. Needs more time than most but not sure it will have a longer life. (JH)