William Fèvre - Chablis 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Having been in charge since the estate was acquired by Bouchard Père et Fils of Beaune nearly a quarter of a century ago, Didier Séguier has significantly improved the quality of the wines since then. While the vineyard holdings are undoubtedly the finest in all of Chablis, encompassing both Premier Crus and Grands Crus, it is the meticulous and rigorous work in both the vineyard and the cellar that allows for the full expression of the minerality unique to Chablis’s Kimmeridgian limestone. These wines are typically enjoyable when young but age impeccably.

Decanter

About the wine:

Notes of lemon, floral hints, coconut water, pear, and a vibrant acidity with steely undertones that lingers into a youthful finish.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Made from 46 hectares of vines averaging 45 years of age, Fèvre’s 2020 Chablis Village is a rare example of a wine that combines quantity and quality. Offering aromas of white flowers, light honey, bread dough, and fresh pastries, it is medium-bodied, briny, and harmonious, with bright acidity and a finely balanced, elegant, and intensely aromatic profile.

About the estate:

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Owned by the Henriot Group, this estate is the largest owner of Grand Cru vineyards in Chablis, with over fifteen hectares. Its extensive vineyards and diverse range of exceptional terroirs are brought to their fullest potential through meticulous management: soil tillage, hand-harvesting at the optimal time, and yield control. Passionate about his vines, Didier Seguier, who has led the estate since 1998, produces pure, well-defined, and crisp Chablis wines, using organic methods (certification pending) and even biodynamic practices for the Premier and Grand Crus. With the exception of the Petit Chablis, vinification and aging are skillfully divided for each cuvée between barrels—never new—and stainless steel tanks. Eschewing any signature style, the wines captivate through their respect for the terroir and the expression of minerality, which have been better preserved since the estate gradually switched the entire range to Diam’s corks between 2005 and 2010. The transition to organic farming is underway.

Wine Spectator

Burghound

Jancis Robinson

Vinous

About the wine:

The 2020 Chablis Village comes from 50 different plots averaging about 50 years old, most of which were planted in the late 1960s. The bouquet of Granny Smith apples, simple yet well-defined, is light and airy. The palate is lively and taut, with notes of citrus, lemon, and salt. The finish is very tart and doesn’t linger very long, but it conveys a satisfying energy at this stage.

James Suckling

About the wine:

It offers aromas of cookies, sliced apples, grapefruit pulp, and crushed stones. Mineral and concentrated, with a medium-bodied structure and excellent texture. It also has a lingering finish. Enjoy now.

Tim Atkin