A Pox on the House of Fevre

I

Ian Fitzsimmons

Ian Fitzsimmons
Opened a 2000 Fevre Grand Cru Bougros Bouguerot to investigate. Good color, not overly yellow. Distinct sherry aroma and flavor. Interestingly, it was still rather good with food, with finesse and intensity becoming a GC Chablis, but lacking in the expected flavors and aromas. Excellent reduced-alcohol sherry, not so great GC Chablis. But really very interesting. If it was oxidized, why wasn't it just dead?

Kept half a bottle overnight in hopes this was a little-publicized developmental phase. On day two, more developed texturally, just as much sherry on the nose an palate.
 
Ian,
The pre-mox thing seems to be making its rounds and, apparently, Chablis is not excepted.
But, FWIW, I am not a strong supporter of Fevre, even in its updated style.
I do not think they are bad wines and, in fact, can be lovely. But I have yet to have one I felt had something exceptional to say.
Whereas, V. Dauvissat, Raveneau, Michel and a handful of others in Chablis, make wines that really do - carry me away. Not all of them, but more often than most.
I'm not sure what it is about Fevre - maybe too clean or too 'perfect' - whatever it is, I will continue to try them - certainly there is promise.
Best, Jim
 
Jim:

Gout information, merci. I've never tasted Raveneau or Dauvissat and never expect to. Fevre is 'bout all I've been able to afford at GC, before they became popular, and - as you say - some have been very good.

I'll have to try some Michel (Louis?) wines soon, in view of the folks who speak well of them.

Cheers.
 
Ian,
Yes, Louis Michel.
And FWIW, there are a few other guys doing good work in Chablis that don't get a lot of mention.
May I suggest Billaud Simon, J.P. Droin, Drouhin, Duplessis, Durup, Long-Depaquit, Boudin, Dampt, Pinson, Tribut, Vocoret, Servin and Louis Moreau.
I am fairly smitten with Laurent Tribut's wines (no GCs); he learned from (and occasionally consults with) the best - Vincent Dauvissat (they are family).
I haven't bought a grand cru in years - the prices are really too much for me, even with the lesser knowns. But some of the premier cru wines can be wonderful, expressive and ready earlier.
Just a thought.
Best, Jim
 
here in the northwest prices on fevre have recently really gone through the roof--grands cru in the $120-140 range. premier cru prices $55-80. wtf?

right now louis michel is where the values are, and i really like their all-stainless style, although they require a bit more patience.
 
You seemed to have done everything to save the experience short of pouring into a javelin...

A pox on the house of Lynch-Bages too - over the last year I went through half a dozen full bottles and half a dozen half bottles of their 2002 white and all but one were premoxed. The two batches came from different wine stores, so it's probably not so much a poor storage problem. At the end, having written them off, I would just pour into the sink with no residue of anger, even.
 
I remember your fondness for Picq from earlier posts, Nathan, and ordered a couple to try yesterday. Re: Fevre, most of what I have had has been pretty good. I like the finessed style.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

May I suggest Billaud Simon, J.P. Droin, Drouhin, Duplessis, Durup, Long-Depaquit, Boudin, Dampt, Pinson, Tribut, Vocoret, Servin and Louis Moreau.
I am fairly smitten with Laurent Tribut's wines (no GCs); he learned from (and occasionally consults with) the best - Vincent Dauvissat (they are family).
Click to expand...

Jim - that's a terrific list. I'm especially enamored with Dampt, Pinson & B-Simon. I would also include Vrignaud's Fourchaume VV.

Fevre is really nice when they are on, but too many off btls.
 
Jim:

Thanks, as always, for the thoughtful list. I've tried Billaud-Simon, Vocoret and Tribut AOC without taking much away, but then I'm a poor judge of young Chablis. Had some luck with 05 Dampt, and have bits of Duplessis, Droin and Pinson moldering. I'll keep an eye out for some of the other names in your post. Let me throw one back at you: Bessin. Kysela imports, not widely distributed, I think, before 07, but I saw quite a lot being sold in New York earlier this year. The 05 AOC has been stellar.

It's AOC-PC for me for the foreseeable future; GC is off the menu.

Ian
 
... Distinct sherry aroma and flavor. Interestingly, it was still rather good with food, with finesse and intensity becoming a GC Chablis, but lacking in the expected flavors and aromas. Excellent reduced-alcohol sherry, not so great GC Chablis. But really very interesting.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a Jura white to me.
 
I too have had premox'd Dauvissat, sadly, though it was still enjoyable. Most disturbingly, I just recently had a half bottle of 2005 Vocoret Blanchot that came out dark yellow in color and had a distinct oxidative whiff that, fortunately, blew off with time. Even from half bottle, though, a premox'd '05 is bad, bad news.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MarkS:
... Distinct sherry aroma and flavor. Interestingly, it was still rather good with food, with finesse and intensity becoming a GC Chablis, but lacking in the expected flavors and aromas. Excellent reduced-alcohol sherry, not so great GC Chablis. But really very interesting.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a Jura white to me.
Click to expand...

Not a good one. The best oxidative Jura whites owe no apologies and stand on their own as outstanding. And, of course, there are many non-oxidative Jura whites.
 
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