2015 Domaine de Chevalier

Community Tasting Notes

Community Tasting Notes (110) Avg Score: 93.6 points

  • Needs at least a couple of hours of decanting to open up the wine. Medium-bodied with nice depth. The berry flavors are quite prominent right now.

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  • Tasted over two days, alongside the same vintage Pontet-Canet.

    Purity of fruit, backed by expressive representation of place, define this seductive offering. It has softened considerably since release, and although it has retained its extraordinary suavity, it has shed its Burgundian characteristics. Distinctive fruitiness creates a strong impression of modernity. Yet the sense of place, balanced oak treatment, and imperceptible alcohol, mark this as Old School.

    Easy drinking now, particularly after decanting for two hours. If the softening continues apace, this might reach full maturity by 2035. This noted, at least equal chances that it will hold through 2045. 95-96.

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  • This drinking fine now. Very good.

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  • The nose opened up with several hours in the decanter. Getting some red fruit here, with raspberries, of course dark fruit as well, black currant and blackberry. Floral aromas and the oak while integrated is very expressive. A well balanced palate, medium plus acidity, dark berries, vanilla, medium plus tannins. Already enjoyable, but will certainly gain points with further aging. 93-94

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  • This struck me as extraordinarily complete, alive and vibrant. This producer so often needs more time to show, but this was already showing great. Very pretty and enticing. Tasted alongside a half bottle of the '19, which was certainly closed at first but also opened up.

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  • Delicate, subtle wine with a long aftertaste.

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  • An interesting and gratifying journey. Poured straight from freshly opened 375ml bottle. Very dark peerless and fresh colour and similarly promising nose. Initially tasted like a gooseberry and cherry jujube somewhat like a very fruity Pinot. Rapidly transformed into a dark fruited structured beauty. Very dense and powerful but always with a Bordeaux reminiscent taut frame and savoury complexity - never quite ‘hot’ or too full. Black currant and cassis, with almost at times burnt wood/tar, liquorice, savoury spice. My wife sensed a xmas cake array of fruit and spices. Tremendously gratifying. 95-96. Enjoyable now but still years in it.

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  • Very nice, and better with 2-hours of decanting.
    The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are medium. There is no sediment in the bottle. The body is medium. The wine finishes medium.

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  • Nice wine. Well made and somewhat open for business after a couple of hours in the decanter etc. Black and red fruits, tannins a little AWOL. Enjoyed it, but not blown away. Still 93-94 on this one. Not clear how it improves from here

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  • Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier rouge (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Perfumed black hued fruits, plenty of sweet spice, very slight alcohol prickle, pretty, there is still a little jubey underpin to the generous fruit. Juicy, fleshy, equally fruit generous on the palate, tannins are woody drying and saturated with fruit. Long, a tiny red fruit notes keeps things fresh. Lovely.

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  • Nice, but still way too young unless you’re big on Californian styles. Need to hold for few more years. If you do open, needs decanting. Sadly had to open for an impromptu dinner and every sip told me I had not treated this wine fairly by not decanting it.

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  • Tasted over two days, alongside the same vintage Giscours.

    Considerably more violets and purple fruit and berry-driven perfume, compared to the red fruited Margaux. It also features striking blackcurrant and scorched earth markers. Exceptional tension between two descriptors: Regal and Rustic.

    More of the same on the palate, at all phases. Seductive textures, weight, and balance. Highly appealing terroir markers and astounding persistence. Powerful structure, modest oak treatment, seamless alcohol. The whole package!

    All elements point to a medium plus maturation curve. Bottles should age gracefully for at least another decade. Likely to enter finest form after 2035. Strong QPR. 95-96.

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  • 2 Stunde decant. Nase ist vielversprechend: Reife Kirschen, reife Pflaumen, Tabak. Etwas staub und Trockenheit. Man spürt den sehr heissen Sommer förmlich in der Nase. Vorfreude steigt… Aber… Gaumen enttäuscht. Geschmack dreht in Dörrobst. Holz sehr (zu!) prägnant. Tannine sprechen für ein langes Lagerpotential: Spannung ist da, in welche Richtung sich die Primäraromen entwickeln. Aktuell ist dies viel zu überdreht. Way too much. Die schwarzroten Früchte sind nicht an dem Platz, wo sie sein sollten. Ich trinke nebenbei 2010 und 2014 DdC; welch komplette, relative Offenbarung. Dem 2015 fehlt aktuell Charakter, da er in der eigenen, kompottigen Frucht ertrinkt. Ich habe noch 14 Flaschen im Keller und bin gespannt bzw voll der Hoffnung, dass die Reifung noch Finesse zaubert, wie es die erste Nase eigentlich verspricht und ankündigt. Nächste Flasche in einem Jahr. Amen.

