Domaine William Fèvre

Chablis is the northernmost wine district of Burgundy, in the Yonne department, about halfway between Paris and Dijon, and its wine is a benchmark for dry white wine made from Chardonnay. The town lies on the Serein river, and the vineyards spread over the gentle hills around it. Domaine William Fèvre is one of the best-known estates of the area and a good place to understand what makes Chablis taste the way it does. The estate takes its name from William Fèvre, who built it up from the 1950s, and his family had been growers in Chablis for generations.

The key to Chablis is the soil. The vineyards sit on Kimmeridgian limestone and clay, a layer formed about 150 million years ago and full of tiny fossilised oyster shells. This geology is thought to give the wines their crisp acidity and mineral, flinty character, which sets them apart from the richer Chardonnays of southern Burgundy. The wines are classified in four levels: Petit Chablis, Chablis, Premier Cru and Grand Cru. The seven Grand Cru climats lie on a single south-west-facing slope above the town, in sites named Bougros, Les Preuses, Vaudésir, Grenouilles, Valmur, Les Clos and Blanchots, and the estate has holdings among the top sites. The vines face the danger of spring frost, and growers fight it with heaters and sprinklers.

A visit usually combines a presentation of the vineyards and the winemaking, a look at the cellars and a tasting of several wines, often including a comparison of different levels of the appellation. This is a good way to taste the differences between a simple Chablis, a Premier Cru and a Grand Cru side by side. Visits for individuals and groups are normally arranged by appointment, and the estate has a tasting room where wines can also be bought directly. Staff speak several languages, and the premises are accessible.

The opening times of the tasting room vary with the season and the day of the week, and the estate may close for harvest or for holidays, so contact it in advance. The estate's practices include moves toward organic farming, but check the current certifications if this matters to you.

The visit suits wine lovers, those interested in how soil shapes wine and travellers on the way between Paris and Burgundy. It combines well with a drive along the Route des Grands Crus and a walk by the Serein, as well as a meal in Chablis itself, where the classic pairing is local oysters or the cheese of Soumaintrain.