Despite a challenging growing season, the 2021 Domaine de Chevalier has emerged as a refined and quietly powerful red from Pessac-Léognan. Made from a classic Bordeaux blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, it offers elegant dark fruit layered with spice, forest floor, and a touch of graphite. The tannins are polished but firm, hinting at a wine that will evolve beautifully with time. It's a classy, restrained success that rewards patience.

Jamessuckling.com | JS 97
Published: Apr 4, 2024

This is very impressive for the vintage, with a vertical depth and structure of extremely polished tannins. It’s full and precise, with berries, dark chocolate, bark, iodine and walnuts throughout. Extremely well done. Best after 2027.

The Wine Advocate | RP 94+
Published: Feb 8, 2024
Drink: 2023-2040

The 2021 Domaine de Chevalier reveals a deep, complex bouquet with aromas of blackberries and blueberries mingled with spices, cigar wrapper and coniferous forest floor, followed by a medium to full-bodied, sweet and concentrated palate animated by bright acids and framed by fine, powdery tannins. It's an impressive effort that will reward a bit of bottle age. It's a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc.

Decanter | D 94
Published: Sep 22, 2023
Drink: 2026-2045

Blackcurrant, liquorice and dried herbs on the nose, some soft floral fragrance of rose petals too. The nuance isn't on the fruit. Smooth and supple, quite tannic, lean almost austere but the fruit is softly fleshy giving the width. Doesn't quite sustain the palate, loses some energy and density, though the tannins carry this through to a long finish. Quite calm and quiet right now, I like the texture, it's filling and certainly not light or too acidic. Good mouthfeel, the tannins on the prominent side right now, taking over the expression, but this feels well worked, pure with clarity and a sense of charm. Cool, crystalline blue fruit, edges of liquorice and stone. It's not the most persistent but made in keeping with the vintage and not trying too hard - this is a success. 5% Cabernet Franc completes the blend.
Closure: Cork
Body: Medium
Grapes: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon 10% Merlot 5% Petit Verdot

Jancisrobinson.com | JR 16.5
Published: Jan 28, 2025

Tasted blind. Dark crimson. Some spice and interest on the nose. Sweet start on the palate and the finish is much less severe and hard than on some of its peers. But it certainly needs time.

Domainedechevalier.com

Born from a complicated vintage, Whites and Reds are still very classy
This 2021 vintage at Domaine de Chevalier will go down in history for two climatically opposed reasons:
A chaotic climatic and viticultural season, severe frosts and heavy rains favoring mildew:
At the start of spring, 7 waves of frost hit the vineyard between April 3 and May 3 (6-8-12-13-17-19/April and May 3) with temperatures down to -5°C. The damage is significant, particularly in Sauternes and Graves. Then a deluge, 320mm of rain between May and
June (including 100mm on the flower in the 2nd decade of June…) and finally mildew on the grapes in July! (particularly noticeable on Merlot).
A real training for all of our vineyards, on the way (conversion) to organic farming!
An extraordinary end to the season, for the maturity and the harvest, under the great anticyclone, allowing two great successes, in White as in Red:
September, the month of whites, lenient and very positive, ensures and completes the maturity of Sauvignon Blancs and Sémillons.
They gain in power, in aromatic intensity, in finesse of flavors while keeping the freshness essential to their balance.
October, the month of the Reds, gratifies us with a huge anticyclone, fully sunny, windy, dry and cool. Such conditions prevent any hint of gray rot and ensure the best ripeness, especially for Cabernet Sauvignon, the King grape variety of our gravelly terroir.