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  • Picked up @ Duclot’s L’Intendant en Bordeaux (fabulous store for anyone that hasn’t been). PNPd and was bursting with rich red fruit aromatics. Seamless across the palate save for an initially grippy finish but that smoothed out as well. Medium+ body. Nice concentration. Paired well on the hotel terrace with iberico ham, picholine olives, antipasti vegetables & baguette. This has the structure for some decent aging but so delicious now.

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  • (at Charleston - Baltimore) A glorious bottle. Ample fruit, tobacco and earth swim in a feminine frame that comes together after an hour or so in a decanter. A complete wine that is drinking beautifully right now yet holds promise for another 20+ years of evolution. How this shows big flavors and elegance at the same time is remarkable. Will be looking for some to add to the cellar. Love this. (96+)

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  • My first of a case. Decanted an hour. Was a wine longer on elegance and finesse than power or complexity. Very nice drinking already and I don’t see the need to hold off several years as others have expressed. Surprised frankly by the high scores which set my expectations too high Hoping this evolves favorably

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  • Medium ruby in glass. Medium plus intensity on the nose. Blackberry, mulberry, graphite, lead and tobacco. Medium plus acidity and high tannins. Medium plus finish. Hold for another 2-3 years. Decant at least 60-90 minutes if you decide to pull the cork today.

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  • This bottle was completely different than the previous, even though it was from same OWC.

    Initially showing barnyard brett and oaky vanilla, both blew off after decanting. Earthy savory nose with cedarwood, cigarbox and plum.

    Primary full bodied wine with milk chocolate, cedarwood, tart red fruit, slightly thin mid-palate and red cherries.

    Finish is complex, long with bright red fruit and smoothening tannins.

    I wonder if this bottle was very slightly corked.

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  • Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Jubey, blackcurrant, plum, a little cream, sweet spice, touches of black cherry, a little violet, the fruit gets more compote with time. Juicy with medium plus intensity acidity, black fruit compote goes hand in hand with talc textured tannic grip, a little cedar, joins the fruit on the long finish. Harmonious. very nice indeed.

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  • This baby just needs a few years….it’ll be fantastic. It’s an elegant number, certainly not a cali fruit atom bomb…I agree with one of comments below, “Bordeaux as it should be”.

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  • This needs a boatload of time and even then I’m a bit skeptical. This particular bottle was just a touch overripe and relatively speaking it lacked the absolute elegance of 2019, with (again relatively speaking) more coarse tannin and a fuller bodied mouthfeel. I think this will still make nice old bones but it has a leg in the older DDC camp in terms of its construction but I can’t get over that slightly cloying fruit. Plus it’s a little disjointed, with oak and tannin sticking out. This bottle was off the shelf at Wally’s so not the ideal storage to be fair. Score reflects how it drinks today.

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  • I still believe this will achieve a higher score. I had a small glass out of a coravin with an aerator. It seems to have lost its Cali character in terms of fatness. It still is not your traditional pre 2010 Bordeaux but again very nice, succulent, good red and black fruit, moderate tannins and mild acidity. I believe if I give it more air it will prove even better.

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  • Tasted blind. A very good showing. I had samples from this vintage which showed too ripe, not this one. Very precise nose and palate, with red and dark fruit, oak spices, forest elements. Medium bodied, fresh, classic palate. Bordeaux as it should be.

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  • Two and a half hour decant. Deep dark ruby color. Raspberry, sugar cookie dough, leather, unsweet plum, and jasmine. Smooth, dry, tart palate. Firm, satiny, medium intensity tannins on the longish finish.

    This was very enjoyable, but the tartness prevented a higher score.

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  • From an OWC 6-pack. Youthful deep garnet with just a touch of age on the rim. Nose is beautiful and complex with dark fruit, cassis, savory herbs, coffee, tobacco, touch of menthol, starting to show evolved notes with some dried kirsch and figs. Palate is full bodied with lift from decent acidity. It is somewhat fruit driven with cassis, slightly tart red fruit, but still clearly in Old World with earthy tones, lots of cedarwood, dark chocolate and coffee. Finishes long, complex with grippy tannins. Very good stuff, I do prefer the younger vintages slightly over this, but this is still probably at least a decade from hitting prime time as it only has very slight hints of secondary development.

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  • Dark ruby red. Superb classic Bordeaux nose that welcomes you to try. Dark red fruits and woodsy, mushrooms wafting in the glass. The palate says way to young yet, but a good balance and still very enjoyable to drink. Great lingering taste. Medium body. Reserved at pour but after 3 hours it starts to round out and shine. Let’s see after it sleeps for another year or 2. Will try again in 2024 if I can hold off that long

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  • Brooding. Ripe dark fruit and soft spices with an air of freshness. Wonderful definition of fruit, structure and smooth tannins. Slightly closed on the nose, but an incredible palate. I can't wait to see how this develops over the next 20 years.

