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 Vintage2008 Label 1 of 23 
TypeWhite
ProducerDomaine William Fèvre (web)
VarietyChardonnay
Designationn/a
VineyardMontmains
CountryFrance
RegionBurgundy
SubRegionChablis
AppellationChablis 1er Cru
UPC Code(s)843304023722

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2013 and 2022 (based on 4 user opinions)
Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Domaine W. Fevre Chablis Montmains on the Wine Market Journal.

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 91.3 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 28 notes) - hiding notes with no text

 Tasted by CatCreptIntoCrypt on 6/7/2023 & rated 92 points: Really enjoyed this - still fresh with an enticing mix of vanilla, straw and some cedar wood. Mature and elegant.
Also had a touch of that mystical ethereal white burg quality… didn't quite hear the Doctor Who theme music playing... but the feeling was there. (364 views)
 Tasted by Condrieu82 on 7/3/2022 & rated 92 points: Beautiful wine. It evolved some from last time I had it. Nice nose, with citrus notes and some vanilla. Nice balance with mellow acidity, citrus and peachy flavors, medium ending with oak. Very nice, mature Chablis perfect for a warm Texas night. (563 views)
 Tasted by sunalsorises on 6/20/2021 & rated 92 points: Still light in color. Good acidity with lemon at the tip and mineral notes on the finish. Very good. (951 views)
 Tasted by Condrieu82 on 12/6/2020 & rated 93 points: Excellent bottle, that still shows great acidity. Good nose of apple, citrusy palate with honeydew and a hint of vanilla. Good, long finish. A great wine still 12 years on. Will likely keep a couple more years. (1061 views)
 Tasted by jbaron on 6/23/2020 & rated 92 points: Still a very good drink! (1197 views)
 Tasted by beatles on 8/24/2018 & rated 93 points: Tasted vis-a-vis the Vaulorent and Les Lys, this is certainly the most southern (charming) in style, could have gine Puligny here with the creamy butterness, still, there is razorblade acidity here. True class. tasted over three days, no signs of fatigue. (2631 views)
 Tasted by beatles on 2/13/2018 & rated 91 points: Grabbed as a drink pre-theater, this is certainly a serious aperitif; clean cut with citrus and minerals, still very young and primary, this need more time to develop, of you like the bees wax and the secondary notes. (3086 views)
 Tasted by winecat9 on 9/4/2016 & rated 91 points: Incredible strength, length and grip from this wine. Softened on day 2 so it probably has many good years left. (3783 views)
 Tasted by jbaron on 6/25/2016 & rated 92 points: Sweet!! A nice drink. (3772 views)
 Tasted by John Nezlek on 9/15/2015 & rated 90 points: This one is (unfortunately) a bit from memory. Very nice bottle. Crisp. but not too sharp. Fruit pleasantly present. I have another -- what to do? (4233 views)
 Tasted by IJC on 4/29/2015: Soft perfume, and soft on the palate - clean, fresh, and easy to drink. Pale in color (yellow-green), parallel with its light taste and mouthfeel. A pleasant drink, not a profound one.

I see others suggest this wine has a long life ahead of it. I don't think so.

Rated 1 on a scale of -1 to 3. (3569 views)
 Tasted by JOsgood on 12/30/2014: A real beauty. Clean and pure with taught acidity and a lovely saline character. (3158 views)
 Tasted by jbaron on 12/22/2014 & rated 92 points: Sharp, saline, lots of talc. Nice. (1991 views)
 Tasted by Tom Warden on 8/10/2012 & rated 90 points: Very nice...I wonder what it would have tasted like five years from now. Sharp minerality and citrus. (3933 views)
 Tasted by tooch on 6/29/2012 & rated 91 points: Beautiful bottle. Lovely tidal pool tones with spicy oak notes and white florals on the nose. Palate is trimmed and energetic with seashell, herbs, pear, and flint. When these bottles are on, they're so enjoyable. (3591 views)
 Tasted by igaf on 6/14/2011: This one was funkier, more advanced on the nose than the rest of 08s tasted with all the usual citrus and mineral notes (though rather weak), but also old wet foliage, some almost animal notes and iodine. Very intense, sharp acidity on the palate, yet with a full, buttery feel to it, with lemon and salty touches. Hardly balanced now. Difficult to say where it goes with painfully young palate and alarmingly mature nose. Not sure the bottle was correct, but no obvious faults either. (3955 views)
 Tasted by cartime on 5/24/2011 & rated 89 points: Very minerally, and lacking in fruit. Much preferred the 2006 vintage. Probably just way too young. (3699 views)
 Tasted by Jack Cranley on 2/26/2011 & rated 90 points: Nice sharp funky nose with some perfume and honeysuckle as well. Aromas stood up very well in the glass. Very nice weight on the palate. Full flavor, nice acidity, great balance a certain nutty aspect to the flavor which was nice... this one should age VERY nicely! 90 pts for now I see potential for 92+ (3845 views)
 Tasted by RobertDwyer on 11/18/2010 & rated 88 points: A little skunky on the nose, but better on the palate. (3828 views)
 Tasted by KostaKats on 9/28/2010 & rated 89 points: Clear, pale lemon colour,slight green edges. Citrus minerality, followed by citrus blossom, apples and unripe pears. Medium body, citrus fruits (lemons & grapefruit) with steely minerality and racing acidity. Balanced, expressive, crisp. Medium intensity and length. Very nice. (3285 views)
 Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine...

