Fevre Chablis Champs Royaux 2011

A beautiful appellation Chablis to remind us all of how William Fevre sets the bar higher for the rest to follow. Even at the Chablis AOC level, here is mineral Chardonnay as only the Kimmeridgian limestone soils of Chablis can eloquently express –in a clear, peal of a pure soprano whose voice is as ethereal as it is penetrating and yet for all its charming mineral focus, bright citric acids, and its palate of fresh seashells and orchard fruit, this has an alpen herb nuance and a polished texture that somehow ground all of these lifted elements in the gentlest way that belies its very nature –like a cut stone Gothic clerestory that, despite the materials from which its made, showcases the bright soaring daylight through narrow windows that stretch high above giving one the sensation of weightlessness and a willingness to believe in divinity. Tasted on a Flower Day, I would like to revisit this another time to see if my impressions change. More importantly I’d like to drink through Fevre’s Grand Cru releases on a Flower Day very soon (and often).
Wine review by Nicholas Livingston, April 2013