William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses 2014 1.5Ltr

Along with the Côte Bouguerots and Les Lys, this possesses the most elegant nose in the range with an ultra-pure mixture of green fruit, tidal pool, white flower, citrus rind and iodine hints. There is terrific intensity and delineation to the attractively textured and refined yet powerful flavors that exude a fine bead of minerality on the gorgeously long, balanced and Zen-like finale. The Vaudésir and Les Clos are both genuinely remarkable but there is another dimension present here. Once again it’s worth pointing out that this is going to need plenty of cellaring. Another ‘wow’ wine.

• Country: France
• Region: Burgundy
• Appellation: Chablis
• Size: 1.5Ltr
• Color: White
• Alcohol by Vol: 15.0%

Varietal

Chardonnay

Of all the white wine grape varietals, surely the one that has spread the furthest and is most widely appreciated is Chardonnay. This green-skinned grape is now grown all over the Old and New Worlds, from New Zealand to the Americas, from England to Chile, and is one of the first varietals people think of when considering white wine grapes. Perhaps this is because of its huge popularity, which reached a peak in the 1990s, thanks to new technologies combining with traditional methods to bring the very best features out of the Chardonnay grape and allow its unique qualities to shine through. Most fine Chardonnay wines use a process known as malolactic fermentation, wherein the malic acids in the grape juice are converted to lactic acids, allowing a creamier, buttery nature to come forward in the wine. No grape varietal is better suited to this process than Chardonnay, which manages to balance these silky, creamy notes with fresh white fruit flavors beautifully.