2018 Domaine de Chevalier rouge 1,5 l - Magnum - Pessac-Leognan Grand Cru Classe

Decanter.com - 96 pts - JA: *Lovely rich depth to the nose. This is a successful wine with balance, power and elegance. Subtle with a ton of complexity: blackberry and autumnal fruits, touches of hedgerow, slate, chocolate and crushed stone, with sweet raspberry purée as it opens up. Just a lovely wine that you would be very happy to own. One-third new oak. Maintained its success from en primeur.* - 11/2020

Falstaff Magazin – 95 pts – PM: *Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Randaufhellung. Feines Edelholz, tabakig unterlegte schwarze Waldbeerfrucht, reife Kirschen, etwas Havannatabak, einladendes Bukett. Saftig, elegant, ein Hauch von eingelegten Kirschen und Preiselbeeren, gut integrierte, tragende Tannine, mineralisch und anhaftend, ein finessenreicher Speisenwein, der seine Muskeln gut versteckt, sicheres Reifepotenzial. (2020–2050)* - 02/2021

*This wine is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot to be aged for approximately 18 months in oak barriques, 35% new. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier starts a little closed before bounding out of the glass with bold expressions of fresh blackcurrants, kirsch, black raspberries and fragrant earth plus nuances of lilacs, Sichuan pepper and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, the palate maintains elegance and sophistication, with a lovely ripe, finely grained frame and plenty of freshness to back up the floral and black fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed.* (94-96+/100)

Vinum Magazin – 17,5/20pts: *Ungemein dezente, sogar delikate Aromatik von roten Beeren; voller Ansatz, voluminöse und doch frische, sogar saftige Entwicklung, Klassetannin, grosse Länge; gewiss, auch hier ist der Alkohol spürbar, doch das ganz ist sehr kohärent und hat Temperament UND Klasse.* - 09/2021

Weinwisser – 18/20pts - WL: *Purpur mit rubinrotem Rand. Feingliedriges Parfüm nach roten Kirschen, schwarze Oliven und Szechuanpfeffer, dahinter Brasiltabak und Wacholder. Am straffen Gaumen mit weicher Textur, fleischigem Extrakt, fein mehlig und durchtrainiertem Körper. Im gebündelten Finale findet sich aktuell mehr Würze als Frucht, wirkt dadurch (leicht) verkapselt. Anklänge an Zigarrenkiste, dunkles Edelholz und Wacholder sowie spürbare reife Adstringenz im Rückaroma, dieser Pessac-Léognan braucht daher Zeit und Ruhe um sich zu entwickeln, daher gilt hier: Finger weg!* – 04/2021

*This is flashy, with mesquite, licorice, black tea and fruitcake aromatics leading the way to a frankly ripe core of steeped raspberry and plum flavors. Seems pretty liberal with the toast, but this has what it needs to come together in the end.-J.M.* (94-97/100)

JancisRobinson.com – 17/20pts – JR: *Diam 30 closure. Tasted blind. Ripe and rather glorious with very bright fruit. Complete. Dry, stony finish. Rather 21st-century!* - 01/2022

Couleur rouge, très sombre et intense. Nez très aromatique, fin, fruité, pur et noble. Minutieux à l'attaque, suave au développement, très aromatique en milieu de bouche, le vin fond sur une texture dense et un corps juteux. Finale longue, savoureuse, sur un grain fin. C'est très bon. (17,5/20)

This is one of the most structured and deep Rauzans I have tasted with a full body, layers of fruit and a firm and polished tannin backbone. Compact and composed. Such depth and power. 60 per cent cabernet sauvignon and 40 per cent merlot.* (99-100/100)

Vinous.com – 97 pts – AG: *The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier is easily one of the wines of the vintage. A wine of mind-blowing precision and regal elegance, Domaine de Chevalier dazzles from the very first taste. Dried herbs, rose petal, mint, blood orange, pomegranate and bright mineral notes all build in the glass. Richly layered but also translucent, the 2018 is a real head-turner. Don't miss it!* - 03/2021

*The wine’s tannins are impressive and solidly structured, with a firm concentration of ripe black fruits to round it out. The black plum flavor and bright acidity offer a juicy feel, allied with a mineral note on the finish.* (95-97/100)

Vinous.com – 94 pts – NM: *Here is another wine that needed aeration to really show its mettle, albeit not as much as others. The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier initially comes across a little ordinary. You ask yourself: What’s the fuss all about? But after 60–90 minutes it reveals an absolutely divine nose of raspberry, crushed rose petals, wild mint and Provençal herbs, beautifully defined and gaining intensity with each passing moment. The palate is very well balanced, the predominantly red fruit framed by fine tannins that provide the backbone to this Domaine de Chevalier, yet the overriding impression is one of elegance and finesse. An utterly sublime Pessac-Léognan that is going to give a lot of pleasure over the coming years.* - 03/2021