TN: 2020 Domaine de Chevalier - (France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan)

WINE TALK
1

A lil quick-hitter TN to get conversation started for this vintage of their red. It was fine, but it’s definitely not currently drinking as well as the glorious 2014.

2020 Domaine de Chevalier - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (1/2/2025)
– glass poured a couple hours before tasting –
– tasted a single pour non-blind –

NOSE: reserved/tight somewhat; dark red fruits mixed with some Pessac earthiness; hint of background mineral; not funky; not overtly oaky.

BODY: medium to medium-full bodied; blood red color

TASTE: red-fruited; adequate acidity; lots of soft tannins; pretty approachable, surprisingly; I like it, but for now it’s just a really solid wine that shows potential, but it’s not exciting at the moment.

3 Likes
2

Thanks for the check in. I loved this wine at the UGC, but it sounds like it has shut down since then. My impression is the 2020 is a structured, vin garde vintage, so I guess I’m not surprised this has already gone to sleep.

2 Likes
3

I’m certainly in no position to argue that. Will sit on my other bottle for a good long while, but am unlikely to augment my holdings.

4

Thanks for the note as I bought this wine after loving it at the UGC as well and will likely wait until the 10 years on point in 2030 to check-in.

5

I’ll look forward to your note at age 10, JC. My uninformed hunch is this will need around 20 years to peak, so let’s drink these in 2040 (typing that makes me wonder what I was thinking laying down a case of this wine).

2 Likes
6

I appreciate the check-in on this too.

I ended up with x4 bottles of this from this past year, but went in thinking it would be quite some time before they made themselves known.

This sounds like a much more closed off and darker version of the 2019 I had in June. That isn’t a bad thing in my mind, but I had started to get an itch to see what was going on in there and it doesn’t quite sound worth it. Hmmmm…

7

Thanks for the reference point, Brian. Have not had it, but dang the 16 and 19 are beautiful!

8

Old man Jim is trying to wait out a couple of 2018s :wink:

9

I love DDC even when its young but boy the 2020 is a bottle full of promise but not much pleasure at this point.

10

This was great 3-4 months ago but a bottle last week was completely shut down.

11

Thanks for chiming-in with that addition; sounds like we had the same experience.

12

I was pretty surprised at this with relatively little time difference. But they were separate purchases months apart, although from the same source.

1 Like
13

Hmmmmm … surprising.:thinking:

1 Like
14

Yeah, 2020s are pretty shy/shut down across the board right now…

5 Likes
15

Welp, I had planned to backfill on some 2016s (really liked it on release but didn’t buy more then) but may need to consider grabbing some 2020s too.

16

Don’t skip the 19s - much more open (last I checked) than the 20s, and for me up there with PLL as WOTV, especially when factoring in the price - better than first growths in many years.

2 Likes
17

buy the '14 if you can find it. I don’t think I’ve tried the '16 yet …

18

I have a 6-pack of the 2015, but haven’t tried any yet…

19

I don’t wade in the First Growth pond often enough to make that comparison, but agree that the 2019 DDC is really, really good. Excellent quality for the price. Glad to have some in the cellar.

2 Likes
20

The 2014 is fine but the 2019 is much better. Haven’t popped the 20s yet.

2 Likes