Domaine de Chevalier 1995

Offers more on the nose than the palate, yet it's delicious. Gorgeous aromas of berries and stones. Medium- to full-bodied, with well-integrated tannins and a berry and earth aftertaste. Best after 1999.

Dried herbs and baked fruit – nicely ripe blackcurrants. Supple and agile, this has energy and focus. Lively acidity gives lift and bounce, while the tannins do well to support the frame. Feels a bit more balanced and harmonious than some, smooth. There’s a gentle ease of drinking, nothing too much or out of place, everything in harmony. It’s not a massive wine, with layers and depth, but there’s fruit-forwardness, lovely mineral terroir markers, balancing acidity, iodine and bloody aspects. Not super long, but graceful and super charming. I like this one.

Fresh, clean but light nose. Some hints of blue still. Rather simple. Clean and fresh with a good ripe core of fruit in the middle but distinctly unevolved. Sandy tannins on the finish. (JR)

Spicy, slightly exotic aromas of redcurrant, cherry, cedar, minerals, smoke and flowers. Firm and shapely but currently rather closed on the palate; not especially high in acidity but it comes across as a bit angular today, with the firm Cabernet tannins showing a slightly dry edge. I’d give this four or five years of cellaring.

Smoke, earth, cassis, cedar wood, tobacco, ash, and tar made up the interesting perfume. Medium-bodied, this soft, charming, mature wine finishes with sweet red and black fruits.

96: En primeur tasting (17/20): Deep purple, concentrated at the core. Gorgeous Amarena cherry bouquet, showing density and concentration, fine woods. Juicy, almost creamy palate, well-executed vinification style, healthy extract, balanced, good potential. Nevertheless, it does not keep up with the best Graves. 00: Now slowly gaining more fullness and showing fairly pronounced toast and coffee notes. On the palate, a floral Cabernet touch, medium body, well-supporting tannin-acid framework. In this configuration, it certainly needs a good five more years to reach optimal drinking maturity. (17/20). 15: Brightening wine-red, lovely maturity tones. Open nose, as usual (for a Domaine de Chevalier…) slightly lactic notes, a hint of mocha and a tiny nuance of slightly green Cabernet. On the palate, juicy and elegant, good balance and a wonderful drinking pleasure. Not a great Bordeaux – but somehow it is. Why? Because Bordeaux is also allowed to be fun.

Creamy, silky, delicate, and fresh bouquet; raspberry yogurt, green herbs, mint, noble woods. Silky, fine-boned palate with subtle aromatics, elegant structure, fragrant finish with sweet aftertones. 17/20 drink - 2024

Logo on the cork: The crown Not decanted. Medium, evolved color. Simple nose with Merlot notes. Soft, caressing, melting palate, pleasant without being deep. Slightly lively finish.