A masterful expression of a radiant terroir, the Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2020, William Fèvre captures the spirit of a historic parcel with luminous relief. Here the vine thrives on a 2.24-hectare slope exposed to the southeast, south and west, where the light chisels each berry and rock appears under shallow soils sprinkled with white stones. This mineral material composes a score of elegance: aromatic purity, uprightness and crystalline length. Shaped by careful hand-harvesting, this Premier Cru embraces the aesthetic of the William Fèvre house, a benchmark for high-quality Chablis, offering a gastronomic wine that celebrates balance, precision and grace. At the table, it elevates iodized dishes as well as white meats, and asserts itself with panache on occasions that call for restrained brightness, controlled intensity and unobtrusive beauty.

Blend and vinification

Made exclusively from Chardonnay, this Premier Cru tells of meticulous winemaking in the service of purity. The grapes, picked by hand, go to the cellar for alcoholic and malolactic fermentations carried out on two fronts: 40 to 50% in 6-year-old French oak barrels to bring breath and relief without imposing an overt oak character, and the remainder in stainless-steel tanks to preserve fruit brightness and the verticality of the structure. The 13 to 14 months ageing, including 5 to 6 months on fine lees, polishes the material, refines the texture and sculpts a remarkably clean finish. This subtle balance between neutral containers and seasoned wood ensures a clear aromatic signature, a lively sapidity and lasting elegance on the palate.

Tasting notes

• Colour: Delicately bright pale gold edged with silvery highlights, announcing mineral tension and a youthful expression.
• Nose: Precise, airy bouquet woven from white fruits and citrus, fine florals and a stony breath. The minerality expresses itself with restraint, evoking chalk and gunflint, while the floral nuances add grace and depth.
• Palate: Straight, luminous attack, a racé mid-palate and a caressing texture from the lees ageing. The balance combines freshness, finesse and a saline length, finishing elegant and persistent.

Serving temperature and advice

Serve this Chablis 1er Cru between 12–14°C to reveal its aromatic architecture and tactile relief. A very brief decanting can be considered to enhance the mineral expression, without ever forcing its delicacy. Prefer medium-sized glasses with a generous opening to allow the floral notes and iodized framework to develop. Store bottles in a cool, dark place, lying down and at a stable temperature. This wine is immediately attractive in its youth and gains complexity with a few years in the cellar, when the bouquet develops more seasoned notes and the salinity harmonises gently with the wine's flesh.

Food pairings

• Seafood aperitifs: fine oysters, whelks, brown shrimp, their iodine dialogues with the wine's mineral framework and saline length.
• Iodized starters: scallop carpaccio, sea bream tartare, delicate ceviche, which call for the wine's lemony precision and floral purity.
• Main courses: roasted poultry or with a light sauce, veal or other creamy or grilled white meats, to underline the finesse and racé structure.
• Vegetable dishes: white asparagus, herb risotto, spring vegetables, which pair with the freshness and aromatic delicacy.
• Cheeses: young goat cheeses, lightly aged tommes, whose milky softness blends with the elegant minerality.

Occasions

The Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2020, William Fèvre is the ideal companion:

• For a refined dinner where precision and grace must accompany subtly crafted seasonal cuisine.
• During a tasting among enthusiasts, to illustrate the nobility of a white-stone terroir and the control of measured élevage.
• As a discerning gift to offer to those who seek a straight, luminous and profoundly harmonious wine.

Features

• Name: Domaine William Fèvre, Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2020
• Appellation: Chablis 1er Cru AOC
• Type: Dry white wine
• Vintage: 2020
• Grape: Chardonnay
• Parcel size: 2.24 hectares
• Exposure: southeast, south and west
• Soils: shallow, largely composed of white stones
• Harvest: hand-harvested
• Vinification: alcoholic and malolactic fermentations with 40 to 50% in 6-year-old French oak barrels, remainder in stainless-steel tanks
• Aging: 13 to 14 months, including 5 to 6 months on fine lees
• Serving temperature: 12–14°C