    Deep ruby colour.

    Pronounced aromas of ripe blackberry, spiced black plums, blackberries, black currant, bramble, dried violet, mushroom, allspice, cloves, vanilla, cedar, tobacco and espresso.

    Pronounced palate.

    Full body, medium (+) acidity, high tannin, long finish.

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  • Pessac-Leognan - Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
    Deep, intense, luscious.
    Deep ruby. Med+ intensity. Black cherry and plum. Cassis. Ripe. Mint. Wood, cedar, dark chocolate. Vanilla. Med+ acidity, high tannin, ripe. 13,5% abv. Not much complexity, (in the face) banal. Disappointing.

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  • Lustrous ruby. Nose of cassis, red cherry, creamy vanilla, a touch of smoke. The fruit is big and bold, and very much in the forefront. Elegant tannins and a long finish. There is a certain lifted quality in the way the wine dances across the palate. Outstanding wine. Compared to some of the other classified growths, this should be a considered a good value given the high quality.

    This is a pleasure to drink now, which is surprising for such a young wine from a big vintage like 2015. Once some of the tertiary notes start to emerge, this will be firing on all cylinders to reach new heights - and has the fruit and structure to continue that way for 20 years or more. If you can hold off drinking this for another 5-10 years, your patience will be rewarded.

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  • Dark garnet with a purplish tint.

    N: funk, violets, dark berries, powdery perfume, slight savory note.

    P: The wine is instantly opulent, intoxicating and seductive on the palate; extremely hedonistic. It welcomes you first with dark cherries; then confectionary sugar; as a result there is a toffee / caramel-like texture. The nose translates well onto the palate with tons of red cherries and dark berry fruits. The wine is full bodied, very well balanced acidity and firm tannic structure; tannins are present but reasonably soft and not at all drying; tannic structure shows that clearly it could do with more age but is approachable with a long decant. Earthiness and minerality that is typical of Graves; minerality. High alcohol.

    Finish: a mini- explosion of sweet dark fruit on the long finish.

    I suggest decanting for 2 hours. It retained itself even on day 3. This clearly needs 5+ years but it’s very very good now.

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  • Opened my first bottle for fun, and that it was. But I'll def wait a lil while before opening the next one.

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  • Had family over while I drank this one so didn't focus on it too much but nose is punchy and palate is full of red and purple fruit. Found it flinty, a little tarry and mineral as well. Quite nice!

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  • Aromatics burst out of the bottle as soon as it was popped. Didn't need much decanting to get going but really hit its stride after 90 mins or so. The depth of fruit is outstanding, dark, rich bramble fruits with a pure mineral core and framed beautifully by silky smooth tannins. Might be a tad bit hedonistic for some but that's being very picky as it's so well balanced. There's so much evolution to come but, yeah, it's damn good already.

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  • Really nice bottle. Purity of fruit, balance, complexity, and a nice finish. The lift, finish, and silky tannin structure seem a bit off however compared to its 2017 vintage which I had a few months ago. Not quite sure what to make of this, but thinking the 2017 is just slightly superior in bottle. Will have to try both again. (w-Katie and Tim 5-6-22).

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  • Definitely an elegant wine, but it went over my head. It was a bit bullied by all the younger wines on the table. I need to revisit.

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  • A treat for sure. Bold but well balanced. Ruby color with Black fruits and spice on the nose little oak. On the palate black currant, black cherry and a nice mineral finish. Was even better second day.

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  • Really really good and showing what its got. Lots of subdued power, fine tannins and a generous amount of acidity. Drink now till 2040+

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  • Today my Goleta friend and I had this wine again (great aroma and taste). He had the wine first and eventually said he would give it 98+ points. I soon agreed with his score.

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  • Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier; 2/23/2022-3/6/2022 (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Ripe (but not concentrated or overripe) pretty red and black cherry and berry, a little blackcurrant, sweet spice, cream, polished oak. Very pretty nose. Wow, balanced, elegant, a melange of bright red and black fruit, tannins are silky textured but persistent, all travel long, primary, stunningly good.

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  • Some time ago I gave this wine 96 points. It had improved a bit by today (great aroma, delicious smooth taste) and I gave it 97 points. The next day a friend from Goleta tasted it and gave it 98 points. I was not surprised to find that I agreed with him.

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  • Tasted over three days, alongside the same vintage La Tour-Martillac.

