Domaine William Fèvre, Chablis 2020

One of the great Chablis domaines, Fèvre commands 12 hectares of premier cru vineyardsand 16 hectares of grand cru sites. It was founded by the eponymous William Fèvre, who built it up from just 7 hectares in 1957 to 47 hectares including smart plantings in great sites which had previously been neglected. William Fèvre was the most vocal of campaigners for the Chablis appellation, staunchly opposing the extension of its boundaries and fighting against the use of the word ‘Chablis’ to describe any wine which did not come from the region itself. This was a particular problem in the United States, where the term had been hijacked to enhance the appeal of any dry white wine. Fèvre was also one of the first to ferment and raise his wines in new oak, which significantly polarised opinion on them.

In 1998 Fèvre retired to pursue other ventures, notably in Chile. He sold the business to Champagne Henriot, which also owns the prominent Burgundy producer Bouchard Père et Fils. Since the takeover, the oak influence has been reduced drastically and the domaine has thrived, successfully combining quality and quantity.

The winemaker is the experienced and talented Didier Séguier who had previously worked for the Bouchard winemaking team in Beaune. Under his direction, all the domaine’s fruit is hand-harvested and selection is rigorous. Most complex and complete of the wines is the grand cruLes Clos which comes from 4 hectares of old vines in the top part of the vineyard. At the other end of the scale, Fèvre’s AC Chablisis full-bodied and creamy in style without losing the trademark minerality of the appellation.