Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan (Grand Cru Classé de Graves) 2019 (750ml)

Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac Leognan, Bordeaux wine producer profile, with wine tasting notes, wine ratings, a history of the property, information on wine making and terroir, along with wine tasting reviews. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles
The owners of Domaine de Chevalier, the Bernard family, have a long history dating all the way back to the 1155! What we know of as Domaine de Chevalier in the Graves/Pessac Leognan, appellation, was purchased in 1865 by Arnaud Ricard and his son Jean for 33,000 francs. At the time, the Ricard family were familiar with the Bordeaux wine trade, as they worked as coopers, producing wine barrels. In 1865, the estate began selling their wine under the Gascon name of “Chivaley”. In those days, the 44 hectare property was used for mostly food crops and ranching. While there was a tiny Bordeaux wine making operation at the estate, because there was no money in wine, it was not their main interest.

Intense, fresh and refined nose, of red and black fruits. The aromas of black cherry, blackberry and blueberry dominate in an atmosphere of both peppery and sweet spices at the same time.Dense, delicate, delicious and energetic palate. Magnificent finesse concentration. Tight and elegant weft. Sweet flavors of ripefruit are intense, salivating and accompanied by a gustatory complexity very typical of this vintage. Humus, graphite and licorice. Great overall freshness. Impeccable and harmonious balance between the sweetness and liveliness of the different sensations.

Blend: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot

The Barrel Sample for this wine is under 14% ABV.

Critical Acclaim

JS97
James Suckling

Beautiful, ripe redcurrants, bay leaf, violets and raspberries on the nose. Full-bodied with firm and very tight tannins that are polished and layered. Crushed stones highlight the beautiful blue fruit. Poised and refined. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 6% petit verdot and 4% cabernet franc. Best after 2026.

RP97
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2019 Domaine de Chevalier is a magical wine in the making, wafting from the glass with aromas of wild plums, crushed blackcurrants and violets mingled with hints of pencil shavings, subtle spices and coniferous forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, deep and seamless, with a vibrant core of fruit, beautifully refined tannins and lively acids, it's exquisitely elegant and harmonious, concluding with a long, perfumed finish. Stylistically, this wine exhibits a much closer affinity with the great Domaine de Chevalier of yesteryear than much of what was produced here in the early 2000s. It's a masterclass in what contemporary Bordeaux can deliver, and worth a special effort to seek out. Best after 2029.

WE97
Wine Enthusiast
With its finely structured tannins and juicy black currant fruits, this has the potential to be an important wine. The balance between the fruit and structure is already there, promising richness as the wine matures.
Barrel Sample: 95-97
JD97
Jeb Dunnuck

I loved the 2019 Domaine De Chevalier, which is unquestionably up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot that saw just 35% new oak, it sports a dense purple hue as well as a killer, quintessential Graves bouquet of darker black fruits, scorched earth, truffle, cold fireplace, tobacco, and graphite. More medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has brilliant purity, ultra-fine tannins, flawless balance, and a great, great finish. It's not a blockbuster but has this incredible sense of class, balance, and finesse while being rich and concentrated. It's a gorgeous wine, and wine lovers will adore being able to compare this side by side with the 2015, 2016, and 2018 over the coming 3-4 decades. Best After 2022

D95
Decanter
A lovely Chevalier, with rich tannins, juicy cassis and bilberry fruit, sage and pepper spice and a slate finish. Similar in style to warm but well-built years like 2000. Not the power of 2016 but this is an excellent wine, with lots to enjoy.
Barrel Sample
WS94
Wine Spectator

Very lush and forward, with a lovely wave of warmed plum reduction, cassis and blackberry preserve flavors. Features a subtle rumble of dark earth and warm stone through the finish, where licorice and apple wood accents also peek in. Delivers spine for form, but this is going to provide its best showing in the medium-term, as the fruit is so precocious. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2023