Domaine William Fèvre

Domaine William Fèvre has remained faithful to its tradition of excellence by retaining the purity of terroir and adhering to rigorous and meticulous attention to details in all areas of production. The 78ha of vineyards, separated into 90 parcels offer huge scope for the wines at all levels. Over half of the vineyards are Premier and Grand Cru sites. Two thirds of the domaine have been grown organically since 2006, with biodynamic methods practised since 2010. In 2015 the Domaine was certified with the highest level of HVE. The resulting terroir expression and life in the glass highlights the relevance of these techniques in the vineyard. Cellar Master Didier Séguier uses no oak on his regional Chablis, with just older barrels of over 6 years on the Premier and Grand Cru wines.

“Minerality is a bit of a Chablis trademark and it shines through with a thousand nuances in each of our wines.”

Didier Séguier – Cellar Master

Burgundy

FRANCE

A prestigious domaine

1959, the year in which William Fèvre declared his first crop, marked the birth of the domain. Descended from a family which had lived in the Chablis region for over 250 years, it was only natural that he set up as a winemaker with 7 hectares of vineyards.

Over the years the domain has acquired new vineyards in Chablis, all located in the historic terroirs. William Fèvre has become one of the biggest land owners in Chablis with 78 hectares of prestigious vineyards, of which 15.9 are classified as Premiers Crus and 15.2 as Grand Crus.

Viticulture

The steep, rocky slopes that extend to the right and left bank of the river Serein are the birthplace to a history which spans over one hundred and fifty million years. This is where the unique Kimmeridgian terroir, alternating marl and marly limestone, embues Chablis with minerality and great freshness. These are vinous characteristics, envied and often imitated around the world, but never matched. Made up of 78 hectares and 90 separate parcels, Domaine William Fèvre’s vineyards enjoy both a great complexity and incredible richness. To preserve their environment, the vineyards are carefully managed. Limiting yields is a given, and the vines have been cultivated using organic methods for many years. The domain carries out harvesting by hand in small crates followed by rigorous sorting, and pays close attention to detail at every stage of the process. Practicing sustainable growing in its vineyards for nearly 10 years now, Domaine William Fèvre has just obtained “High Environmental Value” status, the highest level of environmental certification (February 2015).

Winemaking

Domaine William Fèvre works passionately to express Chablis’ terroirs, respecting the region’s environment and traditional practices. The team works throughout the year with exacting levels of care and precision to achieve excellence and reveal the true characteristics of each climat. As well as maintaining the deep-rooted values upon which the family has always insisted, the domain has managed to instill its vineyards and its wines with great vitality, thanks to modern technology and a resolute avant-garde vision. Style is an empty shell. Wine’s potential lies in its sensual response. For Chablis, this is derived from its terroir, which creates freshness and minerality. Each terroir is incomparable, but however wonderful it is, a terroir cannot fully express itself without the skill of man. At Domaine William Fèvre, everything that can be done is done, whatever the appellation, to achieve the quintessential character of Chablis. In the cellars, the cellar master becomes an orchestra conductor guiding the wines according to the domain’s demands for quality and elegance. The domain uses old barrels with an average age of 6 years rather than new oak, in order to preserve freshness and minerality and enable the subtle nuances of Chablis’ terroirs to fully express themselves. This careful process allows us to produce rich wines of great aromatic purity, which keep their unique character and express the particular characteristics of each vintage.