2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
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Tasting notes
The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has opened up since I tasted it from barrel; this half-bottle was allowed 30–45 minutes to open. It has a little more zip on the nose, the orchard fruit and touches of black currant and orange pith bursting from the glass. The palate is finely tuned with a superb bead of acidity, and more citric than the nose, still with that energy and tension and a light tang of marmalade and lemongrass toward the finish. While I maintain that it is not the best Domaine de Chevalier Blanc that I have ever encountered, it has gained more personality during its maturation and it should drink well for 20-plus years.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
One of the top whites in the vintage, the 2018 Domaine De Chevalier Blanc is mostly Sauvignon blended with 25% Sémillon that was raised in 35% new French oak. A forward, approachable vintage for this cuvée, it has a beautiful, medium to full-bodied style as well as loads of lemon curd, white grapefruit, toasted bread, spice, and a kiss of chalky minerality. Balanced, pure, and elegant, drink this killer Bordeaux Blanc over the coming 10-15 years.
The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has come together beautifully over the last two years. Rich and unctuous in feel, the 2018 offers terrific nuance to match its creamy, enveloping personality. Dried pear, marzipan, lemon confit and white flowers all build as the 2018 blossoms in the glass. The poised, deeply resonant finish is striking. I am so impressed with the 2018, a wine that is far more convincing in bottle than it was from barrel.
The Domaine de Chevalier 2018 Blanc, a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, offers up a gorgeous perfume of ripe Bosc pears, grapefruit oil, mandarin peel and lemongrass, leading to wafts of sea spray, lime blossom and beeswax. The medium to full-bodied palate has a seducing opulence, delivering layers of citrus, pear and floral-inspired flavors with a satiny texture and seamless freshness, finishing long with a spicy kick. It makes for a complex, decadently delicious wine right now, but give it 4-5 years in bottle to see it take on even more savory/toasty layers, and drink it for the next 10-12 years or more.
About the producer
Since buying the property in 1983, the Bernard family has cemented Domaine de Chevalier’s reputation as one of the Graves’s finest red and white wine producers, known for their sophisticated and elegant wines.