Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2BT thewinesociety.com Wine Notes

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1 page 1 memberservices@ Château Carbonnieux Blanc, Pessac-Léognan 2008 Classic, dry white Bordeaux from one of the best-known properties of the district in a top vintage for dry whites. Perfect with a grilled sole, as served in the brasseries of Paris and Bordeaux. Product Code BW3541 Dominant Grape Sauvignon Blanc Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2011 to 2013 Origin Dry White Bordeaux Alcohol Level 13.0% Style 1 (of 9): Bone dry Closure type Cork, natural Vintage 2008 Price No longer for sale Jean-Marc Brocard, Chablis Grand Cru Valmur 2007 Fine, floral and mineral grand cru from a tense and vivid vintage. Drink this year and next. Product Code BU44191 Dominant Grape Chardonnay Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2011 to 2017 Origin Chablis Alcohol Level 12.5% Style 1 (of 9): Bone dry Closure type Cork, natural Vintage 2007 Price No longer for sale Producer : Jean-Marc and Julien Brocard - See next page.

2 page 2 memberservices@ Producer : Jean-Marc and Julien Brocard Jean-Marc Brocard's origins lie in the Côte d'or. But he was born a farmer's son from the village of Chaudenay-le- Château, and trained as an agricultural engineer, along the way designing and trademarking a trailer attachment. It was an accident of marriage that brought him to wine: he married Claudine (his childhood sweetheart), a vigneron's daughter from the village of St-Bris-le-Vineux in the valley of L Yonne. Starting with a hectare of vines from his father-in-law, Emile Petit in With much hard work he now has control of about 180 hectares, part of which is 'en fermage' (25-year rental agreements). Brocard has gradually become one of the leading lights of Chablis and has been supplying The Society for many years with many wines including The Society s Chablis and Exhibition Chablis Premier Cru. Despite being a very good businessman, this self-made man also has a great feel and intuitive understanding for the land, in which he was greatly influenced by a friend and mentor called Petit Louis, and has a profound, almost spiritual, belief in how to look after it and allow the terroir to express itself. Since 2012 Jean-Marc has handed over day-to-day control of the vineyards and business to his son Julien, who earned his stripes after successfully gaining organic certification and trialling biodynamic viticulture in the Boissonneuse vineyard, producing wonderful wine from this vineyard. He is now converting all the vineyards of the estate to this method of cultivation. They produce wine from their own vineyards, some 'en fermage' as well as from bought-in grapes. The house style has been for maturation in stainless steel as the delicate aromas of Chablis are easily masked by barrels less than four years old. The winery itself is extremely impressive; built in stages from 1980, it houses stainless steel temperature-controlled fermentation vats to accentuate the purity and freshness of the wines. But they have had great success with foudres (large oak barrels) for certain wines, such as Les Clos and are trialling concrete 'egg'- shaped vats. After years of experimentation, all wines will be bottled with Diam corks or screw caps from the 2012 vintage onwards. These closures best protect the wine during its maturation in bottle. The Brocard range of Chablis to be found in these tanks includes a Vieilles Vignes cuvée which is often exceptional, and the aforementioned La Boissoneuse. Premier Cru examples include Vaucoupin, Vaulorent and Mont de Milieu while the grands crus include Les Clos and Valmur.

3 page 3 memberservices@ Domaine William Fèvre, Chablis Grand Cru Bougros, Côte Bouguerots was an outstanding vintage in Chablis. This has a spark of freshness on the nose, and the palate starts rich but finishes fresh. Beautifully balanced, the richness of the vintage is counterbalanced by the minerality of the cru. Product Code BU34861 Dominant Grape Chardonnay Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2009 to 2016 Vintage 2005 Price No longer for sale Producer : Domaine William Fèvre One of the great Chablis domaines, Fèvre commands 12 hectares of premier cru vineyardsand 16 hectares of grand cru sites. It was founded by the eponymous William Fèvre, who built it up from just 7 hectares in 1957 to 47 hectares including smart plantings in great sites which had previously been neglected. William Fèvre was the most vocal of campaigners for the Chablis appellation, staunchly opposing the extension of its boundaries and fighting against the use of the word Chablis to describe any wine which did not come from the region itself. This was a particular problem in the United States, where the term had been hijacked to enhance the appeal of any dry white wine. Fèvre was also one of the first to ferment and raise his wines in new oak, which significantly polarised opinion on them. In 1998 Fèvre retired to pursue other ventures, notably in Chile. He sold the business to Champagne Henriot, which also owns the prominent Burgundy producer Bouchard Père et Fils. Since the takeover, the oak influence has been reduced drastically and the domaine has thrived, successfully combining quality and quantity. The winemaker is the experienced and talented Didier Séguier who had previously worked for the Bouchard winemaking team in Beaune. Under his direction, all the domaine s fruit is hand-harvested and selection is rigorous. Most complex and complete of the wines is the grand crules Clos which comes from 4 hectares of old vines in the top part of the vineyard. At the other end of the scale, Fèvre s AC Chablisis full-bodied and creamy in style without losing the trademark minerality of the appellation.

