2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
Community Tasting Note
honest bob wrote:
91 Points
Saturday, May 2, 2020 - From 75cl, perfect cork, bright pale-yellow colour, comme il faut. Weighty, intensely concentrated, sharp lemony GC Chablis at the start of its drinking window. Still massive, muscled-up, unyielding. The statistical chances of my remaining two bottles not being premoxed are so low I feel like an idiot, but here goes: If you chance upon an intact bottle, it will be best from 2025++. In this condition: Outstanding wine from a great vintage. 91+(+)P
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Comment posted by gilrbo:
5/2/2020 4:09:00 PM - I had the first of my 4 bottles two years ago (I just checked) and felt it needed a few more years, just like you. Perhaps those bottles which made it until today will age well for a few (or several?) more years, so I also feel that it makes sense to be patient still, but who knows?
Comment posted by honest bob:
5/3/2020 2:05:00 AM - Thanks gilrbo, that's interesting to hear. What I didn't write in my TN: This was P+P, the last drop of wine showed best, 90 minutes after opening. If my next bottle is in good condition, I'll try decanting.
I tasted my way through Fèvre's 2008s at the Domaine back in September 2011 (all written up on CT) and bought a substantial quantity of PC and GC for the cellar on the spot. Alongside my purchase of Dauvissat's 2008s this turned out to be the worst wine investment I ever made, as well over half the bottles I have tried so far from both producers were ruined by premox. The happy exception was a run of 5 superb bottles of Les Preuses (Fèvre). Fortunately I also have a small stash of Bessin's 2008, which were initially the lesser wines (admittedly also under half the price) but have survived a lot better.
Leaving aside the financial hit and the disappointment, what annoys me most is the "aversion therapy" aspect: Each encounter with a ruined bottle imprints itself so strongly in my memory that I feel an inital hit of nausea just opening any bottle of mature white Burgundy these days. Relief at finding a drinkable bottle can't quite compensate for that.
Comment posted by gilrbo:
5/4/2020 11:15:00 AM - Thank you, Bob, for the additional details. That sounds very scary!
I must say (not too loud), that I haven't had too many premoxed bottles, which is why I still feel like risking and aging white Burgundies. We'll see how it goes...