Domaines Barons de Rothschild (DBR Lafite), the owner of Bordeaux first growth Château Lafite Rothschild, announced this week that it has ‘formalised the integration’ of Chablis maker Domaine William Fèvre into its business.
It marks confirmation that William Fèvre has joined DBR Lafite, following a brief period under the umbrella of Artémis Domaines, owner of Château Latour and several other high-profile estates.
DBR and Artémis entered exclusive talks over the Chablis producer’s future last year. Artémis had acquired William Fèvre as part of its winery merger deal with the Henriot family, announced in 2022.
‘The arrival of Domaine William Fèvre in Chablis into our family of [estates] is an exciting new adventure,’ said Saskia de Rothschild, MD of DBR Lafite.
Domaine William Fèvre has been making wines since 1959 and is a significant landowner in Chablis, as well as a highly respected producer.
The 70-hectare (ha) estate includes almost 90 vineyard plots, encompassing grand cru, premier cru and Chablis village classifications, according to the announcement.
William Fèvre’s Les Preuses Grand Cru 2022 was recently given 96 points by Decanter’s Andy Howard MW in his latest Chablis vintage report.
Saskia de Rothschild said, ‘The spirit of the place and its team, deeply rooted in the land they cultivate, the on-the-ground approach to organic and environmental viticulture, and the precise yet low-interventionist approach to winemaking in the cellar, are values which fit in perfectly with our long-term values.
‘We look forward to progressing together, with Didier Séguier and his team, on the road to great white wines.’
Séguier, director of Domaine William Fèvre, said, ‘We are delighted with the arrival of DBR Lafite.
‘It’s a strength to be able to draw on the knowledge of such a family of vineyards to exchange ideas and move our projects forward. There’s a strong fit between who we are and the projects they’ve been developing for 150 years in their vineyards.’
DBR Lafite’s portfolio also includes Châteaux Duhart-Milon, L’Evangile and Rieussec in Bordeaux appellations Pauillac, Pomerol and Sauternes respectively, plus Bodega Caro in Argentina, Domaine de Long Dai in China, Viña Los Vascos in Chile and Domaine d’Aussières in France’s Languedoc area.
Financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.
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