4 page 4 memberservices@ Domaine Louis Michel, Chablis Grand Cru Grenouilles 2010 Made from a 60-year-old south-facing vineyard, this is round and rich, with considerable density and weight. Product Code BU51621 Dominant Grape Chardonnay Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2012 to 2017 Vintage 2010 Price No longer for sale Producer : Domaine Louis Michel Louis Michel are known for a pure, crystalline style of Chablis from fermentation uniquely in stainless steel, with no oak barrels. It was founded in 1850, and the recent managers of the estate have been Jean-Loup Michel who began in He was joined by his nephew Guillaume Gicqueau-Michel in 2007 who has helped bolster the management of the domaine and he has brought some new ideas, such as the switch to natural yeasts from the 2008 vintage. Eight people now work full time at the domaine. The domaine extends to 25ha, comprising Petit Chablis, Chablis and premiers crus Vaillons, Montmains, Butteaux, Séchets, Forêts, Fourchaume, Vaulorent and a big holding of Montée de Tonnerre, 4.30ha. Grands crus include Vaudésir, Grenouilles and Les Clos. The Petit Chablis and Chablis are machine harvested, but the premiers and grands crus are harvested by hand. The wines are fermented and then held on lees to develop aroma and flavour. There is enough tank space to hold two harvests, so bottling is never rushed. The wines are fined if necessary but not cold stabilised, so some small tartrate crystals can form in the bottles, which are harmless. The Petit Chablis is very well sited, coming from vines above the grands crus. There are two bottlings of the Butteaux, and the vieilles vignes one is quite superb. The Montée de Tonnerre vineyard, now about 40 years old, also produces a wonderful wine. The label features the domaine buildings including a large round tower which is a pigeonnier or dovecote.

5 page 5 memberservices@ Domaine Louis Michel, Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos 2010 Le Clos produces quintessential steely Chablis. The palate is taut, mineral and linear, with great length of flavour. Product Code BU51631 Dominant Grape Chardonnay Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2012 to 2016 Vintage 2010 Price No longer for sale Producer : Domaine Louis Michel Louis Michel are known for a pure, crystalline style of Chablis from fermentation uniquely in stainless steel, with no oak barrels. It was founded in 1850, and the recent managers of the estate have been Jean-Loup Michel who began in He was joined by his nephew Guillaume Gicqueau-Michel in 2007 who has helped bolster the management of the domaine and he has brought some new ideas, such as the switch to natural yeasts from the 2008 vintage. Eight people now work full time at the domaine. The domaine extends to 25ha, comprising Petit Chablis, Chablis and premiers crus Vaillons, Montmains, Butteaux, Séchets, Forêts, Fourchaume, Vaulorent and a big holding of Montée de Tonnerre, 4.30ha. Grands crus include Vaudésir, Grenouilles and Les Clos. The Petit Chablis and Chablis are machine harvested, but the premiers and grands crus are harvested by hand. The wines are fermented and then held on lees to develop aroma and flavour. There is enough tank space to hold two harvests, so bottling is never rushed. The wines are fined if necessary but not cold stabilised, so some small tartrate crystals can form in the bottles, which are harmless. The Petit Chablis is very well sited, coming from vines above the grands crus. There are two bottlings of the Butteaux, and the vieilles vignes one is quite superb. The Montée de Tonnerre vineyard, now about 40 years old, also produces a wonderful wine. The label features the domaine buildings including a large round tower which is a pigeonnier or dovecote.

6 page 6 memberservices@ Domaine William Fevre Chablis GC Les Clos 2005 Le Clos is considered to be the steeliest and most mineral of the grands crus. This has a tense, fresh, long and linear palate, with enormous depth of flavour. Product Code BU35081 Dominant Grape Chardonnay Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2009 to 2016 Vintage 2005 Price No longer for sale Producer : Domaine William Fèvre One of the great Chablis domaines, Fèvre commands 12 hectares of premier cru vineyardsand 16 hectares of grand cru sites. It was founded by the eponymous William Fèvre, who built it up from just 7 hectares in 1957 to 47 hectares including smart plantings in great sites which had previously been neglected. William Fèvre was the most vocal of campaigners for the Chablis appellation, staunchly opposing the extension of its boundaries and fighting against the use of the word Chablis to describe any wine which did not come from the region itself. This was a particular problem in the United States, where the term had been hijacked to enhance the appeal of any dry white wine. Fèvre was also one of the first to ferment and raise his wines in new oak, which significantly polarised opinion on them. In 1998 Fèvre retired to pursue other ventures, notably in Chile. He sold the business to Champagne Henriot, which also owns the prominent Burgundy producer Bouchard Père et Fils. Since the takeover, the oak influence has been reduced drastically and the domaine has thrived, successfully combining quality and quantity. The winemaker is the experienced and talented Didier Séguier who had previously worked for the Bouchard winemaking team in Beaune. Under his direction, all the domaine s fruit is hand-harvested and selection is rigorous. Most complex and complete of the wines is the grand crules Clos which comes from 4 hectares of old vines in the top part of the vineyard. At the other end of the scale, Fèvre s AC Chablisis full-bodied and creamy in style without losing the trademark minerality of the appellation.

7 page 7 memberservices@ Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos Domaine William Fevre 2007 Benchmark Chablis, from a master of the art and the best of the seven grands crus, perfectly poised with great fruit concentration and mouthwatering acidity. Product Code BU47861 Dominant Grape Chardonnay Product Type White Wine Drink Dates 2010 to 2017 Vintage 2007 Price No longer for sale