William Fèvre : Chablis 1er cru "Vaillons" Domaine 2023

Characteristics and Tasting Recommendations of the 2023 Chablis 1er cru "Vaillons" Domaine William Fèvre

Tasting

Nose
The expressive nose blends fruity and floral aromas, lifted by a pleasant freshness and subtle mineral notes.

Palate
On the palate, the wine charms with its generosity, refinement and harmonious roundness.

A Chablis wine with the mineral freshness typical of a great Burgundy terroir

The Estate

Founded in 1959 by William Fèvre, the eponymous estate is rooted in a 250-year viticultural tradition in Chablis. With an area of 70 to 78 hectares, including 15.9 hectares of Premiers Crus and 15.2 hectares of Grands Crus, it stands out for its Kimmeridgian soils, which give the wines a unique minerality. The first domaine in Chablis to obtain Haute Valeur Environnementale certification in 2014, it joined the DBR Lafite group in 2024, thereby strengthening its international presence while preserving its terroir identity.

The Vineyard

The Chablis Premier Cru Vaillons comes from a 3.65-hectare southeast-facing vineyard on the left bank of the Serein. The plots are mainly located in the lieux-dits of Vaillons, Châtains, Mélinots and Roncières. Unlike the typical Kimmeridgian marl and clay-limestone soils of Chablis, the Vaillons appellation features a soil that is more limestone than clay, resting on a hard, compact and heavily fissured Portlandian limestone, giving the wine its distinctive character.

The Vintage

The 2023 vintage experienced a contrasting climate with a mild winter, harmless frosts, and a summer alternating between heat and rain. Despite high sanitary pressure in June, well managed by the teams, the September harvest yielded generous volumes and grapes in excellent condition.

Winemaking and Aging

This Chablis 1er cru is produced using a gentle approach, with gravity winemaking without pumping and a brief pneumatic pressing. After a light settling, fermentations occur naturally in stainless steel tanks, followed by 18 months of aging, 5 to 6 months of which are on the lees in French oak barrels for 25% of the cuvée. The end of the aging is completed in stainless steel tanks.

Grape Variety

100% Chardonnay.