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With 3.65ha spread over eight plots, Fèvre is the largest owner in Vaulorent. Didier Seguier says marl soil gives the density, while Kimmeridgian supplies the minerality. Great complexity on both the nose and palate, this has the richness and structure of the grand cru. Absolutely no need to rush drinking this. Stunning.Decanter | 96 DECOne of the finest wines in the portfolio this year is the 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent, a taut, youthfully reserved bottling of immense promise. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of citrus zest, beeswax, crisp white peach, white flowers, freshly baked bread and oyster shell, it’s medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless, with terrific tensioning intensity in a tightly wound format. It’s warmly recommended, though patience will be required.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RP(Chablis “Vaulorent”- Domaine William Fèvre) I am always impressed that Didier Séguier chooses to only bottle the finest parcels of old vines in Vaulorent under that label, with the remainder of the domaine’s holdings being bottled under a Fourchaume label. But, when one tastes this hard on the heels of the very fine Fourchaume domaine wine, one can see that these old vines are a step up in quality. The bouquet of the 2020 Vaulorent jumps from the glass in a stunning blend of pear, apple, tart orange, lemon zesty, a kaleidoscopic base of limestone minerality, a touch of anise and a floral topnote redolent of white lilies. On the palate the wine is vibrant, full-bodied, focused and complex, with a rock solid core of fruit, superb mineral drive and cut, snappy acids and great balance on the long and zesty finish. Great juice. (Drink between 2027 - 2065)John Gilman | 94+ JGThe restrained and layered nose makes clear that this could be from nowhere else but Chablis with its aromas of algae, iodine, oyster shell and spiced pear. The texture of the medium-weight flavors is also sleek and intense with slightly better density if a bit less refinement to the youthfully austere bitter lemon-suffused finish. Lovely and while qualitatively equal to the MdT, it offers a markedly different expression.Burghound | 93 BH

An abundance of Chablis typicity is present on the aromas of mineral reduction, white orchard fruit, citrus zest and tidal pool. There is again very good volume and density to the medium-bodied flavors that are unusually powerful for Fourchaume, all wrapped in a lemony and almost salty finish. This is quite promising and particularly so for a négociant offering.Burghound | 90-93 BH(Chablis “Fourchaume”- Domaine William Fèvre (Domaine vines)) The Fourchaume from the estate’s own holdings in Fourchaume (all of which lie in Vaulorent) is a notable step up in the 2020 vintage from the bottling made from purchased fruit. The nose is pure, deep and precise, delivering scents of pear, apple, lime blossoms, just a touch of paraffin, spring flowers and a very complex base of limestone minerality. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, racy and rock solid at the core, with a bit more of a reserved personality than the above wine, but more backend lift, cut and grip. This wine has great focus and balance and will be stunning once it starts to blossom in four or five years. (Drink between 2026 - 2060)John Gilman | 93+ JGQuite a lot of weight here. A tad overripe perhaps? Less precision than the other wines so far. Big, powerful example of Fourchaume. Loads of acidity to keep everything fresh, should age well, perhaps not in quite such an elegant way.Decanter | 92 DEC

A wine from a selection of sites over 3.9ha in Butteaux, Forêts and Montmains. Butteaux is very cold and mineral, while Forêts is elegant and floral. Great precision and focus here, allied with crystalline citrus fruits on the palate. Shows density, but is also very fresh, with lovely mineral characters on the finish. A highly successful Montmains.Decanter | 93 DECConsisting of roughly equal parts Montmains, Butteaux and Forêts (the three sous-climats of Montmains), the 2020 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains offers up aromas of crisp green apple, white flowers, bee pollen and oyster shell. Medium to full-bodied, satiny and concentrated, it’s taut and precise, concluding with a saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RP(Chablis “Montmains”- Domaine William Fèvre) The 2020 Montmains here is also lovely, with perhaps just a bit more definition and complexity than in the Beauroy. The nose is pure and bright, offering up scents of apple, tart orange, wet stone minerality, citrus peel, dried flowers and a nice shading of oyster shell. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and racy in personality, with fine focus and grip, a lovely core and a long, minerally and beautifully balanced finish. A lovely example. (Drink between 2026 - 2055)John Gilman | 92+ JG(Chablis Montmains 1er Cru, Domaine William Fèvre, White) From all three sections of the vineyard as usual. Racy lemon colour. Pure crystalline nose, very little reduction, very classical left bank Chablis, very intense but neither heavy nor exotic. The kimmeridgian is speaking underneath a graceful layer of flesh. Fruit and stones both keep coming back at the finish.Jasper Morris | 92-95Here too the nose is elegant, pure and layered but with more floral and spice nuances adding breadth to the cooler and more restrained aromas. There is both excellent intensity and density to the mineral-driven flavors that terminate in a bone-dry, sneaky long and balanced finale. This too is really very good.Burghound | 91-93 BHThe 2020 Chablis Montmains 1er Cru comes from 3.8 hectares of vines over 12 parcels and offers pressed white flower scents and a touch of crushed rock. The well-defined palate features red apple mixed with subtle spicy notes that dovetail into a generous, leesy finish. Fine.Vinous Media | 89-91 VM

