Domaine de Chevalier 2023

Deep, smoky, complex, dark fruit, tobacco, mocha, floral notes; dense palate that remains elegant, juicy fruit, marked yet fine tannins, impressive length; among the best the appellation has to offer in red this year.

Cool blue fruit and tobacco leaf denote this wine, which packs almost Pauillac-like power in 2023, not as overtly charming as it can be. The mid-palate depth seems a bit coiled, with some standoffish tannins, but overall it’s brisk and true to the estate’s style, if not a ‘sunny vintage’ on the palate. In short, a serious Domaine de Chevalier red that needs at least five years of cellaring to fully reward you.

The aromas of tobacco, thyme, black currant, and black berry with dark earth follow through to a medium body with creamy and polished tannins that caress your palate and deliver a beautiful young Pessac. So pretty and lively. 63% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot, 5% petit verdot and 2% cabernet franc. Better in a few years but already so beautiful and polished.

Smoky black cherries, cigar wrappers, barbecue smoke, cedar, and smoked mint aromatics create the perfume. On the palate, the wine is fresh, full of finesse, smoky, elegant and complex. The finish is like eating peppery currants topped with Cuban cigar wrappers. Long, spicy, and intense, this is a vintage that will benefit from at least a few years of aging. The wine blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Drink from 2029-2055.

Score: 94–96. An intoxicating, indulgent nose wrapped in sumptuous fruit (ripe raspberry) and rich floral compositions, as if stepping into the dining room of a royal palace. On the palate, striking savoriness, with a feminine freshness that lingers on the saline finish.

Always one of the benchmark wines of a vintage, and here showcasing the quality of Cabernet Sauvignon in 2023 (as well as the potential for varying yields, as they are down at 30 hl/ha here). Well balanced, with great inky depth, cassis, bilberry and damson fruits, it rises through the palate with tannic grip and plenty of grilled but carefully judged oak. A great Chevalier, not perhaps at the very top of recent vintages here, but one that will give huge amounts of pleasure, and captures the great classicism of the year. 35% new oak for ageing, Bernard family owners.

94-96. Barrel Sample. This is a dense wine with a solid structure combining with layers of black-currant fruits. It is a fine, rich wine. It is impressively textured and with juicy acidity. Smoky with great potential. Organic.

This is well-built, capturing generous flavors of black currant and cherry compote that marry nicely with mesquite, licorice root and savory details, while steady, percolating energy ripples underneath it all. A long, tarry streak adds a ground wire through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2027 through 2040. 9,500 cases made.