    The descriptor that most fits this wine? Luxury! As an example, it features notably higher substance and quality, including structure, than the same vintage Lafite Rothschild, which comes off goopy in comparison. I kid you not! This DdC, encapsulates the meaning of: 'iron fist in a velvet glove'.

    Make no mistake, this is no blockbuster. The modern, heavy Lafite better matches that description. This wine features Grand Cru Burgundy-like suavity, with Bordeaux markers. Impressions of velvet, velour, and silk throughout. Then the medium plus to high acid kicks in, followed by gripping, powdery tannins.

    Tasting this alongside the traditionally styled La Tour-Martillac, accentuated this wine's elegant sophistication. In every measure, even though my preference runs toward the earth and mineral-driven LT-M, this wine is a cut above.

    Richer and more opulent than my last experience with this wine, yet no less appealing. I do not know if this will enjoy the same maturation curve as other vintages, 2010, for example, but at least another decade of evolution seems likely. I see no reason why this should not hold form through 2045. Striking QPR! 96-97...98?

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  • During a Bordeaux blind tasting session. This was very hot and rich, people were guessing right bank or Napa. Very strange showing for a wine that is usually classic and to my liking. Hmm, in a strange phase? Rating withheld. NR

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  • $80+ Blind Tasting Old World (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): Dark core with thin garnet maroon rim; dark fruit, lots of oak, bacon fat, charred oak, very perfumed, almost truffle, spice, high toned, hard to decipher but I went Right bank on limestone.

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  • Raspberry, strawberry, leather; firm, elegant, long; a little dull and clearly young but very well constructed and quite enjoyable even at present nonetheless

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  • Very fresh and juicy--almost glossy--but with enough graphite and tobacco, and sufficient structure to orient this toward Pessac. Super tasty with a long life ahead.

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  • When I tasted this wine in mid-2018 at a dining center, I said to my wife "this wine is of first growth quality" (admittedly low). Red and black fruit, good body. I think the 2016 is slightly better, but really like the 2015.

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  • Leognan below has it spot on. Was muted, expressionless, minimal fruit, lacking complexity, rather mediocre across the board. Had out at a restaurant with food, decanted for perhaps 45 mins, not ideal conditions. Certainly a young wine and perhaps closed down at the moment but underwhelming.

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  • Too young to rate. Obviously has the stuffing for future glory. 91-95p

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  • The wine looks garnet colored. The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has high acidity. Still too young, but with lots of potential. Am always disappointed opening a 5-year old Bordeaux Left Bank to determine whether to buy to cellar. Just way too young for the region. Liked it though.

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  • Rather disappointing for this noble wine. Was underwhelmed, compared with the 2012, which is a very good wine from a moderate vintage. Moderate alcohol (13.5%) is strongly noticeable. Fruitless, nose and palate more of a mediocre wine of the right bank (Saint-Émilion). Seems to have closed down. 90 points only out of respect for this great and traditional winery!

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  • Split, tasted over two days.

    Unpretentious luxury!

    The bottle sang from the outset, offering a knee-weakening bouquet of all things floral, ripe forest berries (red, blue, and purple), berry liqueurs (including creme de cassis), mint, menthol, dark chocolate ganache, light roast coffee beans, drying tobacco, and evocative terroir.

    Strikingly open-knit, and yet deeply substantive. Put differently, it tantalizes the senses now, and packs the substance to last for 30 years. Even more intriguing, the wine conveys seductively Queenly poise, perhaps shading burlesque.

    Burgundy-like elements run deep here, offering particular impressions of Corton. Indeed, quite magical!

    Technically: Juicy, expansively fleshy, featuring medium plus acid, ripe, medium to medium plus tannin, perfect oak treatment, and impeccable balance. Will it shut down? Who knows!? Drink or hold...through 2045. Off-the-chain QPR!

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  • Cracked one open out of curiosity. Quite approachable now: tannins not overwhelming. Medium bodied, fruit-oriented, peppery and an enticing mix of flavors and spices. Somehow, though, I was hoping for more. Perhaps with age? 93 at this point.

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  • Beatiful red color, beginning to mature.
    Nose velvety, fruity, with blackberrys, black tea, cedar wood, chocolate.
    Mouth, well balanced, medium body, medium tannins, quite long. Not too impressive, but still a very good wine!

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  • Tasted alongside the '14. This was more open and inviting, though was hoping for more. Red fruit profile. Showing ok already, though this can be a particularly long-lived Chateau.

