A secret garden in the Graves
Deep, dark and brilliant color.
Intense and expressive nose of blackberries, blueberries and other complex notes of spices: pepper, fresh leather and menthol.
On the palate finesse is evident. This wine is rich, fleshy, fruity, concentrated with great tannins. Harmonious and full of delicatessen. Long finish and great energy showing the quality and the respect of the fruit. The terroir notes give freshness and complexity in the long finish.
Authentic and first class wine.
Many thanks to the Faculté d'Œnologie de Bordeaux. www.oenologie.u-bordeaux2.fr
The technical sheet and the vintage, described by Domaine de Chevalier
Dom de Chevalier 2011 Pessac-Léognan
Pure, lively cassis aroma. Real elegance in the structure here – refined, silky but definite tannins. Lots of dark fruit on the palate and a long finish. A touch cedary. (Julia Harding)
22 Jan 2015. Score : 17. 2018 - 2032
92-93
Very polished tannins to this refined and beautiful red with minerals and blackberries. Some wet earth too. Full and very integrated now.
Country France
Region Bordeaux
Vintage 2011
Date
April 1st, 2012
on BBR.com : "Breath taking". Tasting at the Château with Olivier Bernard is always one of the highlights of our week. He tells it like it is, every time. Also, the tasting is always fabulous. The estate is best known for its legendary white wine, but, for me, since the truly stunning 2005, his red is up there with some of the super seconds and I have bought at least a case every year since 2005. 2011 again is exceptional. It has a seamless balance between power and finesse. Cool and focussed with such fine tannins you hardly notice them. It’s the definition for me that makes it stand out. One of my top wines of the vintage.
(Simon Staples, Berrys’ Fine Wine Director) 17,5/20
Tasted : January 2014, Bordeaux, France
Maturity : Drink
A precocious wine that is filled with lively cedarbox, cassis and savoury herb notes. Beautifully balanced light bodied wine that will be ready to drink young but should keep well for at least 10 years. 92
65% Cabernet, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot.
The 2011 is a blend of two-thirds Cabernet and one-third Merlot but Olivier Bernard then mentioned that is includes 6% Petit Verdot. The nose is closed at first but it demonstrates fine precision with blackcurrant, boysenberry, limestone and graphite aromas, again, almost Pauillac like in profile. The palate is medium-bodied with chalky tannins on the entry, crisp acidity : a Domaine de Chevalier struck through with a citric like freshness. A little abrupt and "spiky" on the finish perhaps, but this is a fine, masculine, classic Domaine de Chevalier for mid-term drinking. Rating 90-92. Tasted April 2012.
Wine Journal
May 2012
Domaine de Chevalier Rouge 2011
This much respected property in Léognan is run with great care by Olivier Bernard whose family took it over from Claude Ricard in 1983. During the 1980s and 1990s there was a massive programme of replanting and it is only in the last few years, with the vines reaching maturity, that the quality here has returned to that of the great vintages of the 1960s and before. Without doubt, the best vintages of Chevalier are the most recent ones. Domaine de Chevalier performed an amazing treble at our annual Southwold blind tasting, winning the Graves flight in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Prices, however, have remained reasonable. Monsieur Bernard has recently engaged the talented winemaker Stéphane Derenoncourt (of La Mondotte, Canon la Gaffelière and Pavie Macquin fame) and the wine has benefited greatly from his input. Not only is Domaine de Chevalier the best value wine in Pessac-Léognan these days, it is now becoming one of the best of all. A property on the rise - one to watch. Approximately 60% Cabernet Sauvignon with the rest Merlot and a little Petit Verdot. There is good depth and concentration here with stoney, flinty, gravel notes. Great purity and perfect balance between fruit and tannin. Harmonious. Score 16 +
2011 Domaine de Chevalier
The nose, with its smoke, truffle, tobacco, blackberry, espresso roast and earthy complexities is right out front. Medium bodied, with fresh, plum and cherries in the end note, this soft wine is already easy to drink.
90 points - Tasted Feb 19, 2014
Robe opaque et profonde, fruits rouges intenses, corps profond et de belle sève, tannins serrés, vigueur, allonge et potentiel.
Note : 17.0
Apogée : de 2018 à 2030
Parmi les Grandes Réussites :
Domaine de Chevalier Rouge 16,5-17,5/20
La qualité du Rouge de Chevalier s’affirme d’année en année. Le vieillissement des vignes, la précision dans les vinifications, montrent que tous les détails comptent. 2011 possède un toucher de tanins exceptionnel. L’élégance aromatique, mêle expression minérale et fruité juste. Sans posséder le gabarit de 2010, il se distingue par son harmonie, son énergie. C’est l’un des meilleurs échantillons de rouges dégustés.
Domaine de Chevalier Rouge 2011
Red fruit expression on the nose. Palate opens softly and smoothly, even rather delicately, but turns tea-like tannic, with a light "but firm" finish. The overall feeling is of nuance, that needs time in barrel. Tasted also at a vertical at the estate on Monday, and it was very good. In fact, wine writer Stephen Brook and I both confused it for the 2010! Domaine de Chevalier Pessac Léognan 90-93
94
A spectacular effort, especially for this challenging vintage, Olivier Bernard’s 2011 Domaine de Chevalier boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet of subtle charcoal, graphite, black currants and black cherries. Rich and full-bodied with a multilayered mouthfeel and a long, complex, stunning finish, this is a profound example of a 2011 from a great terroir. Consume it over the next 20 years.
Drink : 2014 - 2034
Wine Advocate #212
Apr 2014
91-93 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge (Pessac-Léognan). This wine’s concentrated tannins match the sweet fruit and ripe acidity. It shows structure and density, with its blackberry flavor already showing well. "R.V.
Lors de la dégustation des vins blancs et rouges de l’appellation Pessac-Léognan, j’étais ivre de joie. Comment est-ce possible ? Je n’avais jamais savouré de ma vie un si bon vin rouge du Domaine de Chevalier, au cours d’une dégustation des primeurs.
2011. J’ai encore rarement vu une telle profondeur de couleur pour un échantillon d’un vin en cours d’élevage de ce domaine. La robe est d’un violet pourpre extrêmement dense.
Un bouquet compact et concentré, un goût frais de bois précieux, de pain noir, de cerises et de mûres. Son corps, plein et velouté montre déjà beaucoup de charme de par sa douce amertume et la grâce extrême de ses tannins offrant une finale de myrtilles et de cerises noires.
Olivier Bernard et Rémi Edange ont accompli ici un réel exploit. Il peut se mesurer à Haut-Brion et il sera intéressant de les comparer dans 10 et de nouveau dans 20 ans ! 19/20 2018-2045
Domaine de Chevalier Rouge 2011 : 19/20