(Chablis “les Preuses”- Domaine William Fèvre) The 2020 les Preuses from Domaine Fèvre was one of the finest white wines I tasted from the entire vintage during my trip in November and December. The perfect ripeness of the vintage, coupled to such great acidity are the hallmarks of the best wines of 2020 and these attributes are on full display in this stunning young wine. The nose soars from the glass in a mineral bath of les Preuses Kimmeridgian limestone terroir, carrying notes of apple, pear, fresh lime, straw, oyster shell, white flowers and a topnote of beeswax. On the palate the wine is pure, precise, snappy and very, very complex, with great depth at the core, stunning mineral definition, laser-like focus and stunning length and grip on the simply beautiful young finish. All this great wine needs is time in the cellar to blossom. (Drink between 2031 - 2080)John Gilman | 97 JGThe 2020 Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses is, if anything, even more electric than the formidable Valmur, wafting from the glass with notions of citrus oil, freshly baked bread, oyster jus and wet stones. Full-bodied, satiny and chiseled, it’s racy and intense, with a bright spine of acidity and a long, intensely saline finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPFrom 1.5ha on soils that are high in clay content above Bougros, together with 1ha just above Bouguerots. Distinct precision here, not a blockbuster but intense and focused. Lovely crystalline fruit and will age beautifully.Decanter | 95 DECAromas of quinine, essence of wet stone and seashore add breadth to the nose of pear, apple and anise. Once again there is fine density and intensity to the mouthcoating medium-weight flavors that flash outstanding length on the bracingly saline-suffused finale. This has already developed very good depth and more will almost surely follow. This is potentially outstanding.Burghound | 95 BHThe 2020 Chablis Les Preuses Grand Cru comes from 2.5 hectares of vines in two locations, one east-facing and one southwest-facing. It has quite a deep, intense nose featuring lemon zest, crushed stone, linden and touches of citrus peel. The cohesive palate is smooth and harmonious with fine salinity, if maybe not quite building on its initial promise, as the finish pulls up just a little short compared to the Bougros. Still, this should age well in bottle.Vinous Media | 91-93 VM

The second vintage to be bottled under this vineyard designation—the vineyard was planted in 2016—Aubert’s 2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue is a lush, full-bodied effort loaded with ripe-tasting stone fruit, set against a backdrop of white nectarine and fresh lime juice. Plump and creamy in the mouth, expansive and generous, it finishes with a savory hint of mocha. Sandwiched between Lauren and CIX, it’s a parcel that should yield even greater wines as the vines age.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95 RPSucculent and lush, with buttery nuances to the apple pastry, toasted hazelnut and mouthwatering Honeycrisp apple, tangerine and Meyer lemon flavors at the core. This wine’s flavors and complexity gain momentum, ultimately achieving wonderful harmony on the long finish. Drink now through 2028. 1,644 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSA tight and linear chardonnay with dried apples, lemons, honey, sea salt, and white pepper. Medium body. Solid and beautiful. Candied lemons. Drink now.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2020 Chardonnay Park Avenue is laced with the essence of dried pear, spice, lemon confit, apple tart, spice and a hint of new French oak. There’s lovely depth and density here, even if the wine narrows a bit through the mid-palate and into the finish.Vinous Media | 90-92 VM

A cool, late-harvest site relative to Aubert’s other sources, the 2020 Chardonnay Larry Hyde & Sons also sees a bit less new French oak (50%). Readers will note that the oak made virtually no impression on me, as the wine bursts with aromas of ripe, honeyed melon, balanced by bright lime notes. Full-bodied, creamy and lush on the palate, this is just a pleasure to drink, finishing long and zesty.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPThis stunning version opens with a rich impression, with candied ginger, marmalade and honeyed overtones to the core of fresh fruit flavors, including notes of pear, apple, melon and citrus. Hints of orange blossoms and minerality mingle with fresh acidity, while a nutmeg-dominant wave of spices gain momentum on the long finish. Drink now through 2033. 1,538 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSA big and juicy white with cooked apple, pear, honey, and mineral. Flint. Full and layered with a flavorful and delicious finish. Drink now.James Suckling | 96 JS