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  • Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier rouge; 8/4/2020-8/12/2020 (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Pretty, soft berried and blackcurrant, sweet spice, a sense of roundness on the nose. With time biscuit, crunchy fruitiness, sweet spice and cedar join in a supporting role on the nose which proves to be rather charming. Everything that is so pleasing on the nose is present on the palate with grainy tannins in support. It's fleshy and juicy and utterly lovely. Balanced. Elegant. Long.

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  • No notes. Really enjoyed it. Good window for fruit but also will age nicely. A must decant to get to the secondary flavors.

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  • medium red color, coffee, approachable now in its youth, yet I will wait for more development, drink 2029-2043

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  • Decantered for 3 hours and then drunk over the following 3. Rich,dense, nice fruit (red berries), a little cola and coffee. Not overly tannic. Really quite approachable now
    Lovely drop 93-94

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  • Nose with opulent, dark fruit: cassis, boysenberries, blueberries. Some warmth. Also a bit too much oak: coffe, cola beans and vanilla. On the palate pretty much the same story: lots of fruit, a bit too much make-up, especially evident towards the end. However, there is obvious quality and fruit enough to go another decade or two. Give this at least 5 more years and I believe we have a winner. Score is for tonight, 2-4 points of upside.

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  • Polished in a “crystalline fruit” sort of way. Berry liqueur, mesquite and lavender on a very refined structure. Drank with a two hour decant and it was firing. Drink this now for pleasure, not in the name of science.

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  • On the initial pull, more on the red berry fruit spectrum, with red and black cherry, red currant, wild red raspberry, creme fraiche, and strawberry seed. Not long after some exposure to air and some swirling in the glass, purple plum, licorice, and some wet stone emerge to offer enticing deeper tonalities that bring the already exquisite and balanced delivery into an even more alluring profile overall. Medium-bodied, this version of Chevalier isn’t an uber-intense powerhouse but impresses more for its seamlessness and subtle complexity evolution as it maintains a slow burn of sophistication throughout consumption.

    Drinking well now, but will certainly benefit with 4+ years of bottle sleep. Try again in 2024. 95+ points.

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  • Coravin fun - Domaine de Chevalier rouge (My place, Kent Street): From Coravin. Polished oak, blackcurrant, brambles, jubey black fruits, a little coffee, touches of raspberry, vanilla, caramel. Juicy, rich, jubey, ripe fruit is bold, silky smooth tannins offer structure but also support. Lightly spiced. Beautifully balanced. Utterly approachable now but with the ability to age. Yum.

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  • Traditionalists, cover your eyes. This is not for you. It’s not full modern, with gobs of oak, and over the top richness, but damn it’s sexy wine. The fruit is ripe and suave, tannins present, but holding back, and the finish is long, and complex. Young Bordeaux is not supposed to be this inviting, while also being this balanced. Delicious.

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  • As I am normally not buying that much Bordeaux any more,
    change of style, too much alcohol, fruit concentration etc., but discovered this Chateau some time ago, like others from Pessac still more elegant than most of the rest of the pack, one retailer still has a case to sell, so I have to commit infanticide for a purchase decision, lots of oak hear on the nose, but some fine aromas too, blind would have thought about a good+ Pauillac, maybe, graphite, rich, but on the other hand savoury black cassis, plums, very finesse like flow on the midpalate, with one hour aeration great freshness, long very convincing finish tonight, long life ahead, will improve and needs more time, **(**-*****), top notch bottle and bottling, 93(++) potential,
    24 hours later very balanced showing without sharpe edges, all the air improving this bottle during this day, rich fruit on the nose, plums, black rich cassis, very good structure now, integrated oak treatment and buffered acid, still young, in my honest opinion still subdued,
    will be better in up to 10(+) years!

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  • Believe this will achieve 94+ but it needs to mature. It still drinks too much like a big Cali cab. Sorry, can't say more at dinner with frieds.

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  • -- popped and poured --
    -- tasted non-blind over 2 days --
    -- 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot --

    NOSE: oaky, with piercing dark red fruit aromas and floral tones; boysenberry; expressive; ripe & fruity; strong inky florals on Day 2, along with a hint of stony mineral.

    BODY: medium-full to full bodied; garnet-violet color of great depth.

    TASTE: fine tannins are smooth and slightly to moderately drying; medium-low to medium acidity; extremely tasty! this is big, but seemingly well-balanced; 13.5% abv. on the label, and it is well-hidden; a touch of caramel oak; chocolate-covered cherries; a touch pruney, but just a very little bit; "dark," but not muddy; no pencil shavings; no funk; dense, rich fruit, but not over-done; fine, slightly drying tannins persisted into Day 2; drinks well now, but clearly will benefit from extended cellaring; this is marvelous! gut impression score: 92 - 95

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  • Just ordered another 12 bottles, this is amazing wine.

