William Fèvre Chablis 2024

William Fèvre is one of the most respected estates in Chablis, run since 1998 by Didier Séguier. This village Chablis is made from Chardonnay grown on the Kimmeridgian soils that define the appellation, a limestone and clay marl full of fossilised oyster shells that gives Chablis its chalky minerality and saline drive. The northern Burgundy climate is cool, so the grapes keep high natural acidity and the wine stays taut and precise. It is aged on its lees for around eight months in stainless steel tanks rather than oak, which is central to the style: the fine lees add a subtle creamy texture and a faint bready note through autolysis, while the absence of barrel keeps the fruit clean and the minerality sharp. The colour is pale straw with green glints. The nose shows green apple, lemon and pear with white flowers and a stony, chalky lift. The palate is dry and linear, with bright citrus acidity, a fine saline texture and a long, mineral finish that is the signature of good Chablis. Serve at 10 to 12 degrees in a white wine glass. It is the classic match for oysters and other raw shellfish, and works with grilled fish and young goats cheese.