Domaine de Chevalier 2000

Abundant notes of sandy, loamy soil, forest floor, black currants, cherries, and unsmoked high-class cigar tobacco jump from the glass of this complex, perfumed Pessac-Leognan. Medium-bodied and lighter than many 2000s, it has resolved all of its tannin, and appears to have reached full maturity. This wine has such superb balance that I suspect it will last another 8-10 years.

This has a slightly chunky core of black currant and fig paste flavors braced by frankly cedary tannins. There are ample tobacco and bay notes through the finish, but this feels a bit squared off overall. Might mellow a bit with a little more time, but probably more of a gamble at this point. -- Blind 2000 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2015). Drink now through 2020. 7,500 cases made.

Super perfumed and opulent, you can smell the richness and heat of the vintage on the nose. Everything is amplified in terms of florality, sun-kissed fruit ripeness, warm toasted spices, and flashes of heat/alcohol. Full and quite serious on the palate, this has intensity but also keeps quite a direct, focused frame; it’s not too fleshy or plush. It also retains a mineral undertone, and a cool sense of blueberries and flint. The nose doesn’t quite match the palate: this carries lots of playful, juicy aspects, but you know there is serious structure here, lots of polish and bold charm without being too rich or dense. I like the expression; it feels quite flashy and ripe, less terroir nuance, but still lots to like here.

This offers a complex nose of sweet tobacco and stones, with red fruits such as plums, as well as a smoky note on the nose. Full and juicy, with a tobacco and berry character that turns almost tea-like on the finish. This has medium tannins, and is just starting to come around. Drink now or hold.

Two decades of age have added a lot to this wine. Now, you find an elegant, earthy, medium-bodied, refined wine with the smell of a high-end cigar store lined with cedar shelves, along with fresh, ripe blackberry and plum aromas. With layers of soft-edged red fruits, smoke, and cigar wrapper notes on the palate, this is drinking beautifully today. I'd opt to drink it over the next decade for maximum pleasure.

Garnet red with a slightly lightening rim. Captivating bouquet, spicy and floral, with fine herbal and lovage notes, and an alluring red-fruit expression. On the palate, an even, transparent, elegant structure; not quite as complex and deep as usual, but with a salty extract on the mineral finish.

01: Barrel sample (18/20): delicate, dense nose perfume; cherry and rose aromas, wild raspberries, comes across dense yet in an elegant, wide-ranging style, noble oak tones, with coffee behind. On the palate also dense, fine and wrapped in melting tannins, light milk-chocolate notes, peach kernels, again lots of cherry in the long finish. Once again a Domaine de Chevalier that may be underestimated in its youth, then adds a notch every year and only after ten years shows what class it truly has. In any case, one of the best Chevalier of the modern era. 03: Dark purple-ruby, violet highlights. Warm bouquet laced with ripe red plums, an almost creamy nose. On the palate already surprisingly accessible, creamy, opulent tannins, roasted nut notes, café au lait, a concentrated, forceful yet finely detailed finish. Strongly resembles its own ’90! (18/20). 09: Drunk twice within 10 days. Once at the estate from regular bottles and then a magnum at Alice and Markus Müller’s in Goldau. Already giving quite a lot of pleasure. Not a bomber but an elegant, classically inclined Graves… 11: At a dinner with Olivier Bernard. Good foundations and showing initial maturity. Guaranteed enjoyment for 20 years. (18/20). 18: Brightening wine-red, only very few orange maturity reflections at the rim. The bouquet is red-berried, shows cherries and raspberries, complemented by a fine, almost caramelly sweetness. On the second approach it turns lactic and delicately salty. The palate seems rather light, nicely expansive. The tannins are settled and this great Léognan shows superb, harmonious balance, which would indicate further aging potential. (18/20). 19: Normally, great wines from a great vintage are very dark-berried. This Domaine de Chevalier is great and red-berried. Everything like raspberries, grenadine, red cherries. Still very fresh and beautifully Burgundian to drink.

Deep, silky, elegant, fresh, fragrant bouquet, strawberries, mocha, cedar. Silky, elegant, youthful, sweet palate with fine tannins, sweet fruit, powerful, full aromatics, very long, full finish. 18/20 2013 - 2030

A very delicate nose of red fruits, with a slight smoky note. The palate is supple, with good volume and fine tannins. A nicely distinguished, elegant and racy wine.

Such finesse and power in this wine. It seems to have a Burgundian profile, thanks to its finesse, freshness and overall slender character. A wine in great shape, without a single wrinkle… so it still has time ahead of it. And when you don’t have a single wrinkle at 23 years old (I’m talking about wine), chances are it will last.

Intense, developed color. Nose of ripe fruit and wet leather. Smooth palate, very fruity, tasty, and silky on the finish, with moderate power. Good length.