One of Chablis's most recognizable names, branches of the Fèvre family have been producing wine in the region since the early 19th century. Nathalie and Gilles Fèvre are based in the village of Fontenay-Pres-Chablis, where they operate a domaine that is impressively large by Chablis standards, totaling over 100 hectares of vines, including a significant portion of classified holdings (Grand Cru Les Preuses, 1er Cru Fourchaume, and 1er Cru Mont de Milieu). Gilles' grandfather and father both held the position of president of the leading cooperative La Chablisienne, and Nathalie was La Chablisienne's head winemaker for 12 years (until recently, all their harvest was delivered to La Chablisienne). You'll see several different label variations from this domaine on the market.
The Chardonnay grapes are grown on the estate's namesake vineyard and are harvested entirely by hand. This way, only the finest grapes are used for the final wine. After harvesting, the grapes are gently pressed. Then, the juice is subjected to very light static settling to retain sufficient fine lees to allow the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations to occur naturally. Finally, the wine is aged for 14 to 15 months, half in used French oak barrels and the rest in stainless steel tanks. The wine remains in the wooden barrels on the fine lees for 5 to 6 months before bottling.
The result is a structured wine with a light golden yellow color in the glass. Delicious fruity aromas emerge: nectarine, apricot, orange, butter, and light toast. It's a powerful wine on the palate, full-bodied, and with great complexity. The delicious fruity notes continue into the long finish.
