The élan and the enormity

I’ve said it loads of times: Chablis is the bleeding edge of interesting Chardonnay. This Grand Cru from Fevre is in an intermediate stage of development, but it thrills and excites me with its winning personality, incredible interest, and baroque brilliance. It’s lovely, but slightly bonkers.

I’ve heard complaints about premature oxidation in Fevre Chablis but I am yet to experience that. This is seven years old and it has a good future ahead of it. It needed a lot of air to show really well and I think it is going to develop in pulsingly satisfying ways.

Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Cote Bouguerots 2005

Chablis Grand Cru Bougros ‘Cote Bouguerots’ 2005, Domaine William Fevre

This nose is both massive and refined. There is an incredible density of stony aromas, with loads of oyster shells and a real smoky, flinty edge. But there is delicacy to the lemony fruit and, even though I find myself thinking “WOW!” every time I stick my nose into the glass, I’m really compelled by the intricacy of the aromas. With every swirl it shows more and more, it keeps getting more expressive in the glass and exhibiting layers of charismatic personality. This smells amazing, and it keeps smelling more amazing. The problem I have is that it seems like it is going to be developing in the glass for so long I need to really slow down and drink it less quickly otherwise I’ll miss out, but it is so utterly ravishing I want to imbibe joyously. It’s a biggie, that much is sure, with incredible density and power. The acidity is incredibly fine, the lemon fruit really sophisticated and that towering minerality super spiffing. I really like the savoury character it has; there’s almost a salty tang to it. It is extraordinarily long, with all sorts of brilliant flavours persisting long after I swallow. It has a lot more to show with age, but you’ll have to cellar it carefully as Chablis is a delicate beast, even a sort of a beast of a Chablis like this. Massively pleasurable now, but come back in five years and your mind will be blown in a totally different, and probably better way. I can hardly be positive enough.

Fevre have made the best Chablis I’ve ever tried.

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