Domaine de Chevalier

Domaine de Chevalier is a highly-regarded wine estate in the Pessac-Léognan appellation of the Graves region just south of Bordeaux city. It was classified a Grand Cru Classé de Graves in 1959. The estate has around 45 hectares (110 acres) under vine on gravel and clay rich soils, with most of that dedicated to the red grape varieties. While Cabernet Sauvignon makes up the bulk of red plantings (64 percent), there is also Merlot (30 percent) as well as three percent Cabernet Franc and three percent Petit Verdot. Domaine de Chevalier is notable for having kept its 'domaine' title, which is more at home in Burgundy than it is in Bordeaux.

The core of fruit flavor here is sappy and dense, with lots of kirsch, raspberry pate de fruit and plum reduction notes, yet this stays fresh and racy overall, with a bright iron spine, flashes of tea and tobacco and a long finish that shows a wonderful infusion of alder and tobacco flavors. Offers a lovely combination of prodigious fruit details, with a tug of earth.