I do like Chablis and by arse is this a goody. I could scarcely tear myself away from constant drinking in order to write the note. It may only be a Premier Cru but as far as I am concerned Chardonnay does not get more elegantly desirable.
CHABLIS PREMIER CRU FOURCHAUME ‘VIGNOBLE DE VAULORENT’ 2007, DOMAINE WILLIAM FEVRE
This nose toys with the conventional ideas of scale one looks for in wine: it is simultaneously dense and earthy like the most profound of Cote de Beaune Grand Crus whilst also being an intricate little expression of lucent beauty and finely-honed elegance. There is all that flinty, nutty, lemony stuff one looks for in Chablis but I’m finding such simple descriptors to be slightly condescending if I try to apply them to elaborate experience which is the totality of the nose. I’m taken with its chic, polished character which is extremely vineyard-driven without deteriorating into showing any hint of dirtiness. The palate shows more in the way of elaborate, intricate flavours. Again there is a nervy tension between Grand Cru power and Premier Cru elegance. I love its vivacious fruit/acid balance which is only compounded in complexity by the strong minerality that suffuses the palate. It pulses with life and throbs with class, and transfers that energy to me and my fellow drinkers in a deeply ego-stimulating manner. Ageing this wine would certainly be rewarding, but I am far from doleful that I popped my single bottle tonight.
Thank you for the note David. Sounds absolutely delicious. I found some of these @ $45 and some Bougros @ $65 here in Hawaii. Kinda shocking really. I will look forward to these in the not-so-near future!
Just bought a case of 08 GC & 1er Cru W Fevre, he consistently does well now and we can only hope we have seen the last of the fast-to-age Chablis.
In 08 I have been told he dropped Vaulorent from his Fourchaume label as he didn’t make any wine from any other lot in Fourchaume. Not sure if this is true or not.
Lovely wine David and thank you for the evocative note.
Glenn, Fevre released a Domaine bottling of Vaulorent and Fourchaume in 2008. The Vaulorent was labeled as Fourchaume ‘Vignoble de Vaulorent’ in the past but is now just Chablis ‘Vaulorent’.
Les Clos is wildly high now and sadly Vaulorent is gonna be pricey too. I was able to get Vallions & MdT under $40/btl and Montmaines under $30/btl. I paid nearly $60/btl for Les Preuses and Valmur though.