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  • 94 points for now. Definitely needs some time to mature before it is ready to drink. I expect this to improve in bottle when mature and gain a few points.

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  • A lot of primary fruit, with lots of black cherry fruit, a good pinch of black pepper, some paprika and very subtle notes of cedar wood. Full-bodied, rather juicy with a dark core of sweet mulberry and cherry, as well as fine, somewhat sandy tannin. Fresh, medium-plus acidity. Long aftertaste. Quite accessible and a lot of fun right now. 93+

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  • Opened about one hour before drinking. Aereted while poured out in the glass. Color: very dark ruby-purple. Drunk with roasted pheasant. Nose: very nice with fruit and underbrush and a bit of mushroom. Taste: fresh, well defined red fruit (red berry and red cherry) and refined sweetness. Fine tannins, that were on the background and a kind of natural acidity. The 13,5% alcohol was a bit to prominent. At the third day a bit more open, with chocolate and a little bit of liquorice in the long finish. Medium bodied. Like other TN-writers mentioned: a bit Burgundian with its underbrush and well defined character, but the power and minerals still made it a Bordeaux for me. A very civilised, elegant and luxurious wine in the making, that makes me curious about its development. Probably 94+.

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  • Pretty darn good, very easy to drink at this age. Shows some youthful Cali traits that are backed with a dynamic backbone. I may get a few more and let them rest until 2025 forward. I think bottle age and some maturity will create an even deeper luxurious wine.

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  • Half bottle, tasted over several days, twice from Coravin, and for two days after pulling the cork.

    First, two different Coravin devices did not do this justice. Specifically, the Coravin pours showed the wine's rusticity but not much of its prettiness, the Burgundy-like essences in particular. Perhaps the wine needed to sit in the glass for an hour or more before tasting.

    The wine sang upon pulling the cork, showing its range and beauty, all of which improved as it breathed. Mixed red and purple fruits and berries, flower garden, muddled thick flower petals, rhubarb, botanical essences, typical Cabernet Sauvignon (pepper garden, gravel, graphite) and Merlot (red satin suavity) markers. The elegance, which borders on velvety weightlessness, is difficult to overstate. Medium plus acid and loess-like tannins dance across the palate. The last glass on the second day showed the best, a strong indication of the wine's youth. This might play in a blind flight of the highest quality Corton and Pommard offerings, especially while young. The wine's relative lightness, and astounding freshness allow it to pair with a broad range of fare. Pure seductive beauty. If I owned a case, I would taste one now, and one every three to four years, while holding three or four bottles for beyond 2038-2040. Off-the-chain QPR! 96-98.

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  • The 2015 Domaine de Chevalier is another extraordinary showing from this property in Pessac-Léognan. It is made from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. It opens to stunning aromatics of ripe blackberries and dark cherries which come together with graphite, sweet spices and hints of florals, all underlined by wet stone nuances. On the palate this demonstrates remarkable overall depth and concentration with a gorgeous layered texture and wonderful balance. Everything comes to an end beautifully, with dark fruits and minerals lingering effortlessly on the long, precise finish. A simply striking wine which will have a tremendous future ahead.

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  • Shows medium dark ruby color, with stone and fresh berry aromas. There's really big acid with lifted fruit, freshness is obvious, finishes clean with anise and mineral notes. Polished tannic grip. Not as much depth of fruit as I expected. Showed its best on the third and last day. I'm not as enamored with this wine as others on CT. Not feeling the magic. I'm scoring like the WS review. I thought this would be a step up from the '14.

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  • This is a gorgeous Pessac. Almost as classy as the Haut-Bailly, but very different in style. It opens with a big aromatic thwack of classic Pessac mesquite and tobacco, then the primary fruit takes over, the freshness of which is off the charts - this is what I'd imagine Bordeaux to taste like if someone gave it the semi-carbonic Lapierre Morgon treatment. Don't get me wrong, it's not glou-glou juicy, although it is very easy to drink. It's characterized by intensely fresh just-crushed berry fruit that practically transports you into standing knee-deep in the fermentation vat. I could close my eyes and easily imagine this as some kind of Burgundy on the basis of those berry fruit flavors, the refined tannins, and the general shape of it, which does have something very pinot noir-like about it albeit with ratcheted-up saturation of fruit. But the classic Domaine de Chevaliers have always had a feminine figure and this is very much in line with that, even if the super-clean, super-pure fruit expression gives it a modern flair.

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  • From 375. Surprisingly open even without a decant. Plummy and red fruited on the nose with a little wood spice. Plush and fat on the palate with ripe mostly red fruits. Quite fresh, fine acidity and tannin. Much less apparent tannin than typical of young Bordeaux. Finishes with impressive complexity and hint of flint. Seems quite seamless and polished. Modern in the sense that it is “clean” and polished, but not extraction or oak use. Quite good.

