2009 Chablis Bougros Grand Cru

The 2009 Chablis Bougros is a striking wine that shows many of the elements of grand cru Chablis is a smaller scaled, accessible style that is highly appealing. Smoke, ash, crushed rocks and a host of other aromas and flavors wrap around the sensual, saline finish. This is a round, harmonious style very well-suited to near and mid-term drinking. Fevre owns fully 50% of this grand cru. The Bourgros is made from the plateau portion of the vineyard, where the soils are deep and rich in clay. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2019. This is an impressive set of wines from William Fevre and winemaker Didier Seguier. The 2009 harvest began on September 14. Seguier claims the date of harvest has become increasingly important in recent years relative to the past, as warmer temperatures create a narrower window for optimal picking times. All of the wines at Fevre are partially fermented in oak, ranging from 5-10% for the entry-level wines up to 60-70% for the grand crus. Seguier prefers neutral barrels that are on average five years old. In general the entry-level wines are fermented with commercial yeasts, while the 1er and grand crus are fermented with indigenous yeasts. The wines spend four to six months in oak, and are then racked into steel for the completion of their elevage, which lasts about 15 months. The wines are aged on their lees with no batonnage throughout the entirety of this time. Approximately 80% of the estate’s 50 hectares are farmed biodynamically, including all of the 1er and grand crus. The 2009 and 2010 vintages were not kind to Fevre in terms of production. In 2009, insects with very selective appetites damaged 20+% of the crop, while in 2010 yields were down as much as 50% because of widespread shatter during flowering. As is the case throughout Chablis, the 2009s look to be wines built on fruit that are best-suited for early and mid-term drinking. Unfortunately, I was not able to taste the 2010s, a vintage Seguier describes as more classic, with acidities that are in line with the estate’s 2007s and 2008s. Fevre makes both a Domaine range and a Maison range. I have listed the wines separately for maximum clarity. Importer: Henriot Inc, New York, NY; tel. (212) 605 6706

Pale yellow. Reticent but pure nose hints at citrus peel and minerals, along with a high-pitched floral note. Firm on entry, then dense, citrussy and precise in the middle, showing very good intensity but coming across as quite tightly coiled today. Finishes with very good grip and saline minerality. This is a baby now and will need several years of cellaring to reveal its inherent complexity.

Herby mineral nose and mild but fresh lemon juice. Zesty, dry and sustained, though quite light. (JH)