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 Vintage2008 Label 11 of 55 
(NOTE: Label borrowed from 2007 vintage.)
TypeWhite
ProducerDomaine William Fèvre (web)
VarietyChardonnay
Designationn/a
VineyardLes Preuses
CountryFrance
RegionBurgundy
SubRegionChablis
AppellationChablis Grand Cru
UPC Code(s)3443620001045

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2015 and 2024 (based on 25 user opinions)
Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Domaine W. Fevre Chablis Les Preuses on the Wine Market Journal.

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 91.9 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 166 notes) - hiding notes with no text

 Tasted by portman63 on 7/28/2023 & rated 92 points: Showing a little amber in the glass and some mature notes, both on the nose and palate, but not distracting and certainly not premox. Has plenty of acidity and fleshiness on the juicy apple flavors with tons of shell and minerality on the finish to butterscotch and almost Meursault elements on the front of the palate, but that would never finish like this one. (793 views)
 Tasted by godx on 6/27/2023 & rated 92 points: Drank alongside the 2008 Clos. A bit more advanced than the Clos with more maturing notes, touch of honey/butterscotch but certainly not unacceptably advanced. A touch darker in colour as well. Very enjoyable but just not as excellent as the fresh and vibrant Clos. (725 views)
 Tasted by John McCabe on 5/28/2023 & rated 91 points: My last of these. This one was not so alive and inviting as the last one I had. It felt a bit muted and almost sour, but there was still some charm. (968 views)
 Tasted by Tannin1855 on 5/7/2023 & rated 93 points: Perfect cork. Beautiful pale straw color with a hint of green still present. Lovely nose of green and white orchard fruits. It has a nice mouthfeel and lovely balance with fresh acidity. This bottle is drinking well and is at or near its peak. I'm glad I have a couple more. (846 views)
 Tasted by Will Devize on 4/28/2023 flawed bottle: Oxidised and only partially redeemed by mixing it with some vermouth and bitters to form a Bamboo adjacent. (885 views)
 Tasted by tewino on 3/18/2023: Oxidized as most of my Fevres have been. I quit buying them and fortunately this was my last of the 08s (605 views)
 Tasted by dsiii on 10/1/2022 flawed bottle: Corked (911 views)
 Tasted by beatles on 9/24/2022 & rated 93 points: Still young with a very vibrant acidity. Citrus throughout, just very slowly smoothing a wee bit; great length and balance.
#SøllerødKro#Erik (1366 views)
 Tasted by John McCabe on 11/16/2021 & rated 93 points: So much better than the one I had a few months ago (that must have been an off bottle). This was incisive, inviting and outright delicious. The age helped so much as nothing was biting or too crisp. Lovely citrus and honeysuckle. Showing great now. 93+pts. (1937 views)
 Tasted by The Vines That Bind on 9/16/2021 & rated 92 points: Clean, fresh, bright, young. High mineral. Dry pithy lemon / citrus fruit. Faint to no wood, sandal / balsa wood. Good acidity, mineral, some saline. Clean and amazingly fresh. Palate starts to round out and add some weight towards the end. Straightforwardly lovely. (1964 views)
 Tasted by rsbeck on 7/13/2021 flawed bottle: Overly advanced and stanky. Very disappointing. (1858 views)
 Tasted by John McCabe on 6/29/2021 & rated 91 points: Oily, saline texture, the fruit on this was quite muted if not outright absent - feels like this is over the hill or was abused a bit - just not as inviting as it should be, but interesting to drink for sure. (1965 views)
 Tasted by honest bob on 6/26/2021 & rated 94 points: From 75cl, perfect cork, opened but not decanted 1 hour. Fabulous intense mature GC Chablis from a great vintage. Deep ripe lime fruit, saline, the proverbial "oyster shells", hint of citrus oil – and that's just the nose. Big-bodied entry, yet razor sharp, perfectly balanced. Real architecture on the mid-palate, rolling waves of minerality. I was luckier with Les Preuses than any other Fèvre Grand Cru in 2008: only one bottle of six was sub-par, and even that was drinkable. The irony that I bought the Preuses cheap on the grey market, and the premox disasters expensively at cellar door isn't lost on me. Perhaps it's time to start thinking, very carefully about buying Chablis again? But this time it'll be without any agonizing about "provenance". 94P (1807 views)
 Tasted by Tim Heaton on 5/20/2021: oxidized (5269 views)
 Tasted by gilrbo on 3/29/2021: Golden yellow, clear.
Clearly evolved, with bruised apples, fresh pears, honey. It improved and got more complex and balanced on day 2 and 3, ending up with a very elegant, mature nose. Fresh, balanced, mineral and mature on the palate. Long finish on citrus and evolved aromas mirroring those on the nose. Great to drink now. (1627 views)
 Tasted by rosenst1 on 3/26/2021 flawed bottle: Last bottle - fingers crossed. Medium yellow. Flat on the nose, Medium round oxidized/madeira flavors on the palate but this doesn't taste like Chablis. Another pre-mox bottle I think though not completely dead (yet). (1461 views)
 Tasted by MJReb on 10/30/2020 & rated 92 points: Light golden color, sea aromas on the nose, also some „croûte de fromage », with aeration more lemon is showing off, on the palate lemon, salty minerality, very nice length, excellent! (1705 views)
 Tasted by rosenst1 on 2/3/2020 & rated 90 points: PnP. Medium gold. Clean Chablis nose of citrus, limestone, sea air, perhaps a hint of various herbs. Medium to light on the palate but nice clean flavors, with a sneaky length to the finish. A good bottle!
Not as good as a Brocard Vaulorent from the other night. (2331 views)
 Tasted by honest bob on 1/11/2020 & rated 90 points: From 75cl, perfect cork. Very pure, texturally thin (for Preuses), lemon-dominated. Surprisingly facile, lacking mineral depth or discernable typicity once past the entry. Sure, it's good Chablis. But my sheer relief at opening a bottle of a Fevre GC from 2008 and not having to pour premoxed juice down the drain can't entirely compensate for the sober truth: This >40€ Chard (that was then, not now...) is rather dull, even faded. Given the promise I well remember previous bottles showing 3-5 years ago, this is not a good thing. Rebuy? Not really likely. 89-90P (2324 views)
 Tasted by rosenst1 on 12/17/2019 flawed bottle: Finally got a bad pre-mox bottle; 1/4 better than what a lot of people seem to be reporting. Dark gold, very acidic, no fruit. (2200 views)
 Tasted by ZMAng on 11/23/2019 & rated 89 points: Sampler + bottle. With the age, rather rich and weighty, but not flabby. Honeyed, citrusy, m+/h- acidity, flinty. 88-90. (2279 views)
 Tasted by trmoore on 7/14/2019 & rated 94 points: Fantastic showing for Bastille Day luncheon! It was the best white wine of the afternoon and, fortunately, not oxidized like many others have commented. (2421 views)
 Tasted by Collector1855 on 6/23/2019 flawed bottle: Both the main and the replacement bottle at this tasting were oxidized. The 2007 Valmur was ok and showed well. (2674 views)
 Tasted by Winevestor on 6/16/2019 flawed bottle: All my recent 2007 / 2008 Fevre have been pre-mox. This one was totally oxidized. I'm glad I'm seeing this in other TNs. If you have this wine - beware and drink up. (1942 views)
 Tasted by DoubleMagnum on 5/29/2019 & rated 91 points: The lightest 11 year old GC Burg I've had in the past 5 years. A baby in nose and palate. This could age for another decade easily. Only the weight feels heavier than on release. Simply delicious. (1999 views)
 Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine...