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  • Coravin fun - Ready to drink (Kennards, Waterloo): "From Coravin. Slightly mute blackcurrant, biscuit and plum…with time (and agitation) a little cassis starts peeking out. On the palate it's juicy, fleshy with medium plus intensity flavours of blackcurrant, cassis and plum compote with a dollop of buttery cream over softly textured and persistent tannins. Wow. This is lovely. Really quite wonderful. And, oddly, it rather puts me in mind of a Grand Cru Burgundy than a sturdy Left Bank Bordeaux. I know I'm meant to wait for Bordeaux to mature for a few more yeas but when it's as balanced as this why wait? This ones coming home with me tonight.

    Follow up - took it home, double decanted and consumed this with lamb chops. It was as lovely as it had been earlier."

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  • PnP and is immediately seductive on nose. This is medium-full bodied, rich and ripe but so pure and precise detailed with spice, red fruits, floral on a long finish with classic Graves minerals and freshness. This is clearly a step up to the 2014 vintage. Stellar!

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  • (From a tasting): Closed nose, structured, long finish, very classy and elegant however. Good value.

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  • Drueblenden er 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, og 5% Petit Verdot.

    Friskere stil med solbær, bjørnebær, plommekjøtt og blåbær på duft. Vinen har middels + fylde med noe varmere preg på frukten og ikke like konsentrert som en del andre. Men bærene er meget friske og har en mer rødbærs-stil med kirsebær, bringebær, noe cassis, sjokolade og lett røyk. Vinen trenger litt tid. 93 poeng. For nå.

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  • Opened 375mL without decanting. Blueberry nose. Smoky, earthy, spicy dark fruit. Little bit of graphite at the end. Pleasurable to drink. 94+

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  • From a half, tasted over four days. Absolutely mesmeric! Open-knit and seductive, from the floral, fruit blossom, herbal, sweet spice, light red berry liqueurs driven bouquet through the luxurious, inflection-changing, unclockable finish. Margaux-like in presentation, Saint-Estèphe like textures and structure (Cos d'Estournel in particular), ethereal in all regards. Truly seamless, strikingly layered, perfectly balanced, powerfully yet charmingly structured (iron fist in a velvet glove) and likely to improve. Every bit as enthralling on the fourth day as the first, probably more so. Along with the Pontet-Canet, the finest 2015 vintage Bordeaux that I have tasted, with no close third. This may not be as long lived (two plus decades) as the Pontet-Canet (three plus decades), but it shows prettier, and might remain so. 97-98.

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  • Tasted at Watson's Grand Bordeaux Tasting on 30 May 2018 (HK). This was one of the stand-out wines of the evening; top left bank red in my opinion (La Lagune was a close second).

    Voluptuous and caressing mouthfeel; red fruits, game, tobacco; superb balance. Rich. This wine exhibited a level of sophistication that other left-bank wines, however pretty, didn't show on this occasion. Superb.

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  • Generous fruit on the nose, spices, earthy notes, dark flowers, crushed stones, oak. Very complex and layered already. On the palate round and well concentrated, very vibrant, superbly balanced, slightly spicy with grippy but well-integrated tannins. Lovely length to the finish. Excellent. 94-95+

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  • A very good showing from Domaine de Chevalier that rivals Haut Bailly but on a different level: more immediately smoky already, with tobacco leaf and a more evidently sumptuous feel. I give the edge to Haut Bailly just because it seems more refined overall, but this is a close call.

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  • Bordeaux 2015 in bottle (Zurich Arvi / Singapore UGCB): Burgundy in Bordeaux. What a pleasure to taste this subtle, sophisticated wine with deep aromas of red and dark fruit, bred crums, game, forest floor. Impeccable balance, sophisticated mouth feel. 95+

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  • At a larger merchant tasting, only quick tasting notes taken. Super classic, elegant, complex, structured but silky, I always love this wine. (95-96)

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  • This beautiful wine is elegant, fresh, refined and shows the vibrancy in the earthy, red berries with ease. The tannins are silky. The nose, with its smoke, pipe tobacco and earthy accents on top of the deep red fruits makes its presence known with ease. This is a contender for one of the best wines ever produced here.

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  • Oaky, red berry fruit on the nose. Supple palate.

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  • Medium nose of ripe green pepers, red berries, red cherries, hint of vanilla… Super delicious, silky tannin, delicious sappy ripe red cherries, less concentrated than Carmes…

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  • Concur w/Mr. Auerbach's observations. A gorgeous effort that is amazingly nimble and approachable right now. Consumed over two (2) days and retained significant lift after overnight decant. Brilliant now and should reward for decades.

