Domaine de Chevalier rouge - Pessac-Léognan 2009

Wine Advocate

94 / 100

par Neal Martin le 01/01/2013

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. The Domaine de Chevalier '09 has a very refined, very pure, almost understated nose that blossoms with aeration. There is wonderful delineation and precision here, although none of the dials are turned up to max. The palate is medium-bodied with succulent ripe, silky smooth tannins and a delightful citrus fresh finish. Superb. Tasted January 2013.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

93 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 31/07/2012

Bright, medium ruby-red. Nuanced, expressive nose combines dark cherry, redcurrant, mocha, graphite, cedar and hot bricks. Plush on entry, then sweet but firm in the middle, with a solid mineral spine giving shape to the fine-grained dark berry and cedar flavors. This wonderfully glossy wine boasts excellent structure on the subtly long back end, with its ripe cabernet sauvignon component much more apparent today than its merlot. 93(+?)points

Wine Advocate

95 / 100

par Robert Parker le 29/02/2012

In late 2011, I had the last bottle in my cellar of the 1970 Domaine de Chevalier. Much to my surprise, it was still holding on to life and remained gorgeously complex in that ethereal Graves style. The 2009, one of the finest Domaine de Chevaliers yet produced, reveals a striking bouquet of burning embers, sweet cherry, black and red currant fruit, spice box, cedar and lead pencil shavings. The tannins are sweet in this fleshy, full-bodied offering. It is built on the notion of extraordinary harmony, elegance and complexity. While not the most concentrated or flamboyant 2009, its intense aromas are already reasonably evolved and its lusciousness and balance are terrific. Made from an interesting blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, its yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare were slightly higher than many of its neighbors achieved. Drink it over the next 25 years.

Jamessuckling.com

97 / 100

par James Suckling le 15/02/2012

Aromas of blueberries and lemon rind. Full body, with soft and velvety tannins and bright fruity finish. Refined and beautiful. Layered wine. Pure fruit. Gravelley. Stoney. So classy and complex. Try in 2020.

Wine Spectator

93 / 100

par James Molesworth le 11/01/2012

Very rich, but sleek and pure, with beautiful mouthfeel and layers of enticing fig, steeped blackberry and warm currant confiture nicely stitched with black tea and mesquite. The long finish has a tarry underlay, but stays polished. Approachable for its mouthfeel, but has the balance to age nicely. Drink now through 2035.-J.M

Le Figaro

94-96 / 100

par Bernard Burtschy le 30/06/2010

En bouche, de la classe, superbement extrait, raffiné. Souple et suave, un milieu de bouche superbe, finement extrait avec des tannins très fins, belle longueur, la finale manque encore un peu de peps.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

91-94 / 100

par Ian D'Agata le 30/06/2010

Inky purple. Fresh, clean, rather delicate aromas of blackcurrant, violet, damp moss, leather and minerals are sweetened by a red cherry note. Smooth and soft, with very ripe strawberry syrup and blackberry flavors. Offers a fleshy quality that's supported by the stoniness typical of Chevalier. Nicely balanced, minerally and long, leaving behind a note of gunflint. I would not be at all surprised if this evolves in bottle to merit a score at the high end of my projected range.

Wein Wisser

18 / 20

par René Gabriel le 28/06/2010

Sattes Purpur-Granat. Verführerisches Maulbeerbouquet, ein Hauch Kokos, Vanille und reife Kirschen, im Ansatz noch zarte Hefenoten. Seidener Gaumen, delikate Balance, eine schöne, von den feinen Gerbstoffen ausstrahlende Süsse, im Finale wieder Kirschen und etwas Brombeeren. Wie immer auf hohem Niveau bei viel Finessen. 2016-2028.

La Revue du Vin de France

17,5-18,5 / 20

le 31/05/2010

Le domaine de Chevalier n'est jamais trop démonstratif en primeur. Fort heureusement! Le 2009 (60% cabernet sauvignon, 32% merlot et 8% petit verdot) ne déroge pas à cette règle, tout en préfigurant une bouteille de très grande lignée. Supérieur au 2008, qui se confirme pourtant comme l'un des canons de l'appellation.

