Domaine de Chevalier is a jewel of an estate nestled deep in the pine trees of Bordeaux’s Pessac-Léognan with a long history of producing age-worthy reds and whites. Their reds and whites show incredible depth of fruit and unique character from the stony soil of the vineyards that span 45 hectares in Graves. But what truly makes this winery a world-class estate and a fixture on most wine aficionados’ and collectors’ list is invariably its whites.
James recently tasted a selection of their 2018 reds and whites over Zoom with owner Olivier Bernard and his son Adrien Bernard. They discussed how 2018 was for both whites and reds and compared it to the 2020 vintage, which Olivier said was the most powerful they have ever made at Domaine de Chevalier. 2018 was a difficult vintage but still produced great wines. “There is a very high level of winemaking in Bordeaux now compared to 10 years ago," James commented. They also talked about how acidity can impact a wine's potential for aging and how Domaine de Chevalier's conversion to organic and biodynamic agriculture will impact its wines in future.
Below are the wines that were tasted during the call. Click the link to see the tasting notes and scores (subscribers only).
Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan 2018
Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan Blanc 2018
L'Esprit de Chevalier Pessac-Leognan Blanc 2018
L'Esprit de Chevalier Pessac-Léognan 2018
Clos des Lunes Bordeaux Blanc Lune d’Or 2018
Clos des Lunes Bordeaux Blanc Lune d’argent 2018
