Domaine de Chevalier blanc - Pessac-Léognan 2020

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

byWilliam Kelleythe4/6/2023

Another terrific vintage for this wine, the 2020 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc unwinds in the glass with aromas of nectarine, pear, nutmeg, passionflower and hazelnuts. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and seamless, with racy acids and a bright, pure profile, it nips at the heels of the brilliant and somewhat racier, more refined 2019.

Wine Spectator

95 / 100

byJames Molesworththe3/31/2023

A very young, powerful, coiled-up white, with verbena, mirabelle plum, quinine, gooseberry gelée and fleur de sel notes weaving together. The long finish has a flash of bitter almond but keeps a nice nervy feel, with an underlying mineral hint. One to cellar a bit and let unwind. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Best from 2024 through 2029.

Jeb DUNNUCK

91 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/30/2023

Starting with the whites, the 2020 L'Esprit De Chevalier Blanc is all about finesse and elegance, offering medium-bodied aromas and flavors of citrus, honeyed minerality, and white flowers. Drink this vibrant, juicy, incredibly pure white over the coming 5-7 years.

The Wine Cellar Insider

96 / 100

byJeff Levethe3/22/2023

Ripe, lush, and opulent, the wine opens to a wealth of fragrances, flowers, spice, honey, vanilla, green apples, lemon rind, mango, and pink grapefruit aromatics are easy to find. On the palate the wine is silky, lush, and fresh, finishing with yellow citrus and creamy green apples. You can enjoy this beauty on release, but it has the ability to age as well. Drink from 2023-2036.

Vinous

95 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe2/24/2023

The 2020 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc marries power and tension so well. Lemon confit marzipan, chamomile, dried orchard fruit and crushed flowers all build effortlessly into the expansive, beautifully resonant finish. Above all else, the Blanc is a wine of savory/mineral complexity and structure. I wouldn't dream of touching a bottle anytime soon. Tasted two times.

Vinous

89 / 100

byNeal Martinthe2/15/2023

The 2020 L'Esprit de Chevalier Blanc has a taut, stony nose with orchard fruit, dewy meadow and light citrus peel aromas, quite linear and shrugging off the warmth of the summer. The palate is well-defined with a slightly honeyed note, the Sémillon more in the driving seat despite representing 40% of the blend. Fine tension on the finish with moderate length, this is a very capable Deuxième Vin.

La Revue du Vin de France

93-94 / 100

the6/7/2021

Riche mais subtil, le vin se développe par palier, passant d’un premier contact où il parle de froment et de miel à une expression plus florale et exotique où la générosité aromatique du sauvignon (70 %) s’exprime davantage. L’intensité de saveur et de matière est remarquable, portée par une tonicité rare dans le millésime. Un blanc aux multiples dimensions qui devrait encore se préciser au fil de l’élevage long de 18 mois. Un vin que l’on a envie de voir évoluer dans le temps.

Le Figaro

94-96 / 100

the6/2/2021

La salinité se fond dans l’onctuosité d’un fruit mûr en abondance, entre abricot, mangue, pêche et citron vert, le tout enrobé avec finesse dans une texture légèrement crémeuse. Belle tension en finale, longue, persistante, d’une grande fraîcheur, et une minéralité extraordinaire.

Vinous

94-96 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe6/1/2021

The 2020 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is fabulous. Bright and airy in the glass, the 2020 bristles with energy. Lemon confit, crushed rocks, mint and white pepper all pulse with tons of vibrancy. This finely-cut, chiseled white is going to need a number of years to be at its best, but it is so impressive and so full of potential. Bright saline notes punctuate the dazzling finish. Time in the glass brings out the wine's texture and layers. The Blanc is one of the world's great wines, hands down.

Vinous

91-93 / 100

byNeal Martinthe5/27/2021

The 2020 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc was cropped at 43hl/ha and will spend 18 months in barrel. It has a very composed bouquet of green apple, kiwi fruit, crushed rock and dried white flower aromas. There is nothing extravagant on the nose, but it is beautifully defined. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine bead of acidity, displaying light honeyed notes on the entry mixed with chamomile and almond and hints of marzipan. Very harmonious from start to finish, this is a refined and classy Domaine de Chevalier Blanc.

Decanter.com

95 / 100

byJane Ansonthe5/25/2021

An excellent white with precision, flesh and confidence, sure to age well. A ton of white pear and some soft pepper spice keeps up the pace and lift from beginning to end, and the intensity continues to build after the wine has left the palate - a sure sign of something special happening. A yield of 43hl/ha. Tasted twice. Unusual for me to score the red and white Chevalier at the same level, but both are extremely successful in this vintage.

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/20/2021

The 2020 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc bursts with notions of ripe yellow apples, juicy pears and lime blossoms, plus hints of blanched almonds, yuzu zest and wet pebbles. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers impactful apple and citrus flavors with a racy backbone and seductive oiliness to the texture, finishing long and minerally.

Anthocyanes

90-92 / 100

byYohan Castaingthe5/11/2021

Anis, un peu musc, très légèrement poire pour un nez boisé et élégant. La bouche est plus tendue que d'habitude, moins pleine avec une allonge finale et de la fraicheur. Plutôt droit.

Falstaff

94-96 / 100

the5/10/2021

Mittleres Goldgelb, Silberreflexe. Mit kandierten Orangenzesten unterlegte gelbe Tropenfrucht, frische Mango, reifer Pfirsich, ein Hauch von Verveine, Ingwer, weiße Blüten, mineralischer Touch. Saftig, komplex und elegant, feinfruchtige Textur, ein Hauch von Kräuterwürze und Minze, integrierte Säurestruktur, bereits sehr harmon- isch und lange anhaftend, sicheres Zukunftspotenzial.

My Bettane + Desseauve

94 / 100

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/7/2021

Jamessuckling.com

96-97 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/23/2021

A dense, creamy DC white with lots of rich cooked-apple, mineral, cream and praline character. It’s full and very layered with chewy intensity and a long, bitter-lemon and almost honey finish. Pretty phenolic tension, too.