L’esprit de chevalier

It is thanks to the strong suitability of its terroir, and also to a very selective approach, that Domaine de Chevalier is recognised for its ability to produce great wines, even in lesser vintages. The drastic selection at harvest time can lead the vineyard teams to carry out up to five successive passes through the vines, depending on how ripening progresses.

Born in 1989, the second wine “l’Esprit de Chevalier”, is the concrete expression of this approach. During blending, it mainly includes the harvest from the young vines as well as cuvées that do not have quite the structure and precision of the First wine. A third wine further strengthens this selective approach.

As far as the reds are concerned, these cuvées must nevertheless be sufficiently complex, balanced, structured, and above all elegant and refined to live up to the Chevalier image. L’Esprit de Chevalier rouge is a charming wine that can generally be enjoyed earlier than the First wine. As for the dry white, selecting the barrels one by one makes it possible to produce a second wine that is rich, lively and complex, with very pure and specific aromas, which can be enjoyed in its youth. L’Esprit de Chevalier blanc has a fruity and lively character, which is also more open and thus easier to appreciate in its youth.

The latest vintages of L’Esprit de Chevalier show a remarkable step up in quality, due of course to the ageing of the vineyard, but also to constantly renewed and refined choices. A qualitative maturity that confirms the place of L’Esprit among the leading second wines of the appellation.