2020 Chablis Vaillons
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Tasting notes
Derived from old vines in Les Minots (that are a source for the Fèvre massale selection), as well as holdings in Roncières and Chatains, the 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons unwinds in the glass with notes of white flowers, crisp stone fruit and clear honey. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and enveloping, it's a beautifully vibrant, racy wine that concludes with a long, penetrating finish. It's the best young Vaillons I've ever tasted chez Fèvre.
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin, Vinous
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
Sunny terroir that ripens fast and easily. 3.5 ha in 10 different plots mainly in the heart of the climat on south-east-facing slopes. The harvest usually starts here and in Vaudésir on the other side of the river. Greenish straw. Introvert nose and strong lime flavours on the palate. Clean, crisp but perhaps just a tiny bit broader than absolutely classic Chablis. Still a little bit astringent on the finish. (JR)
(from a huge 3.5 ha holding that is composed by ~75% of Vaillons proper with the remainder from Roncières, Mélinots and Châtains). Touches of menthol and wood surround the floral and pepper scented nose that isn’t quite as fresh as that of the Montmains. There is by contrast good energy to the very rich and nicely voluminous flavors that conclude in a bitter lemon and intensely saline-inflected finale. Very good but not truly special. (89-92)/2025+
The 2020 Chablis Vaillons 1er Cru is cloudy and very primal on the nose, making it difficult to read. The palate has good depth and plenty of rondeur . It’s quite rich relative to other cuvées and does not quite deliver the same tension on the finish. Possibly one of the early-drinking Premier Crus from William Fèvre.
About the producer
Established in the late 1950s, William Fèvre was one of the leaders in Chablis’s renaissance. Today he crafts benchmark expressions of fine Chardonnay from some of the top vineyard sites in the region, working with many of the best Premier and Grand Cru vineyards.