Domaine de Chevalier rouge - Pessac-Léognan 2006

Wine Advocate

90 / 100

par Neal Martin le 31/05/2016

Tasted at Bordeaux Index's annual 10-Year On tasting in London.The 2006 Domaine de Chevalier has smudged red plum, bergamot and stewed black tea scents on the nose - quite fragrant if just missing some delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with taut, quite firm tannin. Dark and broody, this is a surprisingly introspective Domaine de Chevalier with a grippy, quite assertive finish. This is a satisfying wine from Olivier Bernard, though at the moment you get the feeling that somebody has said something to this 2006 that has put it into a bad mood. I find there is more finesse on other recent vintage,s but you never know with Domaine de Chevalier because at any given moment it can blossom. Tasted January 2016.

Jancis Robinson

17 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 27/01/2010

Slightly volatile. A bit sweaty and loose. Second bottle much fresher. Very lively and energetic in fact. Drink 2014-2020

Wine Spectator

91 / 100

le 31/03/2009

There's attractive blackberry and light vanilla, with a hint of licorice. Full-bodied, with a caressing texture, very pretty fruit and notes of chocolate and licorice. Best from 2014 through 2018.

Wine Advocate

91 / 100

par Neal Martin le 03/02/2009

The 2006 is very closed on the nose, showing just a little under-ripeness and grassiness that may dissipate with bottle age. It is quite understated on the entry, supple tannins, lacking a little definition at the moment with chewy, blackberry and cedar fruit on the finish. It is very primal and surly, not playing ball at the moment but there potential is there and just needs time to unlock it. Drink 2016-2025 Tasted September 2008.

Wine Advocate

92 / 100

par Robert Parker le 01/02/2009

The brilliant St.-Emilion-based consultant, Stephane Derenoncourt, is working his magic at this great vineyard in Leognan. The 2006, a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, is a revelation of sweet, lush, black raspberry and black currant fruit intermixed with subtle notes of scorched earth and barbecue spices. Round, luscious, sexy, and exceptionally complex, the wine is dominated by that smoky minerality that comes from this area. It is the quintessentially elegant yet substantial Pessac-Leognan with class, complexity, and potential. Despite wanting to drink most of the bottle when I was tasting it, I know it will be even better with 2-4 years of bottle age, and should keep for two decades.

Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

89-90 / 100

par Stephen Tanzer le 30/06/2008

Red-ruby. Cherry, coffee and menthol on the nose, with a slight cabernet leafiness. Tightly wound and firm; more classic but less sweet than the young 2007, with a peppery element and more obvious tannic spine showing today-or is there simply less buffering fruit? Vibrant and intense wine but a bit ungiving today.

La Revue du Vin de France

15,5-16,5 / 20

le 05/07/2007

Il se montre tendre et souple,avec un fruit agréable. Vinifié sur l'élégance, il n'est pas très impressionnant en terme de puissance, mais compense par sa délicatesse de tanins.

Decanter Magazine

17.50 / 20

le 26/06/2007

Dak purple red. Mineral, cherry-scented. Fresh, understated and stylish. Mineral-charged flavour and good ripeness. Elegant, savoury wine. Very good. 2015-27

Le Point

16 / 20

par Jacques Dupont le 24/05/2007

Fermé. Après une vigoureuse aération, le nez prend de l'ampleur, bouche plus douce tanins serrés, vin qui a besoin de prendre du gras et de la chair, finale poivrée.

Falstaff

89-91 / 100

le 24/05/2007

Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, fast schwarzer Kern, violette Reflexe, in der Nase einladendes reifes Zwetschkenkonfit, zart nach Nougat, reife Frucht, feine Holzwürze. Am Gaumen stoffig, frisch, gute Rasse, balanciert, feste Tannine, extraktsüße Frucht, bleibt gut haften, feine Kirschenfrucht im Rückgeschmack, Schokoladefinish, gutes Reifepotenzial.

Wein Wisser

18 / 20

par René Gabriel le 07/05/2007

2012-2028. Mitteldunkles Rubin-Granat. Elegantes, fein fruchtiges Bouquet, Waldhimbeeren, Rosenblätter, Kokosnoten, zartes Vanille dahinter, direkt und fein ausgelegt. Saftiger Gaumen, berauschende Süsse in den Tanninen, die sich fett und geschmeidig zeigen, sich schon wunderschön mit der Säure ausbalancierend, lang und mit viel Eleganz. Tun sich gewisse hoch dotierte Weingüter in diesem Jahrgang mit den Finessen etwas schwer, ist der Domaine de Chevalier eine absolute Delikatesse.

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

par Robert Parker le 03/05/2007

Major progress is being made at Domaine de Chevalier as the wines are revealing less overt oak as well as better integration of all the wines’ structural components. The 2006 possesses a savory, subtle nose of lead pencil shavings, sweet black cherries, currants, and earth. Pure, medium-bodied, and elegant with supple tannin, and substantial flavor interest and length, it should drink beautifully in 3-4 years, and last for 15-20.

Wine Advocate

91-93 / 100

par Neal Martin le 01/05/2007

Tasted at a negotiant. Lucid ruby/purple hue. An intriguing nose, a lot of new oak at the moment. Perhaps lacking some delineation and vigour: tight and a little sullen. The palate is full-bodied, quite tannic but balanced with good fruit concentration. Blackberry, cassis, black olives. Rather linear at this stage, but there is an attractive grainy, Morello and crushed violet tinged finish. Needs time to show its true potential.

TAST

17,5 / 20

le 30/04/2007

Grande réussite, vin associant une grande énergie de constitution à une subtilité aromatique remarquable, dans la très grande tradition du cru (particulièrement dans les années 40 et 50).

Vinum

16 / 20

le 30/04/2007

Verführerisch, elegant, raffiniert, liebenswürdig, dicht, geschmeidiges, nur im Ausklang etwas harsches Tannin: Leider wird dieser positive Eindruck beeinträchtigt durch das brennende, alkoholische Finale. Illustriert sehr gut die Probleme des Jahres. 2012 bis 2016

Jancis Robinson

17 / 20

par Jancis Robinson le 17/04/2007

Sweet oaky notes weigh the nose of this wine down. A little angular but very fresh. Definitely not a heavyweight but sweet and racy and quite sinewy. Longer term than most red Graves but very dry tannins on the finish. Very angular for the moment - made ambitiously with no holds barred for the very long term. 17+

Wine Enthusiast

90-92 / 100

le 15/04/2007

A wine with good wood and ripe black currant flavors. It is dense, and the tannins are dry, but the fruit is bright, vibrant and fresh. —R.V.