Domaine de Chevalier 2025

The cooler microclimate at this estate favours hot and dry weather, and this proved no exception in 2025. I tasted this wine no less than five times at different locations (négociant Joanne, CVGB, Pessac–Léognan group tasting, at the estate, too), always enjoying the exciting combination of freshness and white stone fruit fleshiness expressed in a suave palate texture with nuance and refinement, evoking Meursault–like depth and opulence. 'We picked later, including after the rains of late August, to get more breadth in the palate,' remarked owner Olivier Bernard. That – and a long finish. A great success!

The perfume bursts with honeysuckle, white flowers, white peaches, spice box, Meyer lemons, and Granny Smith apples. The palate pops with its layers of sweet, round, fresh, juicy citrus and white peaches that start off strong and keep on going with a shot of mineral essences on the backend of the finish that adds to the complexity. You can enjoy this in its youth or age it for more complexity. The wine blends 70% Sauvignon Blanc with 30% Semillon. 13.5% ABV. Drink from 2028-2045. 97-97 Pts

Straight from the first nose this is clearly one of the whites of the vintage. The most beautifully flinty and sculpted citrus and pear. Harvest August 25 to September 6. 33% new oak. In organic conversion. It's now been a decade of vineyard work to ensure that the white grapes are in the coolest part of the estate, and ageing takes place in a variety of differently sized barrels, with plenty of lees work that changes every year - so in 2024 they stirred through the December, this year only October because the richness was already there. In a word, they know what they are doing and you can rest easy.

The bouquet of Domaine de Chevalier stands out for its depth and its filigree character, which it reveals progressively. Notes of nectarine and mandarin peel mingle with aromas of aniseed and white flowers. The slightly creamy attack leads into a wine that is elegant, linear and precise. It shows subtle power and a fine harmony between energy and tension, though it still needs to gain in palate expression. Ageing will help!

Pale, bright colour. Intense nose with fresh fruit aromas. Delicate notes of lemon and orange. Supple on the attack, silky and smooth through the mid-palate while staying fresh; the wine develops into a juicy expression with refined orange and citrus flavours. A very fine, silky, lingering finish with remarkable drinkability. Superb! Blend: 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Sémillon. Alcohol: 13.5%.

A wonderful, complex, slightly smoky nose with white grapefruit, green apple and floral notes; a rounded, full-bodied attack, yet with great elegance, juicy fruit and very good acidity; the finish is of excellent length, with a salty, fruity finale. The usual high standard.