The 2020 Chardonnay UV-SL charges out of the gate with vibrant notes of grapefruit, lemon tart, and coriander seed, leading to wafts of struck flint, sea spray, yuzu zest, and peach blossom. Full-bodied, rich, and densely laden in the mouth with lemon and lime oil layers, it has just enough freshness and a pleasant suggestion of oiliness to the texture, finishing long and lifted. Around 1,500 cases of UV-SL are made. It is named after one of Sonoma’s most reputable vineyard managers, Ulises Valdez Sr. (UV), who passed away recently. The vineyard is situated on Stoetz Lane (SL), only six miles from the Pacific Ocean, up on the hills around Graton and Occidental. Aubert and Valdez Sr. collaborated on the planting of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir here.The Wine Independent | 98+ TWIA spicy and salty white with cooked apple and honey character. Light vanilla and pie crust. Medium to full body. Flavorful and very long, Excellent intensity and focus. White pepper and fruit at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSStarts with a sleek laser beam of ripe and pure apricot, grilled peach and Fuji apple, expanding into salted, toasted almond notes and flavors of lemon sherbet, dried ginger and nutmeg. Shows harmony on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2030. 1,444 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSNot since Robert Parker himself reviewed this wine have vintages of it scored in this vicinity. When viewed in isolation, the 2020 Chardonnay UV-SL is a thrilling wine; only in the rarified air of Aubert’s range could a 94-point rating be considered disappointing. It’s more linear and direct than the opulent, flamboyant 2021, with pronounced notes of crushed stone framing lime zest and white peaches. Full-bodied yet zesty, clean and refreshing, it’s a laser beam of bright fruit, seemingly without the typical Aubert fleshy curvaceousness. Some drinkers may even prefer it for that stylistic leaning.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPThe 2020 Chardonnay UV-SL Vineyard shows good energy and tension. The UV-SL remains a relatively light-bodied wine, but some of the hard edges I saw last year have started to soften. Orchard fruit and white pepper lend attractive brightness throughout.Vinous Media | 90 VM

The 2020 Chardonnay McCrea Vineyard is powerful and full of personality. It offers aromas of white peach, elderflower, lime peel, meringue and dried mint. Creamy and harmonious, with tangy yet integrated acidity, the medium-bodied palate unfurls layer after layer of candied citrus and flinty sparks, and it finishes with incredible length and spiciness.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPLovely aromas of peach, grapefruit, brioche and dried herbs. Medium-bodied and elegant with great balance. Straw character comes through towards the finish. Delicious, with mildly oily texture. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 96 JSPacks a powerful, creamy mix of lemon bar, marmalade and buttery pastry flavors and a lovely sweet cream note to complement apricot, fresh citrus and spice accents. Reveals a whisper of flinty minerality and toasted, salted almond on the finish. Drink now through 2029. 1,340 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WS

A gorgeous nose of sliced pear, grapefruit, hazelnut and fresh thyme. Medium-to full-bodied with great texture. Rock-salt salinity. Real nuance and delicacy. Firm, but really layered and long. Flinty at the end. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2020 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard is pure and layered with scents of candied peaches, dried herbs, lime candy and jasmine. It continues to offer new aromas with each return to the glass. The palate is powerful and satiny, its concentration balanced by tangy acidity, and it finishes with lots of flinty nuances. It feels youthfully tense compared to some of the other Kistler Chardonnays this vintage.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPFocused and intense, this white is aromatic up front, with fresh-clipped notes of lemon verbena and basil and just a hint of flint and chalk. Packs an incredibly juicy core, with mouthwatering Meyer lemon, yuzu and Honeycrisp apple flavors, plus grace notes of honeycomb and salted lime. The intense finish is focused and long. Drink now through 2030. 900 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSThe 2020 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard offers a light resinous pine note on the nose, with white peach and apple skin. The texture is lifted and cleansing, with freshness in its notes of red apple, apple blossom, and lemon curd.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThe 2020 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard is pretty ripe in this vintage. It offers up scents of apricot, hazelnut, dried flowers, chamomile, sweet spice and orange peel. Medium in body, yet quite extroverted, the 2020 is nicely balanced.Vinous Media | 91 VM