2017 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc
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James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
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A wine of noble breeding and class, the 2017 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc dazzles from start to finish. Dried flowers, chamomile, mint and citrus confit struggle to emerge, buried by the wine's sheer richness and concentration. The 2017 needs at least a few years in bottle to come together, but that won't be an issue for a wine that will drink well for several decades.
Closed on the nose to begin, the Domaine de Chevalier 2017 Blanc (composed of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon) opens to aromas of ripe pears, Golden delicious apples and white peaches with notions of straw, honeysuckle and chalk. Medium-bodied, the palate is seriously intense and racy with loads of mineral sparks on the finish. It was aged for 16 months in French oak, 35% new.
The 2017 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc is reduced on the nose and it needs 20 to 30 minutes in the glass to really find its (aromatic) voice: lemon curd, hazelnut, pressed white flowers and a touch of smoke as it finally speaks up. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity: poised and lively, but quite reserved at first. This is a white Pessac-Léognan predestined for long-term ageing, so stick away in the cellar for a good few years.
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.