Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc 2009

robert_parker95

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

This wine has closed down since I saw it prior to bottling. A blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon from one of the great estates in Pessac-Leognan, the wine has notes of white currants, melon, and flint/crushed rock with a delicate hit of orange and lemon zest. Give it another 4-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following three decades.

robert_parker92

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted at the chateau. A very primal nose with touches of red apple, pear, a touch of beeswax and apple-blossom. Well defined but perhaps lacking the edginess displayed by the 2007 at this stage. The palate is well balanced and light on its feet, well-judged acidity, a slight creaminess on the entry, broadening out nicely on the palate and showing more complexity than might have been aromatically implied. Very pure on the finish. Excellent. Tasted April 2010.

robert_parker98

Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.

Because of both time and space constraints, I am not able to provide tasting notes for the 2009 dry white Bordeaux, but it is an extremely strong vintage. Most châteaux equaled the dazzling quality of the 2007 dry whites. That said, the 2009s tend to be less classic than 2007, but more exotic, honeyed, and higher in alcohol, with compelling richness. The 2009s will probably have a shorter evolutionary curve, but these wines tend to last a long time, even in a vintage such as this. They are fascinating dry white wines.

robert_parker93

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Tasted at the Union de Grand Cru in London. The Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has a lovely, beautifully defined bouquet with touches of apricot blossom and honeysuckle emerging with continued aeration. The palate is crisp and vibrant on the entry: dried lemon peel, a hint of honeycomb and vanilla that fans out nicely to a waxy finish. It has great length and persistency in the mouth. An excellent white 2009 from Mon. Bernard. Tasted October 2011.

robert_parker94

Reviewed by: Neal Martin

Served blind at the Southwold 2009 tasting. This has a much better bouquet with tangible minerality and tension - some fine crisp Sauvignon Blanc here and superb delineation. The palate is nicely balanced with lime, orange peel and citric notes whilst the finish shows comparatively more weight and presence than its peers. Fine. Tasted January 2013.

james_suckling97

Reviewed by: James Suckling

This is very dense and powerful, reminds me of the 2005 but it has more structure and acidity. It’s a blockbuster with a huge finish, Grand Cru Burgundy style. Fresh and massive. Barrel sample.