2018 Domaine de Chevalier
By Chateau Domaine de Chevalier
2018 Domaine de Chevalier from Chateau Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux
With the 2018 vintage, Chateau Domaine de Chevalier has bestowed upon the discerning wine investor a resplendent offering from the revered Pessac-Léognan appellation. The year was marked by a tapestry of climatic patterns, which the esteemed vignerons have masterfully transmuted into an exquisite blend that flirts with perfection.
Nuances of Nature: The 2018 Vintage Deciphered
The growing season for the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier encountered quirks, beginning with a damp start yet concluding with a gracious summer, kindling ideal conditions for ripening. The result is a structured wine with commendable balance, lavish tannins, and longevity, allowing it to claim its place as an intelligent acquisitions for the oenophile's portfolio.
A Symphony of Sensory Delight
On approaching this claret, one is greeted by an intense bouquet where dark fruit compote dances alongside wisps of tobacco and graphite. Upon tasting, the layered complexity of the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier unfolds - blackcurrant and plums wrapped in a velvety robe of oak-derived spices and herbaceous whispers playing in unison on the palate. Such is the craftsmanship of Chateau Domaine de Chevalier; it brings forth a wine that caters not only to pleasure but also to the prudence of fine wine investment.
The inherent minerality attributed to the gravelly soils of Pessac-Léognan shines through in this vintage, lending it a distinctive elegance and providing a cellar-worthy bastion against the ebbs and flows of market trends.
In summing up the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier from Chateau Domaine de Chevalier, one finds a vintage that resonates deeply with Bordeaux connoisseurs. Terroir speaks eloquently here; one sip unveils layers crafted during an undulating growing season. This wine is a triumph that blends sensory sophistication with astute investment acumen—a polished gem within ones collection promising both drinking pleasure and potential lucrative returns.
Market price (HKD)
HK$4,827.24
12x75cl
Highest score
99
POP score
26.58
Scores and tasting notes
Wow. I can’t get over the pureness of fruit in this wine with so much currant, tar and wet-earth character. Flowers, too. So aromatic. Full body, yet pureness and brightness of fruit. Layered. Incredible depth and beauty. 65 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 30 per cent merlot and 5 per cent petit verdot. Greatest ever?
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com - April 2019
These guys clearly know what they are doing, and they keep doing it. This wine is consistent even in difficult years but in years like this, where they have the room to manoeuvre, it really shines. This is great stuff, with lovely freshness to the deep fruit flavours. There is persistency and plenty of slate and freshly cut herbs to stack up against the juicy, concentrated fruit. It's a powerful, well handled and confident wine but doesn't push too hard. One-third new oak.
Jane Anson - Decanter - April 2019
This is flashy, with mesquite, licorice, black tea and fruitcake aromatics leading the way to a frankly ripe core of steeped raspberry and plum flavors. Seems pretty liberal with the toast, but this has what it needs to come together in the end.—J.M.
James Molesworth - Wine Spectator - April 2019
The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier is magnificent. Bright, lifted and wonderfully nuanced, the 2018 has so much to offer. Olivier Bernard turned out a dazzling Domaine de Chevalier in 2018 that speaks to precision and nuance above all else. Rose petal, mint, savory herbs and crushed rocks add striking aromatic top notes to this stunning, breathtakingly beautiful wine. The tannins need time to soften, but I doubt readers will be in a rush. The 2018 is simply majestic - that's all there is to it. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Tasted three times.
Antonio Galloni - Vinous - April 2019
This wine is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot to be aged for approximately 18 months in oak barriques, 35% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier starts a little closed before bounding out of the glass with bold expressions of fresh blackcurrants, kirsch, black raspberries and fragrant earth plus nuances of lilacs, Sichuan pepper and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate maintains elegance and sophistication, with a lovely ripe, finely grained frame and plenty of freshness to back up the floral and black fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 23rd April 2019