Back in 2010 I had the greatest Chablis of my life: Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume ‘Vignoble de Vaulorent’ 2007 from Fevre. I had a bottle on Christmas eve and it remains the greatest Chablis I’ve tried in my life. My comments in the previous note still pretty much apply, only this was more complex and subtle, without losing any of the vibrant energy or classy life. It is just the complete Chablis experience.
I was rather surprised that a wine of this fulgurating quality was bottled with a composite cork. This may have implications for it’s long term storage, I suppose, which is a bit of a shame as this is clearly a Chablis with a glorious life ahead of it. But you don’t need to wait, it shows everything at five years old with style and élan, throbbing with quality and bursting with style. If, like my associate Mr P (who is open-minded enough to call me Davy), you are fortunate enough to own a case of this I’d really start drinking. He has promised to pop a bottle when I meet him in April – if I was that kind of person I’d be wetting myself in anticipation.
So you must be thinking this insanely fine Chablis will set you back an arm and a leg from some merchant who requires your first-ranked teddy bear as deposit. Not so! You can get it for £29 a bottle from The Wine Society. In these enlightened times greater bargains are rarely found. I may go and score myself another couple of bottles right now.
We drank this coruscating Chablis with a chicken from the supplier of the best chickens I’ve eaten on a regular basis – Beechcroft Direct. Here’s the bird:
If I am brutally honest, I overcooked the chicken just a little; something I very rarely do
No such problems with The Editor’s goose fat roast potatoes!
He cooks the best roast potatoes I have eaten, when my meat/oven requirements allow for perfection, and no one else even comes close. Sorry Linda.
So it’s been a happy few days in Elitistreview Towers, we have drank well although not excessively, and eaten appallingly brilliantly. Nothing matched that £29 Chablis, though!
David (after almost 20 years, it might take a little time to start calling you ‘Davy’), you almost always say you have overcooked the chicken, and it is invariably delicious. You’re too demanding!
No, I really did this time, Peter. I know I didn’t when you visited, and it is quite rare that I do, but this time I was too enthusiastic with my sizzle when the roasties were cooking. All good learning material for future birds! I shall try not to let it happen again!
As a matter of interest, what kind of composite cork did it have? If it was a DIAM, I’d be a lot more relaxed about its long term outlook. They are appearing on an increasing number of better wines, and I haven’t had a bad one yet. Time will tell of course but I’m hoping this is the development that somebody got right for a change. The lack of TCA seems to have worked, and cellaring performance so far seems to be good. We’ll see.
Oh bum…. I was in Stevenage a few days ago and could have popped in to pick some up. I’m a fan of 1er cru Chablis (fortunately haven’t developed a taste for GC yet) and Fevre seem to be getting their act together in recent times. Tempted to ask about you about how it might develop over the next 5-10 years, but maybe not… 😉
Ian, I’m afraid DIAM identification is beyond me, and I no longer have the cork. Perhaps you can enlighten me when we next meet?
Alex, three bottles and it’s free delivery… Five years will be no problem for this wine. Longer I’m less confident about, but I feel you should be drinking your Premier Cru Chablis within 10 years (for the most part). You seriously want to get some of this wine!
I scored myself two more bottles of this, a mag of Gratien 1998 and, from somewhere different, a mag of Louis Michel 1er cru Montée de Tonnairé 2005. The Louis Michel goes to the next big dinner party of enlightened souls; and, what do you think, 3-5 years for the Gratien? I love Gratien.
Got a mag of Gratien 2000 as well. Now that can wait until I’m 5 😉