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  • UGC Tasting Amsterdam 2/5/2018: Very fresh fruit, very juicy, some baby sweetness, terribly delicious and very balanced; maybe a tad more concentrated than SHL.

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  • Amsterdam UGCB Tasting and Winemakers' Dinner (Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky / Café De Klepel): Tasting, brief note. Creamy, supple, velvety, elegant and flowing, power without any toughness, excellent length, grande finesse.

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  • UGCB 2015 tasting (Amsterdam): Beautiful and perfumed bouquet, beautiful and luxurious oak and ripe dark fruit juice. This is a wine I should buy and follow over the years. It will be a great pleasure to do. 94 - 95+

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  • Graves and Pessac Leognan from bottle: 2015 vintage (UGCB tastings in New York and Washington DC): Gorgeous, expansive, juicy and opulent. A primary aspect that is expected. There is much red fruit on the mid palate, and the finish is very long. One of the top reds of Graves region to be sure.

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  • Union Des Grand Crus de Bordeaux Tasting of the 2015 Vintage, nose of red cherry, plum, and forest floor, same on the palate, big body, very tasty but subdued, needs 5 years to peak drinking window, always a favorite of mine every vintage and this did not disappoint, lots of soft tannins on the mid palate and during the long finish.

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  • UGC Bordeaux Tasting 2015 Vintage (City View, Metreon, San Francisco): Elegant red fruit, slightly smoky; palate is full bodied, high tannins, excellent balance. Quite good. 90

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  • Some Quick Takes from the 2015 UGC Bordeaux Tasting (Metreon, San Francisco): Floral, elegant, and herbal. Middle weight, nice acidity.

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  • Tasted at a large Pop n pour tasting through Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux. Always one of my favorites, especially for the price point. The 2015 did not disappoint -- one of the best of the evening. Already drinking well young, but will grow in complexity and have the flavors gel with time.

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  • Union des Grands Crus Boston: Undoubtedly lovely, the nose delights with a surprsingly-open panoply of raspberry fruit, black pepper, cedar, smoke, and mineral. Great balance and finishes well with plenty of material, so although I don't have any worries about its ability to age I also think it will drink very well young. 94-95

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  • UGCB Boston (Boston Harbor Hotel): Gorgeous red fruited wine with expressive brick, mineral, cedar, vanilla and cherry skin notes. Quite lifted in the mouth, and showing classic pessac notes already. Lots of promise.

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  • Medium ruby in colour; medium nose of cassis and cherries; pfn with addition of baking spices, vanilla and cocoa; medium plus mouthfeel; medium plus finish with hint of tar; maintains a lovely freshness

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  • 2015 Vintage UGC Bordeaux Tasting (Fairmont Hotel, DC): Not a huge fan. Heavy on the pepper and earth and not enough of a fruit core. This was first red after trying a few of the whites so maybe that had some impact. Again I'm a far outlier here.

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  • Decanter staff

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  • A beauty, with all the smoky, cigar box, dark red fruits and spicy, earthy charm you need. Elegant, refined and classy, this is a contender for the top red wine ever from Domaine de Chevalier, although 2016 is going to give it a run for the money.

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  • Barrel sample at Lords. Good colour, butterscotch nose, a touch missing mid palate, soft tannins, very good length.

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  • Feeling Pessac-Léognan pizzaz, appreciating dry extract #bdx15: whites and reds (Bordeaux, actually tasted during en primeur week): As owner Olivier Bernard stressed, “we had the luxury of time to pick, a three-week period, in order to get optimal ripeness.” Aromatics include ripe red and black fruits. A soft attack leads to subtle opulence on the palate, with much grip, then tonicity in the long finish, which has a cool mint touch for lift. Barrel aging to "fill it out" and look for this top red from Pessac-Léognan in 2015. 92-95

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  • Cigar box, smoke, chocolate covered plums, earth and freshly rolled cigars on the nose, this wine is fleshy, ripe and rich with a good depth of flavor and length in the finish. Produced from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot and reaching 13.5% alcohol, the wine represents 50% of the harvest, which took place from September 26 to October 16. The wine is being aged in 33% new French, oak barrels. 94 - 96 Pts

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  • Tasted @ large primeur tasting. Super classic Péssac-Léognan notes of black currant/cassis, cigar, tobacco, lead pencil, graphite, plenty of dark berries. It's medium-full bodied, elegant and fresh with medium-high acidity and medium-high tannin that is great quality. Very good length. An excellent Domaine de Chevalier... what is new? (93-95)

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  • fresh juice just after alcoholic fermentation

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