Staff Notes:
“Aromas of blackberries, red and dark plums, cedar and gravel, as well as red flowers and brown-leaf tea. It offers a very sleek and powerful array of ripe dark fruit and a very plush, focused and elegant bed of fresh, fine and powerful tannins. Plenty of aging potential, this is still quite tight. A blend of 55 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 35 per cent merlot, five per cent cabernet franc and five per cent petit verdot." JS 97

"The 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a thrilling wine. Dense and beautifully layered, the 2016 is also quite a bit richer than it usually is. Cabernet Sauvignon aromatics and structure pulse through the wine. The red-toned fruit is incredibly primary at this stage. Readers should be prepared to cellar the 2016 for at least a handful of years. It has been nothing short of magnificent on the three occasions I have tasted it so far." AG 97

"There is a depth of color and an even better depth of flavor. Smoke a Cohiba Behike in a fruit orchard and you get the idea of the perfume. On the palate, there are layers of elegant, silky textured fruits with sweetness, purity and richness. The finish keeps on going. The wine here is known for aging, so give it 12 years or more before opening a bottle and drink over the next 20-25 years, at least! There is no doubt, this is the finest vintage of Domaine de Chevalier Rouge ever produced, although the 2018 could be even better in the years to come." JL 97