Domaine William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2021

Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2021 comes from the largest and most prestigious Grand Cru in Chablis, where the Domaine owns more vines than anyone else. Expect citrus, oyster shell and iodine with real power. Christy Canterbury MW rated it 96 POINTS, her top-scoring Chablis of the vintage.

In the glass it shows a remarkably complex bouquet, blending fruity, floral and spicy notes with a substantial mineral touch.

It is a special weekend wine for collectors, and one to cellar. This wine would pair well with grilled seafood or chicken in a cream sauce.

The Domaine's oldest Les Clos vines were planted by William Fèvre's father, Maurice, in 1947 and 1948.

What it tastes like

The wine has a structured palate with extra breadth and a mouth-filling, flowing texture. Bill Nanson of The Burgundy Report called it "undisputedly great" and "a wine apart".

It will open up with age into a powerful, generous Les Clos, with the length to match.

Style at a glance

• Body: Full
• Sweetness: Dry
• Acidity: Fresh and electric
• Oak: Part of the wine is aged in older French oak barrels, which adds depth and texture
• Style: Powerful, complex, age-worthy Grand Cru

Food to enjoy this with

• Grilled crayfish
• Chicken in a creamy morel sauce
• Fresh oysters
• Turbot with beurre blanc
• Scallops seared in butter
• Aged Comté, where the nutty, savoury cheese matches the wine's depth and minerality

Who makes it

William Fèvre founded the Domaine in 1959 with 7 hectares, building on more than 250 years of family winegrowing in Chablis. It is now the largest owner of Grand Cru vineyards in the region, with 70 hectares spread over 90 separate plots. In January 2024 it joined the Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) family, and Didier Séguier, winemaker since 1998, still runs the cellar.

Les Clos is the largest and most prestigious of the seven Chablis Grands Crus, covering 26.04 hectares on a south-facing slope. Domaine William Fèvre owns 4.11 hectares here in eight biodynamically farmed plots, more than any other domaine.

The plots sit near the top of the slope, in a slightly cooler spot, on dense, deep clay over limestone that lies about 75 cm below the surface. The full sun of the south-facing slope helps the grapes ripen evenly.

The grapes are moved by gravity rather than pumped and pressed gently, and the wine ferments naturally in stainless steel. Part of it then spends 5 to 6 months on fine lees (spent yeast cells that add texture) in French oak barrels, none of them new.

About the vintage

Bill Nanson of The Burgundy Report tasted the 2021s with Didier Séguier. Frost hit the higher vineyards hard, and the team ran frost-protection sprinklers for 13 to 14 days until the lake that feeds them nearly ran dry. Séguier said ripeness came "more by concentration than phenolic maturity", and that many of the wines "still need 10 years".

Charles Curtis MW rates 2021 at 4 out of 5 for Decanter. Low yields and a difficult season challenged growers, but the concentration that resulted gave top wines that are thrillingly crisp and powerful, with a long life ahead of them.

Critic scores and ratings

• 96 POINTS – Christy Canterbury MW – TimAtkin.com, January 2023
  "This has everything a great Clos should, from remarkable fruit concentration to tingly freshness and age-worthy vibrancy. Yellow plums and apples mesh with fresh herbs and a light leesy note. This is my top-scoring Chablis of the 2021 vintage."
• 96 POINTS – John Gilman – View from the Cellar, January 2023
• 95 POINTS – Allen Meadows – Burghound, October 2023
  "This too could be from nowhere else other than Chablis with its combination of strong mineral reduction, cool citrus, shellfish and iodine scents that are trimmed in just enough wood to merit mentioning. The dense, opulent and powerful large-bodied flavors brim with dry extract that imparts a sappy texture to the lemony and massively long finish. Not surprisingly for a classic Les Clos, this super effort is very much built-to-age and a wine that I would advise not touching for at least 6 to 8 years first."
• 95 POINTS – William Kelley – Wine Advocate, September 2023
  "Aromas of orange zest, peach, oyster shells, white flowers and freshly baked bread preface the 2021 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos, a full-bodied, layered and textural wine of impressive breadth and depth in this vintage, exhibiting considerable concentration and concluding with a long, electric finish."

When to drink it

William Kelley of Wine Advocate suggests drinking it from 2027 to 2050. It's the sort of wine you buy a case of and open over the decades.

Technical details

Where to buy

The Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2021 is available online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. Online and in both stores you can select a mixed case from a large range of wines.

Questions we are often asked

What scores did William Fèvre Les Clos 2021 get?

Christy Canterbury MW (TimAtkin.com) and John Gilman each gave it 96. Allen Meadows (Burghound) and William Kelley (Wine Advocate) each gave it 95.

How much of Les Clos does William Fèvre own?

Domaine William Fèvre owns 4.11 hectares of the 26.04-hectare Grand Cru, in eight plots. That is more than any other domaine.

When should I drink Les Clos 2021?

William Kelley of Wine Advocate suggests 2027 to 2050, and Allen Meadows advises patience, so this is a wine to cellar.

What food goes with Les Clos?

Rich seafood, chicken in a cream sauce and oysters all suit it, as do turbot with beurre blanc and aged Comté.

Where can I buy Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2021?

The Winery sells Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2021 online at thewineryonline.co.nz for delivery within New Zealand. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.