L'actualité du Domaine de Chevalier

Les Grues...

Le temps délicieux et estival se prolonge. Mais nous arrivons à la Toussaint qui est souvent la période charnière à laquelle nous basculons dans le véritable automne.
Ce que n'ignorent pas les grues, guidées par leur instinct, et la diminution du jour, elles filent vers le sud en survolant le vignoble : ce spectacle et ce chant sont toujours aussi émouvants...

TOP 100 des Dégustations 2014 de James Suckling: Chevalier Blanc 2011

TOP 100 WINES OF 2014,

Sur le site de James Suckling

N° 6 / Top 100 : Domaine de Chevalier 

TASTING NOTE

Score 99

A white that is dense and structured with amazing honey and dried-fruit character. Mango, pineapple and papaya. Chalky undertones from the soil. Full and chewy with a beautiful depth of fruit and intensity. So much going on here. Phenomenal depth of fruit. Why drink grand cru Burgundy? Better in 2017.

My colleague Nick Stock and I posted more than 10,000 tasting notes on JamesSuckling.com in the past year; with all the great wines among them, it was difficult to pick the best.

The Top 100 Wines of 2014 below are based primarily on ratings. I considered all wines that scored 96 points or more during the past 11 months, and that had at least 6,000 bottles in production. Finally, I ordered the wines according to what I thought were the most exciting: the ones with the wow factor.

 

I also considered as my Wine of the Year the glorious Château Guiraud 2011. This is clearly an amazing wine for the money, with bottles costing about US$70. And it shows all the depth, richness and structure one could possibly expect in a great sweet wine.

Then, of course, there was the pinot noir of Peter Michael Winery of California. Some people probably think that PM only makes great cabernets, but its pinots are equally compelling.

No. 6, Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, illustrates how great 2011 is for dry white Bordeaux, while No. 7, Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco, highlights the wonderful possibilities of the 2010 vintage for Barolo. The vintage made some harmonious nebbiolos that have excellent structure but remain balanced and refined, giving them drinkability.

And finally, at No. 10, Champagne Billecart-Salmon Extra Brut 2006 is one of the best 2006 champagnes yet released, with layers of character and bone-dry intensity.

 

Top 100 Wines of 2014 - Click for notes and scores.

1. Viña Cobos Malbec Perdriel Luján de Cuyo Cobos 2011

2. Penfolds Shiraz South Australia Grange Bin 95 2010

3. Masseto Toscana 2011

4. Château Guiraud Sauternes 2011

5. Peter Michael Winery Pinot Noir Fort Ross Seaview Sonoma County Le Caprice 2012

6. Domaine de Chevalier Blanc Pessac-Léognan 2011

7. Aldo Conterno Barolo Romirasco 2010

8. Felton Road Pinot Noir Central Otago Block 5 2010

9. Seña Valle de Aconcagua 2012

10. Champagne Billecart-Salmon Extra Brut 2006

Bordeaux 2012, the Usual Suspects, par Justerini & Brooks

 

La Master Class "Pessac-Léognan" au London Wine Experience a clôturé Samedi un long périple d'Anne et Olivier Bernard, qui les a menés de New York (pour le New York Wine Experience), à Londres en passant par Moscou avec l'Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux.

 

 

A l'issue de la dégustation de Londres, sur le blog du "Wine Merchant", Justerini & Brooks:

 

 

 

Friday, 24 October 2014

Bordeaux 2012: The Usual Suspects

Posted by Justerini & Brooks

 

The annual Bordeaux tasting at the Royal Opera House was rather less busy than normal, but those who did attend were in up-beat mood. Our friends from Aquitaine arrived fresh from an Indian summer that has lifted spirits and hopes for the 2014s. And it would appear that the worst of the ‘Bordeaux Bashing’ may be over. Clients are beginning to re-visit this once darling region and re-discover their love affair with Claret.

 

2012 was far from an ideal growing season and the harvest was particularly precarious. Initially we thought this favoured the early ripening Merlots from Pomerol and Pessac. The challenge on the left bank was to wait for maturity and risk dilution and rot or cut one’s losses and harvest before the rain. At the time of the primeur tastings our Chairman said that ‘terroir, technique and timing were all key to success in 2012’. How right he was.

On the evidence of Thursday’s tasting, it is the usual suspects who have risen to the top of the pile. Perennial successes such as Grand Puy Lacoste, Domaine de Chevalier, Malartic Lagraviere, Smith Haut Lafitte and the two Pichons have made beautiful wines with concentration, vitality and freshness. It is not a blockbuster vintage, that is for sure, however, there are wines that will give enormous drinking pleasure and are sensibly priced. Xavier Borie’s GPL and Olivier Bernard’s Domaine de Chevalier Rouge deserve special mention – these are both tremendous value.

At the time of release we were rather negative about Sauternes. We always try to be honest in our assessment and we discouraged clients from buying these wines. It is clearly not a good vintage for sweeties – the wines are at best simple and lack botrytis. When there are so many good Sauternes vintages to choose from, one can quite easily forget about the 2012s altogether.

Those pessimistic about the primeur system said at the time, ‘these are not wines to buy en primeur’, and they have largely been proved right. Many of the 2012s are still available at their opening prices (good news for consumers) – but given how well some of the reds tasted and their relative affordability, they may not be around at these prices for long…

 

- Tom Jenkins, Bordeaux Buyer

 

 

Fin des Vendanges de merlot

Domaine de Chevalier, 6 octobre 2014.

Ce matin, nous coupions les derniers merlots. Demain quelques jeunes vignes de cabernet sauvignon.