WTN: 2002 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros

[David M. Bueker]

2002 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Cote de Bouguerots - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru (4/8/2008)
Opened to celebrate the 2008 home opener for the Red Sox. I sipped this while the Sox received their 2007 World Series rings, just as I had sipped at the same wine 3 and 1/2 years ago while they clinched the 2004 World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals.

I've seen reports/notes on there being a lot of wood on this wine, but I guess I feel that folks are expecting to taste oak based on past reputation, because I got virtually none. What I did get was a wine of clarity, finesse, rocks, lemon fruit and a long, refreshing finish. This is still a young wine (barring bottles with premox issues) that can spend a considerable amount of time in the cellar.

When I tasted last in August '05, I got some oak aromas, but not as much as the Fevres from the 90s:

2002 Fevre "Bougros" Chablis Grand Cru
Oak is noticable but not overwhelming (not near as oaky as Fevre's
rep). Great creamy texture, apple and apricot fruit. Smoke and flint.
Needs time, very good. B+/A-

I think now they use only a small percentage new oak, though some of the wine is fermented in (old) oak barrels.

When I tasted last in August '05, I got some oak aromas, but not as much as the Fevres from the 90s:

2002 Fevre "Bougros" Chablis Grand Cru
Oak is noticable but not overwhelming (not near as oaky as Fevre's
rep). Great creamy texture, apple and apricot fruit. Smoke and flint.
Needs time, very good. B+/A-

I think now they use only a small percentage new oak, though some of the wine is fermented in (old) oak barrels.

I've noticed a huge improvement in Fevre's wines since the 2000 vintage. Probably has everything to do with the new ownership.

[David M. Bueker]

I had never actually tasted a Fevre until the 2002 vintage, so perhaps I'm just coming at them with a clear palate and no expectation of finding oak. I'm usually quite sensitive to oak (and drank this after a Champagne, so oak should have been apparent) but noted none.

Henriot took over Fevre in 1998 and under the new winemaking direction of Bordelais, Didier Seguier, the oak component has been reined right back and it has certainly been noticeable. Greatly reduced new oak, some new stainless steel usage including for some of the GCs and the use of large foudres to preserve, according to Seguier, freshness and minerality.

There have been other beneficial changes in the winemaking concerning, racking, batonnages and filtration, but it's probably worth noting the difference between the Domaine wines [where the word Domaine appears above William Fevre on the label] and the Negociant wines since there are differences and not only in the price.

Some wines are Domaine only, some Maison [Negociant] only and some mixed - for example even Les Clos can be Maison in recent years although Bougros Cote Bouguerots is Domaine only - or at least it was last time I checked with Fevre directly [last year].

Here's what they said:

Premiers Crus: Lys and Vaulorent are only Domaine wines, no Negoce on these 2 qualities.

Côte de Léchet & Mont de Milieu: only Negoce wines

Grands Crus: Grenouilles & Blanchot = Negoce (Grenouilles was Domaine from the beginning to 2001 vintage)

Côte Bouguerots: exclusively Domaine.

All the others: they all exist in Negoce, but not in every vintage.

[David M. Bueker]

This was indeed a domaine wine (says so right on the label).

Just a coincidence but I had this wine about two weeks ago and I did not think there was that much oak. I really cant compare before 2000 because I never really drank Fevres previous to that. Oh, by the way I was impressed with the wine.