1986 Domaine de Chevalier
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Tasting notes
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc. Harvested 29 September to 10 October. Deep, bright core with brick at the rim. Stern and upright with a stony-mineral edge. More linear in style with plenty of freshness and length. Still very persistent. Hangs on a firm tannic frame. (JL)
Critic scores
Average Score
Wine Spectator
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Tasted at the château, the 1986 Domaine de Chevalier was noticeably deep in color when poured, with little signs to give away its age on the rim. It has a powerful bouquet that seemed very different from previous encounters - much less herbaceous and with more volatility. The palate offered blackberry and bilberry fruit with a subtle marine note, though the burly finish is obscured by a touch of volatile acidity. I suspect there are better bottles of this out there commensurate with the bottle I opened in 2012. Tasted July 2016.
Quite a mature nose. A bit pinched and metallic on the nose. Is this the ill-fated 1984? Simple and weak. Quite severe. Not a harmonious whole but the sum of several rescue attempts. I somehow think another bottle of this would not be that different. (JR)
Gorgeous aromas, but it's hard, lean and austere. The ripe plum, currant and stone flavors shut down on the palate, leaving a tight, tannic finish with some plummy notes. Try around 1997. Wine Spectator, 15 June 1989.
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.