Le Point

18,5 / 20

par Jacques Dupont le 06/05/2010

Epices douces, sucrosité, bouche ronde, onctueuse en attaque, pas mal d'amer ensuite, tendu, tanins très fins, du gras, de la finesse, délicat, complexe, long. Un peu austère au départ, s'ouvre à l'aération: très prometteur.. O=2016 G=25 ans

TAST

18 / 20

par Bettane & Desseauve le 30/04/2010

Très belle robe bleu noir, splendide maturité du raisin, un des rouges les plus suaves et les plus complets jamais produits par ce cru célèbre, grande longueur et parfaite fidélité à l’esprit de l’appellation.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

par Neal Martin le 30/04/2010

Tasted at the chateau. Dark garnet hue. The nose awakes slowly, imbued with a sense of control instead of the some of the more vivacious, immediate bouquets. There is very fine minerality and delineation, dark cherry fruit, Doris plum, just a hint of briary with a very faint hint of truffle. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, very fresh, not as much weight as some of the other Pessac/Graves, light on its feet, very feminine, wonderful definition on the finish. This looks like it will turn out to be a very pretty Domaine de Chevalier Rouge. Tasted April 2010.

Falstaff

91-93 / 100

par Peter Moser le 30/04/2010

Frische Brombeeren, Edelholz, feine ätherische Nuancen, zart nach Nougat und Minze. Elegant, frisch, wirkt fast zart, rotbeerige Nuancen, ausgewogen, ein finessenreicher Wein, extraktsüßer Nachhall, bleibt aber insgesamt recht schlank.

Wine Advocate

94-96 / 100

par Robert Parker le 28/04/2010

The finest wine I have tasted from this estate in my 30+ - year career, the 2009 (64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 6% Petit Verdot) from this hallowed vineyard in Leognan was cropped at 45 hectoliters per hectare and came in at 13% alcohol. It reveals an extraordinary, intense, pure, quintessential Domaine de Chevalier style, including silky tannin, dense plum, black currant, black cherry, floral, and graphite notes, terrific acidity, sweet tannin, and a fullbodied mouthfeel with no weight, but admirable precision and freshness. Consultant Stephane Derenoncourt has coaxed out all the elegance and complexity at this great site. A future legend in the making, this could be the best Domaine de Chevalier produced over the last half century. It should drink well for 35-40 years. (Tasted four times.) Drink 2010-2050. (94-96*) points

Periodic Review of Wine

92-94 / 100

par Alan Duran le 28/04/2010

After reaching new heights in 2008, Olivier Bernard has again produced a substantial Pessac! This wine is posed to exceed the rich 2008. It boasts a dense ruby/purple color followed by roaring fragrances of crushed-chalk, charcoal, crème de cassis, blueberry, and sumptuous blue flower spells. A Chevalier displaying wonderfully rounded-edges, a full-body and density. There is a compact, full-throttled mouth-feel, a lenght of blueberry and black cherry, and more purity than usual. It's another fabulous and scrumptious wine, and the quality gets better with each vintage. Maturuty period 2015-2027.

Anthony Rose

92-94 / 100

par Anthony Rose le 26/04/2010

Fine nose, very fresh, lovely bright, sweetly ripe juicy fresh loganberry and damsony fruit concentration, very well-crafted, fine touch of oak, subtle spicing, firm tannin structure and good bright acidity bringing excellent overall balance. Very good wine.

Wine Spectator

93-96 / 100

par James Suckling le 09/04/2010

Shows a super nose of crushed blueberry and blackberry, with hints of raspberry. Full-bodied, offering a fabulous core of fruit and ripe tannins that caress your palate for minutes. Love the chocolate and blueberry character. Wonderful texture.

Jancis Robinson

17,5 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 07/04/2010

Strong Cabernet aromas. Unusual! Well balanced and zesty. This seems what Pessac-Léognan should be. Very dry but not drying on the finish. Complete and full of minerality. (17.5+) Drink 2018-2030