Professional 'Channels'
By Allen Meadows
Burghound, October 2010, Issue #40
(Domaine William Fèvre Chablis - Les Preuses Grand Cru White) Subscribe to see review text.
The World of Fine Wine, March 2010, Issue #27
(Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses) Login and sign up and see review text.
By Julia Harding, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/13/2010)
(Dom William Fèvre, Les Preuses Chablis Grand Cru 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 “Les Preuses”- Domaine William Fèvre) Login and sign up and see review text.
By Allen Meadows
Burghound, October 2009, Issue #36
(Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru White) Subscribe to see review text.
By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, July/August 2009, IWC Issue #145
(Domaine William Fevre Chablis Les Preuses) Subscribe to see review text.
By Allen Meadows
Burghound
(Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru White) Subscribe to see review text.
By Allen Meadows
Burghound
(Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru White) Subscribe to see review text.
By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (7/17/2010)
(Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses) Light yellow color; lovely lemon, lemon cream, mineral nose; tasty, poised, rich lemon, mineral palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.  93 points
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Burghound and The World of Fine Wine and JancisRobinson.com and View From the Cellar and Vinous and RJonWine.com. (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

Les Preuses

Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses: The vineyards are on an exposed southwest facing slope dominating its Grand Cru neighbors. The soil is a mixture of marl and chalky Kimmeridgian.

Les Preuses covers 11.80ha and sits above Bougros on a gentle slope (bar one location which is fairly aggressively steep and stony). The topsoil is deeper than the rest and was regarded 2nd rate for this reason pre-1930. The rock is fractured and allows for very good drainage. The resulting wines have flesh without heaviness and of course minerality.
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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