2016 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France
OVERVIEW
The 2016 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, together with the 2015, are regarded as some of the very best wines of the decade from Pessac Leognan, second only to the wines of first growth Chateau Haut Brion and La Mission. Indeed, along with the wines of La Mission these are some of finest red wines of Bordeaux to appear outside the 1855 classification system.
This wine is bursting with rich, dark fruit including cassis and black plums, with loads of spice and a delicious mineral character. With a long and elegant finish, this vintage is the pinnacle of winemaking in the ever improving story of quality at Domaine de Chevalier.
CRITIC REVIEWS
Rich, round and beautiful, there really is distance between red and white this year. This has all the signature welcome and power of the very best vintages of Domaine de Chevalier, one of the 'clue' châteaux you should follow to track the quality of reds and whites in Bordeaux in any given vintage. Here you see that 2016 hits it out of the park with the reds. Rich damson, deep black cherry, slate, wet stones and curls of cold ash - this has beautiful complexity and texture. Stunning. 96 Points. Jane Anson
Aromas of blackberries, red and dark plums, cedar and gravel, as well as red flowers and brown-leaf tea. It offers a very sleek and powerful array of ripe dark fruit and a very plush, focused and elegant bed of fresh, fine and powerful tannins. Plenty of aging potential, this is still quite tight. A blend of 55 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 35 per cent merlot, five per cent cabernet franc and five per cent petit verdot. Try from 2024. 97 Points. James Suckling (April 2019)
The 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a classy affair on the nose: nothing ambitious or self-aggrandizing, just beautifully defined black fruit laced with pine needles and wilted irises. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, filigreed tannin, pitch-perfect acidity and a captivating sense of mineralité toward the persistent finish. This is an outstanding Domaine de Chevalier, possessing a surfeit of pedigree and breeding. Drink 2022-2055. 95 Points. Neal Martin (Jan 2019)
FOOD PAIRING INSPIRATION
It is said that with great wines, simple, high quality foods pair best. Entrecote Bordelaise would be a fine choice to pair with this wine but so would any red roast meat dish, veal or game.
VINTAGE AND WINEMAKING
The first half of 2016 was fairly wet but this replenishment of water in the soils was needed as from June to the end of September was dry, hot and sunny which helped with ripening. In mid September rains came again which helped freshen up the vines and from then until the end of October an Indian summer ensued ensuring full phenolic ripeness.
The grapes are hand-picked and sorted in the vineyard as well as before and after destemming. There are three vat-rooms, (stainless steel, tulip concrete and wooden vats), to optimise the plot selection, perfect the extraction and refining the “assemblage”. Barrel aging of between 16 - 20 months in 35% new oak, with bâtonnage every 4 months (stirring the lees with a stick)
PRODUCER NOTES
Domaine de Chevalier is located in Léognan, the Capital town of the Graves and has a long history despite only rising to real prominence in the last twenty years. The vineyards can be found on the famous vinous map of Pierre de Belleyme from 1783 but the turning point in terms of quality at the domaine came in 1983 when the estate was purchased by the Bernard Family.
Domaine de Chevalier is now run by Olivier Bernard whose meticulous attention to detail has driven the domaine into the top ranks of Bordeaux icon wines. The rouge Domaine de Chevalier, is one of the best reds in Bordeaux and the blanc, one of the best whites in the world.
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SERVICE AND STORAGE TIPS
The wine should be stored over the longer term at 16-18c. We recommend this wine be brought up to around 16c for service. This temperature more closely resembles cellar conditions and allows the wine to be lifted and have freshness. For such a young wine, if it were served today we would recommend a few hours in a young wine decanter.
DELIVERY INFORMATION
Delivery is free when you spend over £150. For orders under this amount then a £9.99 delivery charge will be applied.
We use a tracked DPD delivery service who provide text and email tracking updates.
Every bottle sold by CoolerSomm is subject to our quality guarantee. If a wine is corked or faulty, we will replace it.
2016 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Pessac-Leognan, Bordeaux, France
| Wine Card | |
| Wine Producer | Domaine de Chevalier |
| Wine Region | Bordeaux |
| Wine Classification | Pessac Leognan AOC |
| Wine Type | Red |
| Grape Variety |
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Vintage Quality | Extraordinary - Parker |
| Maturity | Drinking Today - Will Improve |
| Body | Mid-Full Bodied |
| Sweetness | Dry |
| Alcohol % | 13.5% |
| Bottle Type | Bordeaux 75cl |
| Serving Temperature | 16-18°C |
| Food Pairing | Beef, Game, Duck, Steak |
| Awards | 97 Points - James Suckling |
| 96 Points - Jane Anson | |
| 95 Points - Neal Martin | |
| 94 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown |
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