Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Montée De Tonnerre 2021

Critical Acclaim: 94 pts Burghound; 94 pts Decanter; 94 pts John Gilman; 94 pts Tim Atkin; 94 pts Jasper Morris; 93 pts Robert Parker's Wine Advocate; 93 pts Vinous. 

Tasting Notes: "A discreet dollop of wood sets off the equally cool and perhaps even slightly more elegant aromas of acacia, citrus, seashore and oyster shell. The sleek and highly sophisticated medium-bodied flavors possess a really lovely texture while delivering superb length on the bitter lemon and mineral-suffused finish. This beautifully balanced yet altogether powerful effort is crystalline in its purity and a wine that should repay a decade plus of keeping. In a word, stunning."- Burghound. 

"Fevre's Montée de Tonnerre comes from all three sectors. Seguier notes that Pied d'Aloup has the highest marn content, Montée de Tonnerre adds weight and the old Chapelot vines (planted in 1936) add finesse. More closed on the nose. Weighty, concentrated, persistent. Saline notes. Will be a great gourmand wine. Some white flower notes, lots of zesty orange and grapefruit on the palate with a nice touch of white peach. For long ageing."- Decanter. 

"The 2021 William Fèvre Montée de Tonnerre is an outstanding young wine. It delivers fine complexity in its aromatic constellation of pear, green apple, a beautiful base of limestone minerality, dried flowers, lime peel, incipient notes of beeswax and a topnote of anise. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and rock solid at the core, with superb soil signature and cut, impeccable balance and a long, complex and nicely mineral finish. Fine, fine juice."- John Gilman. 

"The 2021 Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre is a lovely classic, unwinding in the glass to reveal aromas of white flowers, citrus zest, crisp green apple and oyster shells, followed by a medium to full-bodied, satiny and incisive palate that's pure, layered and structured, concluding with a penetrating finish. This will reward a bit of patience. The 2020 vintage marked the first year of official organic conversion for 78-hectare Domaine William Fèvre, though it's actually the 15th year the estate has been practicing organic, so the team took the challenges of the 2021 vintage in their stride. When I asked Didier Séguier how he managed to farm such a large estate this way, when so ma(WK)_ny smaller producers balk at the challenge, he explained that part of the secret has been fully engaging the Fèvre team: everyone is trained to spot signs of mildew and disease and share them on a team WhatsApp group; there are even prizes for the most vigilant employees. The approach certainly seems to have paid off in 2021, in any case, delivering wines with an old-school aesthetic but contemporary precision and charm; and the fact that they are bottled under Diam means that their gracious evolution in the cellar is assured. While the 2021s can't quite match the sheer concentration and intensity of 2019 and 2020, their classical profiles and clear differentiation by site will delight Chablis purists."- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. 

"The 2021 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre 1er Cru comes from 2.2-hectares split over three climats with different orientations including the domaine's oldest vines planted back in 1936. This has quite an aromatic bouquet with limestone, oyster shell and yellow plum aromas that blossom in the glass. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity, harmonious with commendable weight matched with a countervailing saline element. Bright and sparky, enjoy this delicious Chablis over the next 15 years."- Vinous. 

Varietal: Chardonnay.