Robb Report breaks down what sets Chablis apart from other Chardonnay in “There’s a Chablis for Every Kind of Chardonnay Lover,” and Didier Séguier, director of Domaine William Fèvre, offers the piece’s clearest explanation of the region’s identity, telling the outlet, “Chardonnay is simply the vehicle through which the terroir expresses itself.”
Séguier walks through his approach across the estate’s range. Basic Chablis ages in stainless steel with frequent lees stirring for 10 to 12 months, while the premier cru and grand cru wines see 14 to 18 months in barrel, 30 to 40 percent of the blend, without ever leaning on new oak. Instead, Séguier sources barrels from the Côte d’Or that have already seen a vintage or two of use, replacing about 10 percent of his stock each year and keeping barrels in rotation for roughly eight years, landing on an average barrel age of about five years. As he puts it, the goal was never to add oak flavor to the wine.
The piece also notes Domaine William Fèvre’s standing in the region, founded in 1959 and now farming 172 acres across 90 separate plots, most under biodynamic practices, making it one of Chablis’ most significant landholders.
Check out the full story HERE.
