L'Esprit de Chevalier 2018

Packed with plum paste, cherry reduction, bramble and melted licorice notes that are enlivened by sanguine and iron hints through the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2022 through 2032. 8,333 cases made.

Attractively placed stone fruit character. Soft and appealing overall; easy-drinking.

This is an extremely polished and refined young wine with gorgeous blackberry, blackcurrant, licorice, dark-chocolate and bark character. It’s full-bodied with ever so fine tannins and a long, long finish. Fantastic second wine of Domaine de Chevalier. Try after 2026.

The 2018 Esprit de Chevalier has an attractive bouquet of brambly black fruit, melted tar and pencil box scents, unfolding gently with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with an earthy, bell-pepper-tinged opening. A little Loire-like in style, it is nicely balanced, displaying a touch of chalkiness on the finish. Drink over the next 5–7 years.

Smoky dark red berries with cigar box, herbs, forest leaf and currants create an impressive perfume. On the palate, the wine is soft, silky, polished, refined and leaves you with a juicy mouthful of fruit, dark cocoa, herbs and espresso beans. This is perfect for near-term drinking while waiting for the Grand Vin to develop.

Floral, silky, fresh, sweet bouquet; red berries, Himbeer-Tiki, mint, fresh herbs. Fine-boned, medium-bodied palate with sweet fruit, finely sandy tannins, a well-bourgeois structure, delicate aromatics, and a fresh finish. Can still improve. 16/20 drink - 2030

The second wine of Domaine de Chevalier, this shows all the richness of the vintage, with weighty tannins and a generous future. Blackberry fruits and a core that promises plenty of potential as the dryness softens contribute to what will be a richly structured, complex wine. Drink from 2026.