William Fèvre - Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses Domaine 2023

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.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Hailing from an east-facing slope that produces one of the most lively and airy wines in the range, the 2023 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses opens with aromas of oyster juice, orange peel, white flowers, and lemon oil. Medium- to full-bodied, taut, and lively, it displays pronounced minerality, is incisive, and has a striking salinity. The site is so steep that special cable equipment is used for cultivation. 2025–2050

About the estate:

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

About the wine:

Among the grand cru wines, Les Preuses stands out for its ethereal elegance: it almost feels as though you’re walking on chalk. This wine, of great purity, fully expresses the fruit of the vintage, which subtly complements its minerality. The terroir here will fully reveal itself over time.

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

About the wine:

A certain richness and real depth of flavor before a pronounced acidity comes to the fore. Promising! It has all the qualities one would expect from a great Chablis, including a long finish. 2029–2043

Vinous

James Suckling

Tim Atkin

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve