DOMAINE de CHEVALIER Blanc 1976, 1975, 1967, 1966, 1964, 1962.
The place: Bonhams new restaurant (more about that later).
The wines: a vertical of Domaine de Chevalier.
Blanc – 1986, 1976, 1975, 1970, 1967, 1966, 1964 and 1962
Rouge – 1964, 1961, 1960, 1959, 1955, 1953, 1952, 1947, 1929
All the wines were generously donated by a private collector. This could easily have become a Bacchanalian celebration of labels, but instead this was a wine-lovers’ feast. Many in the group are loosely connected to the trade and passionate about sharing great bottles for the sheer enjoyment of drinking old wine.
I had been suffering from an unhealthy bout of food-poisoning and was still feeling slightly unwell, but nothing was going to stop me attending this tasting. Without doubt it was the most comprehensible tasting of Domaine de Chevalier that I will ever attend and the setting was all about enjoyment and learning rather than label drinking.
Olivier Bernard, owner of Domaine de Chevalier and president of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, joined us for the evening.
Olivier, who arrived at the Domaine in 1983, has a wonderful Burgundian-esque approach to life and this is reflected in his vision for his wines. Not only has he retained the word ‘Domaine’ rather than ‘Chateau’, but his personal cellar contains a large selection of non-Bordeaux. He lacks the slick marketing touch of many Bordelais. Direct and down-to earth, he happily acknowledges what he can do better and his enjoyment of wine is infectious.
Olivier describes the Graves as being divided in two: those near the river and those near the (pine) forest.
Those near the forest, like Domaine de Chevalier, are on sandy soil deprived of nutrients and with high acid levels from the pine-trees. The forest also changes the temperature and even in the height of summer it is usually cold at night. This recipe of deprived soil, high acidity and diurnal differences makes it an unique terroir for white wine.
It can be more difficult for red wine. The combination of high acid and cool weather means that Olivier always risks harvesting late – already budbreak is 15 days ahead at Haut-Brion. The high acidity and poor soil are also responsible for producing tiny berries, with naturally intense flavours adding to complexity of flavor.
Bonhams has just opened a new restaurant on the aptly named ‘Haunch of Venison Yard’ (just behind Bond Street). The setting is very minimalist, but the food is outstanding and definitely worth a visit (open Mon-Friday breakfast and lunch). The chef Tom Kemble has arrived with experience at Hedone.
We tasted a vertical of the white: 1976, 1975, 1967, 1966, 1964 and 1962 followed by a starter of Cornish Crab with advocado, fennel, blood orange and dashi jelly accompanied by 1986 and 1970 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc (both en magnum). Then a break with a tasting of Domaine de Chevalier Rouge 1960, 1961, 1959, 1955, 1953, 1952, 1929 followed by a main course of roast squab pigeon with crapaudine beetroot, baby turnip, picked cherry and offal sauce accompanied by 1964 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge and a magnum of 1947.
The roast squab pigeon is among the best dishes that I have had in recent times and I would heartily recommend it.
Favourite whites: 1975, 1964 and 1986
Favourite Reds: 1960, 1959, 1952, 1947, 1929
Domaine de Chevalier Blanc Tasting…
1976 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC
The only wine in a green bottle (rest in brown glass). The nose showed oxidative notes and was very developed with notes of green samphire. On the palate there is a lift of something sweet on the front with noticeable tannins and a drying finish. Very developed and verging on the oxidative. The dark colour is due to the heat of the vintage.
1975 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC
A total contrast to 1975 and fresh as if bottled only a few weeks ago. There is a flowery lift on the nose with sweet rounded almond notes and fresh hay on the palate and a rush of energy on the mid-palate. Great freshness and great vigour. Wow.
1967 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC
A Berry Bros & Rudd label. Pale colour, good freshness. Sadly cork taint.
1966 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC
A slight dustiness on the nose with white pepper and white orchid notes. It opens in the glass with white blossom and a touch of parmesan cheese dipper in honey. Good freshness. A hint of taint.
1964 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC
An extra-ordinary white. On the nose there are note of hay and fresh grass, hints of soft brie. On the palate there is restraint and elegance with a subtle perfume of honeydew, lilies, almonds verging on the spice. Textural with a feathery weight.
1962 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC
Very developed. The darkest of all the wines (except 1976).
With starters…
1986 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC EN MAGNUM
Totally fresh, with spritely green notes and white almond aromas. It seems impossible that this is almost 30 years old. Gorgeous texture, exhilarating freshness giving spine and structure to the wine.
1970 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC EN MAGNUM
Darker than the 1986 with a smoky nutty nose. It has the freshness and energy of Domaine Chevalier, but feels a little clumsy compared to the 1986.
Domaine de Chevalier Rouge Tasting
1960 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE
A Grierson Oldham and Adams bottling, that I have never seen before. Pale ruby in the glass with an exceptional clarity This was made with pure Cabernet and was described by many as the Burgundy of the night. A Burgundian nose of undergrowth, heather, leather with dried herbs and a sweet texture. With old wine, people speak in bottles and this was an exceptional bottle of 1960.
1961 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE
A famous vintage as May frost reduced the crop naturally concentrating yields. Unlike many of the great vintages of the 20th century, this does not have the notes of a hot vintage. There is sweet fruit, with a fragility and lace-like texture and gorgeous duvet cosines.
1959 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE
The warmth of the vintage is abundantly noticeable on the nose with sweet ripe soft fruit notes and roasted figs. The colour was very pale, but the palate was intense and fleshy and kept evolving. Layers of savoury earthy, intertwined with bramle leaf, raspberry fruit and almost liquid liquorice. No rush to drink and possibly wine of the night considering how it keeps evolving.
1955 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE
A Barton & Guestier bottling. On the nose this was slightly oxidsed and a more distinct brown colour than the others. On the palate there was a surprising sweetness with notes of caramel and bouquet garni with only hints of the mushrooms so obvious on the nose. With silky tannins this showed more charm than the 1953.
1953 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE
Pale garnet, this was quite similar to the 1955 but with a more noticeable tannin structure. This continued to open in the glass and develop and though it picked up weight, the slightly drying tannins added a rusticity to the wine.
1952 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE
The surprise of the night! The cork had fallen into the bottle and my expectations may have been a little low. Fallen in love with this was wine a surprise. It was very pale with a browning at the rim but vibrancy to the colour. Layers of sweet fruit with a voluptuous texture and savoury richness, hints of tobacco with a velvety structure and huge intensity that just grows and grows. In Oliver Bernard’s words ‘a great bottle of 1952…it is all about the individual bottle….’
1929 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE
I confess to being a wine romantic and love the quote from Clifton Fadiman ‘To take wine into our mouths is to savor a droplet of the river of human history’. 1929 captures the heat of the vintage, but also captures history. A time between two great wars; it heralds the end of the roaring 20s and the time of the first banking collapse. In colour it is not dissimilar to 1959. On the nose wonderfully soft sweet notes, with savoury spice, tobacco and richness on the palate, framed by a chalky tannic structure that seem surprisingly firm for its age. A good bottle in a great vintage.
With main course…
(Did I mention the roast squab pigeon? It was amazing… I just wish I had had more appetite.)
1964 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE
Very closed on the nose with rich glycerol on the palate and a distinct cabernet mintiness. The Graves missed the heavy rain of the Medoc and this is a great vintage for late-pickers in Graves. It is a powerful, almost new world-like. The second bottle opened had a more open and perfumed nose and the palate was more playful, with medium intensity and firm tannins. A more complete bottle.
1947 DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE EN MAGNUM
A rarity to find this vintage, even rarer to find this in magnum. A real treat. Despite its age, this kept evolving over the two hours. It was sweet, powerful with a magnificent intensity. Notes of white spice, savoury spice, sous bois yet also fresh menthol, a core of raspberry fruit all were weaving in and out of the glass. There is a gorgeous indulgence to the texture, but with an underlying elegance and persistent length. As my neighbor at the table said ‘our language is not subtle enough to convey’.
Bordeaux, Millésime 2006 dans la Revue du Vin de France: "Chevalier, un Splendide Classique"
"Bordeaux l'art de bien vieillir, l'intégrale des 2006".
Au seuil de l'année 2016, l'équipe de la Revue du Vin de France (édition de Décembre 2015-Janvier 2016) a dégusté l'ensemble des grands crus bordelais, de ce très beau millésime, né dans l'ombre de son aîné, l'éblouissant 2005.
Les commentaires de Philippe Maurange:
"18,5/20 C’est incontestablement l’un des plus beaux vins de cette dégustation ! Moyennement noté lors des primeurs, jugé un peu souple il a grandement mûri lors des dix dernières années. Sous l’influence d’un élevage maîtrisé, le nez se montre complet avec des notes complexes d’âtre de cheminée. La bouche, ronde et savoureuse, regorge de saveurs fruitées et poivrées. Longueur et ampleur en finale. Un splendide classique au top du millésime. A garder." (Ph. Maurange)
"19/20 Comme en rouge, le blanc avait été sous-estimé (14-15/20) ! Si la robe est encore très claire, il conserve un style cristallin et pur. La bouche est splendide d’élégance et de finesse avec une intense expression florale d’une jeunesse éclatante. Le plus pur des 2006 dégustés, encore loin de son apogée. A garder." (Ph. Maurange)
Rédigé le 18 décembre 2015 dans MILLESIME 2006, COMMENTAIRES DE DEGUSTATION, LA PRESSE | Lien permanent | Commentaires (0)
| |