Professional 'Channels'
The World of Fine Wine, March 2010, Issue #27
(Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Premier Cru Montmains) Login and sign up and see review text.
By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/13/2010)
(Dom William Fèvre, Montmains Premier Cru Chablis Blanc) Subscribe to see review text.
By John Gilman
View From the Cellar, Nov/Dec 2009, Issue #24, The Superb 2008 Burgundy Vintage- Already in the Shadow of 2009?
(Chablis “Montmains”- Domaine William Fèvre) Login and sign up and see review text.
By Allen Meadows
Burghound, October 2009, Issue #36
(Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Montmains 1er (Domaine) 1er Cru White) Subscribe to see review text.
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of The World of Fine Wine and JancisRobinson.com and View From the Cellar and Burghound. (manage subscription channels)

CellarTracker Wiki Articles (login to edit | view all articles)

Domaine William Fèvre

Producer website



Kevin Shaffer, a.k.a. Burgschnauzer

William Fevre, the son of an accomplished winemaker, founded Domaine de la Maladiere and bottled his first wines after the 1959 harvest. Over a forty year span, Domaine de la Maladiere slowly grew into the largest owner of grand cru vineyards in the region and it enjoyed an excellent reputation. William was also a dominant personality. When the local political establishment wanted to increase the region’s vineyard area to include sites that that did not possess the important Kimmeridgian soil, William stood out as one of the fiercest and loudest opponents to the expansion. The wines from these new areas, he argued, would not have the classic aromas and flavors that were characteristic of Chablis. Fevre lost the battle, but by voicing his opinion he had become one of the leading figures in the region. In 1998, Fevre sold his estate to the Henriot family of Champagne, who in an odd twist, changed the name to Domaine William Fevre. Henriot had also recently purchased the Beaune negociant Bouchard Pere et Fils and had been responsible for a renaissance at that estate. Several changes were immediately made at Fevre by the Henriot team and the quality of the wines improved. The domaine is now recognized as one of, if not the top, producers in Chablis.

Fevre releases wines under two labels, one from land owned by the domaine and the other from purchased fruit. The two labels are nearly identical, but the estate bottles read “Domaine” in script above “William Fevre”. Several premier crus are produced under the domaine label, including Beauroy (1.12 ha.), Montmains (1.75 ha.), Les Lys (0.99 ha.), Vaillons (2.86 ha.), Fourchaume and Montee de Tonnerre (1.5 ha.). A unique cuvee is bottled the from the lieu-dit Vaulaurent, which is separated from the northern portion of the grand cru Les Preuses by a path. The vineyard is allowed to use the name of the nearby premier cru Fourchaume and is labeled as Fourchaume Vignoble de Vaulaurent. More powerful than a typical Fourchaume, the wine is considered to be a “baby grand cru” by the Fevre team. Additionally, Cote de Lechet and Mont de Mileu are bottled under the negociant label.

15.2 hectares of the domaines 27 hectares are located in grand cru vineyards and the line-up is impressive. Bougros (4.12 ha.), Les Preuses (2.55 ha.), Vaudesir (1.20 ha.), Valmur (1.15 ha.) and Les Clos (4.11 ha.) are all bottled under the domaine label. The only grand cru missing from the estate’s portfolio is Blanchots, but a wine from this vineyard is sold under the negociant arm. The domaine also separates a portion of Bougros as separate cuvee. Clos des Bouguerots (2.11 ha.) is a small parcel located at the bottom of Bougros that is extremely steep. The domaine views this section as a separate vineyard and thus the eighth grand cru of Chablis. More elegant and refined, the Clos des Bouguerots cuvee is a step up from the estate’s regular bottling.

The wines made by William Fevre under the Domaine de la Maladiere label were respected, but not universally loved. New oak barrels were used liberally and the bottled wines reflected this treatment. The new regime reduced the amount of new oak used in the cellar and the wines quickly became more transparent. Didier Seguier is in charge of the winemaking and seeks to produce wines that show their terroir. All of the grapes harvested by the estate are hand-picked and carefully sorted. Some of the wines are fermented in steel vats, others in barrels, but the percentage of new oak is moderate. The wines are intense, clean and precise. William Fevre may no longer be making wine in Chablis, but his presence is still felt through the excellent domaine that bears his name.




