Domaine William Fèvre - Chablis 'Vaillons' 1er Cru 2020

ID:
• Origin: Chablis, Burgundy, France
• Appellation: Chablis 1er Cru AOC.
• Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay.
• Alcohol content: 12.5%.
• Style: Floral freshness with roundness, chalky minerality, and a refined, supple structure.
• Ageing potential: Now until 2033.
• Rating: 93/100 Wine Advocate.

The Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2020 from Domaine William Fèvre is a particularly complete Vaillons: more approachable in its youth than some other terroirs, but with remarkable depth and a beautiful balance between tension and roundness.

The nose is distinctly fresh and elegant, with white fruit, flowers, and citrus, complemented by wet stone and a subtle saline touch. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied and enveloping, with juicy stone fruit, lively acidity, and a refined minerality that keeps the wine taut through to the long, clean finish.

Delicious with mussels or vongole, grilled prawns with a hint of citrus, white fish with beurre blanc, sushi, or light dishes with leek, fennel, and fresh herbs.

Vinification

The grapes are harvested by hand. In the cellar, gravity is used to avoid pumping over. After a short pneumatic pressing (approximately 1.5 to 2 hours), a light settling follows, retaining fine lees so that alcoholic and malolactic fermentation can proceed naturally. Approximately 40 to 50% of the cuvée goes into French oak barrels (averaging around 6 years old), the rest ferments and ages in small stainless steel tanks. Ageing lasts 13 to 14 months, of which 5 to 6 months on fine lees in oak for the relevant portion; the maturation is then completed in small stainless steel tanks. After bottling, further bottle ageing takes place at the domaine before release.

The domaine

Domaine William Fèvre is one of the benchmarks of Chablis. The domaine was founded in 1959 by William Fèvre and grew to become one of the leading owners of top terroirs in the region, with an exceptional share of Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards. In later decades, the domaine was incorporated into the group around Bouchard Père & Fils, with a focus on precision in the vineyard and finesse in the cellar always remaining central.

The style is classic Chablis: bright, pure and terroir-driven, with a controlled use of wood and a consistent emphasis on tension and saline minerality. Sustainability plays an increasingly important role: the domaine has been working for years with greatly reduced inputs and began the official conversion to organic certification in 2020. In the cellar, soft working methods are deliberately employed (gravity, limited mechanical intervention) to maximize the natural expression of the fruit and the origin.