“Chevalier’s history is an integral part of its identity... The true birth of the estate dates back to the second half of the 19th century. Until not so long ago, the forest took up most of the western part of the Graves, where we are located. How things have changed since then!
Only three men have managed Domaine de Chevalier from time it was acquired by Arnaud and Jean Ricard in 1865 until it was purchased by my family in 1983. As for Jean Ricard, I would say that he is the true creator of Chevalier as we know it. However, his son-in-law, Gabriel Beaumartin, who was at Chevalier for forty years, was responsible for crystallising its reputation.
“In 1983, my family, until then specialised in the sale of grape brandy and Bordeaux great growths, decided to purchase the Domaine de Chevalier… When I was asked to become the new manager, I was fully conscious of – and attracted to – the tremendous challenge.”_by Olivier Bernard who the present owner of Domaine de Chevalier.
Region
The unbroken period of beautiful weather was favourable to full maturity of the red wine grapes, and refined their tannins immensely. The harvest dates for each plot could be chosen with great precision, by tasting the berries, and there was no need for haste thanks to the fine weather.
All varieties had fine large bunches in tip-top condition with fairly big berries. The skins of the red wine grapes were thick (due to the drought conditions from July to September). Yields were generous, but not excessively so.
The potential quality is excellent for all varieties. The grapes were rich, with fruity tannin, great balance, and considerable freshness.
品飲筆記 Tasting Note
Aromas of honeyed apple and apricot with soft white floral notes. The palate is fresh and full-bodied, with creamy lemon, pear, red apple and apricot aromas. Round, refined and medium-bodied - a delicate texture with a soft, creamy flavor. Easy to drink and very good on the palate, with excellent structure and density for the vintage. Good acidity and texture, full-bodied on the palate, just right, not overdone or overblown, but flavorful and engaging.
3 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Miss It :
One of Bordeaux's finest white wines
Being one of the 16 Graves Grand Cru Classes, there are actually only 8 of them whose white wines belong to the Grand Cru Classes, because the Graves classification system is based on red and white wines, and Knights' white wines are one of them, and even Pape Clement and Smith Haut Lafitte, which are over a thousand dollars in price, do not have white wines that belong to the Grand Cru Classes, which shows that the quality of Knights' white wines was unanimously recognized at an early stage ! This shows that the quality of Knight's Wine has been recognized from a very eary stage! Moreover, the price of Knights White has been stable over the years, and has always been the favorite of experienced drinkers. In terms of price, the quality of the wine has a good chance of being the highest amongst all the white wines of the Pessac Leognan region.
Excellent aging potential for a top vintage
The 2021 vintage is one of the highest scoring vintages in the Pessac Leognan region since 2016, and was rated *Extraordinary* by Wine Adovcate.
Noted wine critic Neal Martin's review of the vintage: “The palate is well balanced and slightly Burgundy-like on the entry”, with a hint of Burgundy white wine, and reminding wine lovers of the Knights' 16 years of excellent aging potential “You never know the longevity of these wines; you never know what to expect from them. You never know the longevity of these wines; they can always surprise you.”
Vinification: The genuine wines are aged for 14-24 months in 40-60% new oak barrels. For the white wines, the fruit is harvested and transferred to airbag presses, where it is gently pressed in separate parcels. Once fermentation is complete, the wine is aged on the lees in order to give it fullness, richness, smoothness and complexity.
