Domaine de Chevalier 2013

Seductive raspberry notes on the nose, a slender and fruity palate, more long than broad, elegant, refreshing and pleasing.

This has a dark, almost brooding persona, with plum, black currant and black cherry fruit, inlaid with an ample warm road tar note. Shows lots of smoldering tobacco on the finish. Slightly rustic tannins pinch just a bit at the end, but otherwise this is a gutsy and solid effort. Best from 2017 through 2022. 6,250 cases made.

Quite a unique nose; floral chocolate, dark fruits, chocolate, cassis, fragrance and floral elements. Ripe, chewy and full on the palate, but not thick or heavy, the acidity carries this and lifts the expression. Light on its feel with a crushed chalky velvety texture that is a little chalky on the tongue, not dry, as the fruit is ripe and gives a chew, but there's a nice width to this and gentle continuation through to a long finish. Feels great to drink today and is a success given the vintage. Lively, bright, acidity to the fore, really quite metallic and mineral but I like the cola and cherry mix with cool freshness still. Not a game changer but an easy, very likeable wine.

This is excellent. Blueberry, black currant and stone aromas and flavors. Medium body, lovely density, fine tannins and a bright finish. A triumph for the vintage. Drink or hold.

Elegant, medium-bodied, forward style of Domaine de Chevalier, with sweet, fresh, bright cherries, spice, cassis, and hints of tobacco to round things out. The blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Merlot, coupled with severe selection, are a large part of what helped this wine become so successful in this difficult vintage.

Tobacco, wood, cassis and plum notes on the nose. Good volume on the palate, grainy tannins, fresh and vibrant dark fruit, good length. Supple, rounded finish with good drinkability.

Deep purple, dense at the core, with garnet glints at the rim. Slightly sweet bouquet, red cherry compote, redcurrant pastilles, lactic notes, and a playful touch as well. On the palate, fresh fruit, hints of violet, pleasant extract, showing a subtly firm backbone at its core. A wine not to be underestimated, with a potential of a good 20 years.

Deep purple, dense at the core, with garnet glints at the rim. Slightly sweet bouquet, red cherry compote, redcurrant lozenges, lactic notes, and a playful touch. On the palate, fresh fruit, hints of violet, pleasant extract, showing a subtly firm backbone at its core. A wine not to be underestimated, with a potential of a good 20 years.

Spicy, finely vegetal bouquet, strawberries, green herbs, wood, raspberry yogurt. Medium-bodied, firm palate with sweet fruit, sandy tannins, good aromatics, rustic structure, dry finish. Can still improve. 16/20 2020 - 2032

Unfussy, with character to the dark berry fruits, soft tannins, tobacco, black tea and cold ash. During En Primeur owner Olivier Bernard explained the vintage as being ‘... like a tightrope, everything had to be done so carefully’. The result is enjoyable, although once again it's best to drink soon to make the most of the fruit. Harvest October 1 to 18, optical sorting machine used for the first time.

Beautiful dense color, certainly one of the most deeply colored of this vintage in the Graves. Lovely substance with a fleshy feel, a well-filled mid-palate, and tannins that give structure to the whole. The length combines the finesse of the élevage and the fruit.

The colour is deep and the aromas are already complex. The wine is light and harmonious with freshness, but this apparent lightness conceals a wine of impressive density.

Purple with garnet highlights. A youthful nose marked by lactic notes and fruits such as raspberry and cherry. The attack is fruity and lively. You can clearly sense that extraction was cleanly controlled, which benefits the wine with freshness and healthy tannins. It will be interesting to follow its evolution, as I think the elements will gain in grace once they round out. The necessary substance is present. To be continued.

Purple color of moderate intensity. The nose is slightly discreet, fruity, fresh, and truffle-accented. The palate is tasty, juicy, and very fruity, with melted tannins and an elongated body. Lovely.

One of the successes from Pessac-Léognan, this refined, structured wine is singing already with its fruitiness. Ripe and forward, it is developing into a medium-bodied, perfumed wine that will be ready to drink relatively quickly. Drink from 2019.