THE AGEING POTENTIAL OF WILLIAM FÈVRE WINES

03 Dec 2013


The William Fèvre wine-estate has very rich and varied vineyards among which 60% are classified as Premiers Crus and Grands Crus. These wines offer a large array of nuances and have to be appreciated depending on moods and opportunities. However the right time to taste them is a tricky question because it is intimately linked with the ageing potential, which itself is variable according to the climate of the appellation and the vintage.

Though the Chablis wines tend to be consumed in their youth, they nonetheless show an ability to reveal themselves over 5 to 7 years of cellaring, unveiling more complex aromas while keeping a great freshness.

The Premier Crus like Les Lys and Beauroy will show well over the next 7 years.

For other climates such as Montmains, Vaulorent or even Mont de Milieu which are rich, unctuous and very mineral so that the keeping can go on for 10 to 15 years.

On the other hand one will have to be more patient with Grands Crus which can be kept for at least 10 years for some climates like Vaudésir or Bougros and beyond 15 years for Les Clos or Les Preuses.



Chardonnay

The Chardonnay Grape

Montmains

From wine-searcher: https://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-chablis+montmains
On weinlagen-info

France

Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)

Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings

2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.com

Burgundy

Les vins de Bourgogne (Bureau interprofessionnel des vins de Bourgogne) (and in English)

Burgundy - The province of eastern France, famous for its red wines produced from Pinot Noir and its whites produced from Chardonnay. (Small of amounts of Gamay and Aligoté are still grown, although these have to be labeled differently.) The most famous part of the region is known as the Cote d'Or (the Golden Slope). It is divided into the Cote de Beaune, south of the town of Beaune (famous principally for its whites), and the Cote de Nuits, North of Beaune (home of the most famous reds). In addition, the Cote Chalonnaise and the Maconnais are important wine growing regions, although historically a clear level (or more) below the Cote d'Or. Also included by some are the regions of Chablis and Auxerrois, farther north.

Burgundy Report | Les Grands Jours de Bourgogne - na stejné téma od Heleny Baker

# 2013 Vintage Notes:
* "2013 is a vintage that 20 years ago would have been a disaster." - Will Lyons
* "low yields and highly variable reds, much better whites." - Bill Nanson
* "Virtually all wines were chaptalised, with a bit of sugar added before fermentation to increase the final alcohol level." - Jancis Robinson

# 2014 Vintage Notes:
"We have not had such splendid harvest weather for many years. This will ensure high quality (fragrant, classy and succulent are words already being used) across the board, up and down the hierarchy and well as consistently from south to north geographically apart from those vineyards ravaged by the hail at the end of June." - Clive Coates

# 2015 Vintage Notes:
"Low yields and warm weather allowed for ample ripeness, small berries and an early harvest. Quality is looking extremely fine, with some people whispering comparisons with the outstanding 2005 vintage. Acid levels in individual wines may be crucial." - Jancis Robinson

# 2017 Vintage Notes:
"Chablis suffered greatly from frost in 2017, resulting in very reduced volumes. As ever, the irony seems to be that what remains is very good quality, as it is in the Côte d’Or. Cooler nights across the region have resulted in higher-than-usual acidity, with good conditions throughout the harvest season allowing for ripe, healthy fruit." - Jancis Robinson

# 2018 Vintage Notes:
"The most successful region for red Burgundy in 2018 was the Côte de Beaune. The weather was ideal in this area, with just enough sunlight and rain to produce perfectly balanced wines naturally." - Vinfolio

Chablis

Chablis (Fédération de Défense de l'Appellation Chablis) | Chablis (Burgundy Wines)

2014 Vintage Notes:
"... a hybrid of 2004/2007 and 2010. The stone, citrus and limestone amalgam is exactly what we search for in Chablis as the style harkens to a day in the Cote de Beaune proper (1960's - 1980's) when wine was not meant to be consumed the week it was released, battonage was not used by all and new oak was rarely seen ... the texture is natural and 'of the vintage' not 'of the winemaker' .... Like Sancerre or the Loire in general, 2014 in Chablis is one of those rare years with extract and transparency. It appears to be a vintage for the "neoclassic" ages and those of us intent on cellaring the most terroir-driven (but still powerful) examples of vineyard, site-place and varietal will want to invest (heavily) in the magnetic and electric 2014's." - Jon Rimmerman

2018 Vintage Notes:
"There’s not that razor sharp Chablis acidity in 2018,” says Patrick Piuze. “But there is good definition of place. The dry conditions drove vines to drink deeper down in the soil profile."

https://weinlagen-info.de/#bereich_id=58 Single vineyards on weinlagen-info James Suckling

 
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