Domaine de Chevalier 2025

Mesquite wood, black cherries, cigar box, blue fruits, espresso, and spice fill the aromatics. There is freshness, purity, and elegance here that is impossible to ignore. On the palate, the fruit is clean, with a smoky edge, a hint of spice, and a vibrancy that adds to the length and precision. Give it just a few years in the bottle, and this promises to be a beauty. According to Olivier Bernard, the key to the vintage was the warm, dry summer, followed by the refreshing September rains. The wine blends 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc.12.5% ABV, pH 3.71. Yields were 34 hectoliters per hectare. Harvest took place September 11-September 26. This is the earliest finish to a harvest in the history of Domaine de Chevalier. Drink from 2029-2060.

• Trinkreife: 2029 - 2060
• Name des Kritikers: Jeff Leve

The 2025 Domaine de Chevalier is a total stunner. The oak imprint is a bit strong, but the 2025 possesses notable richness and textural depth to handle it all. Signature red-toned fruit and floral overtones soar through the layered, expansive close.

• Trinkreife: 2035 - 2075
• Name des Kritikers: Antonio Galloni

Aromas of plum, raspberry, loam and wet stone minerality suggest the pedigree beneath. The palate is decidedly structured, almost reminiscent of grape skins tasted at harvest, with a firm, tightly wound tannic frame. A more muscular style of Domaine de Chevalier. At 12.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.71, the wine walks a fine line: the freshening acidity (particularly on the finish) both lifts and accentuates the abundant tannins. For now, it remains firm, but the underlying material is strong and should harmonise with élevage, making full barrel ageing key to unlocking a full expression. Tasted three times with two more positive impressions, the score reflects the wine’s anticipated evolution rather than its current state.

• Trinkreife: 2030 - 2045
• Name des Kritikers: Panos Kakaviatos

The 2025 Domaine de Chevalier, a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, was harvested between September 11 and 26—an unusually early finish—with yields of 35 hectoliters per hectare. It reveals a bouquet marked by oak, with notes of spice, dark berries, lead pencil and licorice. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and deep, it’s built around a substantial chassis of tannins and framed by powdery, youthful structure, concluding with a long, firm and structured finish, reflecting the wine’s inherent density.

• Name des Kritikers: Yohan Castaing