William Fèvre
Chablis Grand Cru Valmur - Domaine 2022
Chablis Grand Cru
Valmur occupies a singular position among the seven Chablis Grands Crus, sitting in the midst of the slope between Vaudésir and Les Clos, its tip connecting to the latter. Its name comes from its shape: a small valley carved into the hillside, divided into two sections on either side of the old chemin de la fontaine Sainte Vaubourg. It is a terroir of contrasts, where the clay-limestone soils vary dramatically from the deeper, browner earth at the base of the slope to the lean, white soils at the summit, where a marly vein outcrops and concentrates the wine’s mineral character.
Domaine William Fèvre owns 1.15 hectares here, just 9% of the total appellation, making Valmur one of the rarest wines in the range. South to southeast-facing, it delivers a charming and somewhat surprising Grand Cru: mineral and fruity on the nose, powerful and robust on the palate, yet elegant and round.
VINEYARD
Valmur covers 10.5 hectares in the midst of the Grands Crus slope, forming a small valley adjacent to Vaudésir with its tip connecting to Les Clos. The terroir is divided into two sections on either side of the old chemin de la fontaine Sainte Vaubourg, with soils that shift dramatically from the bottom to the top of the slope: deeper and brown at the base, lean and white toward the summit, where a marly vein outcrops and intensifies the mineral character of the wine. Domaine William Fèvre's 1.15-hectare plot represents 9% of the total appellation, with a south to southeast exposure.
WINEMAKING
Gravity is applied throughout to avoid pumping and preserve the integrity of the fruit. Short pneumatic pressing of 1.5 to 2 hours ensures a delicate separation of solids and liquids. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel vats. The wine is aged for 18 months in total, with 40% of the blend spending 5 to 6 months on fine lees in French oak barrels before finishing in stainless steel.
VINTAGE
2022 began with a mild, very dry winter before budbreak arrived in the last week of March. A brief delay of a few days compared to the 20-year average proved fortunate, as frosts and cold followed shortly after. Despite the conditions, cluster emergence was good. Flowering took place at the end of May under excellent conditions, with little shatter or millerandage, and the vines quickly caught up to run 10 days ahead of average. Harvest began on August 31 in perfect sanitary condition, with thick-skinned, pulpy grapes and a good juice yield.
TASTING NOTE
Charming on the nose, with surprising fruitiness and a strong mineral presence. Powerful and robust on the palate, with an elegance and roundness that make Valmur one of the most approachable of the seven Grands Crus.
FOOD PAIRING
Roasted scallops with truffle butter, poached turbot, lobster thermidor, langoustines, aged Epoisses
Color
White
Blend %
100% Chardonnay
Appellation
Chablis Grand Cru
Alcohol
12.5%
Suggested Retail Price
$230
Reviews
Wine Advocate - “Aromas of white flowers, pear, apples, wet stone and oyster shell introduce the 2022 Chablis Grand Cru Valmur, a medium to full-bodied, satiny and layered wine that's pure and taut, with racy acids and a long, saline finish.”
Burghound - October 10, 2024 "Soft wood lurks in the background on the ripe aromas of various white orchard fruit scents that are nuanced by hints of tidal pool, algae and oyster shell. The denser, more powerful and quite serious big-bodied flavors possess a gorgeous texture if not nearly the same level of refinement while displaying solid length on the robust and lemony finale."
Trade Materials
Other Wines by this Producer
Chablis 1er Cru Montmains
Chablis 1er Cru “Montmains”
Montmains has a uniquely stony terroir in Chablis, stretching down one side of a valley on the left bank of the Serein.
Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys - Domaine
Chablis 1er Cru
Historically owned by French royalty, the climat of Les Lys sits towards the top of the hill in Vaillons. On the left bank of the Serein, Fèvre’s 0.99 hectares of vines grow in clay over Kimmeridgian soils, its eastern exposure producing a delicate wine with a soft, charming palate.
Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons - Domaine
Chablis 1er Cru
This left-bank cru spans a massive 104 hectares divided into 8 climats – Fèvre owns 3.65 hectares over 12 plots. One of the first vineyards to reach maturity, it shows its fast ripening in shades of peach, pineapple, and pear.
Saint-Bris
Chablis
Located southwest of Chablis, Saint-Bris is the only appellation in Burgundy that allows Sauvignon Blanc. This wine grows from northeast- and northwest-facing parcels with a mix of stones, hard limestone and clay-silt. A 12-hour pre-fermentation maceration adds to this wine’s freshness, a linearity solidified by its all-stainless-steel aging.
Chablis Domaine
Chablis
This wine is made from William Fèvre’s organic estate vineyards, with many of the parcels lying adjacent to Premier Cru sites. An attractive, fresh, and classically mineral Chablis.
Chablis Champs Royaux
Chablis
Translates to "Royal Fields", a selection from the highest quality fruit covering 37 hectares of vineyards in the Chablis appellation.
Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy - Domaine
Chablis 1er Cru
Beauroy is a cru sensitive to late frosts. So sensitive, in fact, growers created the artificial Etang de Beine at the foot of its hill both to influence its microclimate and as a water source for aspersion. Fèvre owns 1.12 hectares in the subclimat of Les Troësmes, where the steep slopes and thin clay-limestone soils give finesse and elegance to the wine while the sunny south-southeastern exposures provide a background of richness.
Chablis 1er Cru Montmains - Domaine
Chablis 1er Cru
On the left bank of the Serein, Fèvre owns 3.68 hectares with vines in each of the climats off this Premier Cru. The parcel in Butteaux gives minerality, Forêts – fruitiness, and Montmains – richness. The vineyard has a uniquely stony terroir that grows an accessible, fresh wine in its youth that has the power and concentration to age.
Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume
Chablis 1er Cru
Fourchaum is situated on the opposite face of the hillside on which Grand Crus Les Preuses and Bougros sit. Fèvre’s holdings are on the eastern side of the vineyard, as close as one can get to the Grands Crus without crossing over. The soils resemble their storied neighbors and grow similarly powerful wines, perhaps with a shade more freshness.
Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre - Domaine
Chablis 1er Cru
The Montée de Tonnèrre wraps around the hillside immediately east of the Côte des Grands Crus. Its geological profile closely resembles the Grands Crus and as such is considered one of the finest Premiers Crus. Fèvre’s holdings are in three lieux-dits on the crest of the hill with exposures ranging from southwest to south to southeast. Both full and rich while holding onto mineral and floral characters, the wine shows intensity and complexity in its youth, and will develop subtlety as it ages.
