TN: 2015 Domaine de Chevalier (France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan)

[Laurent_Gibet]

I would disagree with very and/or hyper, but that’s why I said what I did about traditionalists.

And for Laurent, sorry. Yes it was the red. I despise Sauvignon Blanc.

I generally also do except in Chavignol (and these fabulous hints of elderberry).

[Marcu_Stanley]

Gloss is the word here.

Exactly.

[Rudi_Finkler]

It was a new kind of modern, but one I’m experiencing more and more. Not over-alcoholic, ostentatiously oaky, or over-extracted but instead a very smooth, polished international style. Wish I knew what winemaking techniques were being used to create that effect.

I have drunk the 2006 and 2007 Domaine de Chevalier in recent times. Lovely wines! In general, I’m certainly not a fan of Derenoncourt’s style, but both wines are exceptionally elegant and more complex and satisfying than their wines from the eighties and nineties. Neither over-extracted, nor over-alcoholic, rich-fruited, and reasonably complemented by prominent oak. For me, as a dedicated lover of traditional red Bordeaux, absolutely nothing is wrong with ripe fruit, but only as long as the fruit does not lean toward diffuse, obtrusive jammyness.
Ripe fruit is fine, over-ripe, jammy fruit a disaster.

[Herwig_Janssen]

We had the 2016 Chevalier yesterday ( with my wine club , we bought a barrel ) . Out of magnum and decanted 5 hours before serving . Initially tight and in some kind of metallic grip . But after 5 to 10 minutes in the glass , the wine turned around and became a lovely medium bodied silky wine with a long delicious aftertaste . I have no doubt this will drink beautifully in a year or 5 and for the next couple of decades . Classy wine .

[Howard_Cooper]

It was a new kind of modern, but one I’m experiencing more and more. Not over-alcoholic, ostentatiously oaky, or over-extracted but instead a very smooth, polished international style. Wish I knew what winemaking techniques were being used to create that effect.

For me, the more important question is what happens to the wines as they age. How long has DdC been making wines in this style and what happens to the wines when they reach 10, 15 or 20 years old?

Interestingly enough, this description is how I would have described the original Jordan Cabernets that came out in the 70s. And, some of them aged pretty well.

[MChang]

I went long on these, it sounds like I’d really like the style.

[Jim_Hartten]

I jumped on the DdC band wagon by purchasing a few bottles (750s/375s) of the 2018, which received strong reviews back in the spring - hoping these evolve nicely. Next up the 2019s…??

[Kent_Comley]

Thought the 10 was stellar. No brett, sensitively oaked. Pure fruit with graphite minerality. If showing no brett is modern then count me in to the modernists camp.

[Alex_Frank]

This thread inspired me to seek out a DDC to try. While I couldn’t find the 2015, I did find a '14 which my wife and I drank last night. Beautiful fruit on the nose that the palate didn’t quite deliver on, although it really opened up throughout the evening after a 2.5 hour decant plus another couple hours in open bottle. I’d say I really liked this wine, but fell just short of loving it, if that makes sense. Would love to try a DDC with some age on it to see if the oak mellows out a bit.