Domaine de Chevalier 2001

Deep ruby/purple-colored with classic aromas of smoke, earth, black cherries, and crème de cassis, this elegant, layered 2001 possesses outstanding depth and richness as well as impeccable finesse, well-integrated wood, and a long, concentrated finish. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2016.

Silky and elegant red, with fine tannins and a fresh, fruity finish. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a mineral aftertaste. Already a beauty to taste. Best after 2007. 7,500 cases made.

Expressive and fragranced on the nose, ripe and cool red and black fruit with liquorice and tobacco. Round, forward, full and coursing, this is a mix of both ripe and sweet black fruit, a nice core of bright and lifted acidity – quite a rich, full style, still young, with lots of liquorice but sweet and sticky with dark chocolate. Feels amplified on 2000, bigger, more tannic, more bold, more fruit and acidity, but still clean, pure and lean. I like the styling a bit more of the 2001, and the delicious mineral terroir markers are more evident on the finish bringing you back to the estate. Still got a lot of life left. Feels more comfortable and balanced, maybe more serious, more constructed and bold. Confident but controlled. I like this a lot.

Totally open now with chocolate, berry and spice character. Full, soft and velvety. Coffee and chocolate with meat and berry notes. Decadent. Needs drinking now.

Lovely cedary nose. Dry and correct. Lots of evolution already but the track record suggests it will have a long life too. Mint fresh, very long. More evolved and definitely lighter than most. Classic claret. (JR)

Rapidly maturing, this medium-bodied wine of finesse offers a soft, tobacco, earth, smoke, truffle, black-raspberry-filled profile that should be consumed over the next decade or slightly sooner.

Deep, dense purple-ruby. Wonderfully complex, almost perfumed bouquet, delicate roasted notes, cherry tones, wild berries, violets, showing almost a Burgundian-like aromatic profile on the nose. Juicy, elegant palate, fine texture, almost silky, very well balanced, beautiful. A delicacy, easily underestimated in its youthful phase.

02: Saturated, dense purple-ruby. Wonderfully layered, almost perfumed bouquet with delicate roasted notes, cherries, wild berries and violets, showing an almost Burgundian aromatic profile on the nose. Juicy, elegant palate, fine texture, almost silky, very well balanced. A beautiful delicacy that one certainly underestimates at first. (17/20). 09: At a dinner at the estate. Still a bit firm in extract and showing an astringency that still demands time. So better to wait. I preferred the 2002 (a glass just before…). 11: And exactly the same situation again. Now the question is whether the 2001 is disappointing or the 2002 is above expectations. I would buy the Domaine de Chevalier 2002—if only for the price.

Closed, silky, floral bouquet, café au lait, cherries. Silky, well-balanced palate with fresh fruit, elegant structure, sweet aromatics, long, fine finish. 17/20 drink - 2024

A subtle wine, yet with remarkable length. It plays in a register of elegance, with velvety tannins and an extended finish. It is far from having said its last word.

Domaine de Chevalier 2001 is a superb, fleshy wine. It is long and refined, with beautiful raspberry aromas. It has great class with its superb finish.

Dark red color. Medium to good intensity. Purple. Clean nose. Medium intensity. Fruity. The attack is gentle. The wine develops as very, very fruity on a medium body, very well balanced without being very powerful. Nonetheless, behind a slender approach follow a lovely length and a refined tannic grain.