The freshness and intensity of a great Pessac-Léognan red wine
Sensory Features:Evoking aromas of dark wild berries, spices, smoke and licorice, framed by a deft touch of new oak, the 2022 Domaine de Chevalier possesses a medium to full-bodied, concentrated and rich palate, with an elegant, fleshy core of fruit, abundant powdery tannins and a long, delicate and dark berry-inflected finish. Noticeably less toasty and spicy than in the previous year, this estate has positively evolved in style
Grape Varieties: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon 30% Merlot 5% Petit Verdot & 2% Cabernet Franc
Estate:Owned by the Bernard family since 1983, the magnificentDomaine de Chevalieris one of Bordeaux's finest Cru Classés. The estate is located in the heart of the Pessac-Léognan appellation, in a green setting south of Bordeaux.
Vineyard: Domaine de Chevalier 2022 rouge oversees a rare vineyard comprising 60 hectares of vines, in conversion to Organic Farming. The vines are planted on a gravelly terroir with clay and gravel subsoils, giving rise to a great Pessac-Léognan wine.
Wine: To celebrate Olivier Bernard's 40th harvest at the helm of the estate, the bottles of this 2022 vintage are adorned with a unique label, illustrated with the work created in 1941 by the famous Chinese artist, Xu Bei Hong, who was a student at the Beaux-Arts in Paris. "Cheval Galopant" is a powerful symbol of the dynamism of Domaine de Chevalier since its acquisition by the Bernard family in 1983.
Vintage: A relatively dry, cool winter delayed budburst, protecting the vines from frosts until March. The mild weather from mid-April onwards favoured fine flowering and rapid vegetative development. The month of June was marked by an initial heatwave, as well as by a hailstorm that hit the western side of the rows on the evening of 18 June. The vineyards, particularly the old vines, withstood a hot and particularly dry July, which was followed by a hot August punctuated by two rainy spells. The fine weather in September, accompanied by sparse rainfall, was ideal for fine-tuning the ripening process.
Winemaking & Ageing: Hand-picked in small crates. Sorting in the vineyard is followed by a second selection on a table with optical sorting before de-stemming. Vinification in four vats (steel vats, stainless steel vats, concrete tulip vats and wooden vats) to optimise the plot selection and refine the blend. Aged in barrels (1/3 new) for 16 to 18 months.
