Farr Vintners Logo

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc 2018

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Left Bank > Pessac-Léognan
ColourWhite
TypeStill
Grape VarietySauvignon Blanc/Semillon

One of the truly great names of dry White Bordeaux. Chevalier Blanc has a loyal following and is a wine with an amazing ability to age despite being attractive in its youth. The 5 hectares of vines are planted with 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon.

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Domaine de Chevalier

Label

Tasting Notes

This has a complex nose of dried apple, green mango, grapefruit zest, dried honeysuckle and crushed almonds. It’s full-bodied with bright acidity and a dense, phenolic texture. Vivid and layered with fantastic precision. Very, very long. This needs time. Better from 2026.

98
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, March 2021

The Domaine de Chevalier 2018 Blanc, a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, offers up a gorgeous perfume of ripe Bosc pears, grapefruit oil, mandarin peel and lemongrass, leading to wafts of sea spray, lime blossom and beeswax. The medium to full-bodied palate has a seducing opulence, delivering layers of citrus, pear and floral-inspired flavors with a satiny texture and seamless freshness, finishing long with a spicy kick. It makes for a complex, decadently delicious wine right now, but give it 4-5 years in bottle to see it take on even more savory/toasty layers, and drink it for the next 10-12 years or more. 2025 - 2037

95
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (End of Mar), March 2021

What this white does that not everyone has achieved in 2018 is hold your attention. It's not a 2017 or 2011 at Chevalier, but it has grip and personality and a whoosh of citrus and fleshy pear flavours that are highly enjoyable. Touches of spice run through the finish, together with a sweetness that speaks of the ripeness of the fruit. You could drink it today of course, but this is a white that can go two decades without blinking, so I wouldn't worry too much.

Drinking Window 2020 - 2030

94
Jane Anson, Decanter.com, April 2019

Barrel sample. Smells classy at the outset, even though it is introvert because so young: just has hints of everything, fresh citrus, oak spice and leesy depths. On the palate, an incipient quality: cool, fresh, well structured and deeper than most in this vintage. Lightly chewy, lots of fruit and a hint of spice on the finish. Powerful and long. Impressive. (JH)
Drink 2024-2035

17.5
Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2019

Bright and ripe with a saline edge reminiscent of preserved lemons on the nose. The palate is riper, with hints of topical fruit and lemon curd that adds weight. This is cut through by vibrant acidity and a flinty, smoky undertone that is subtle but significant. Complex and intense, there is real drive on the finish that adds to the tension and power.

93+
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, April 2019

One of the whites of the vintage is the 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, which is both powerful and fresh in the vintage. Crushed citrus, tart melon, lemon curd, and crushed rock-like minerality all give way to a pure, full-bodied dry white that has integrated acidity and a great, great finish. A blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Sémillon that will spend 18 months in 35% new French oak, it’s going to be relatively accessible in its youth (unlike the 2015) yet should age beautifully.

95/97
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, May 2019

(75 Sauvignon Blanc, 25 Semillon) This is one of the most balanced white wines of the vintage and it is neither too oaky, nor is it too oily. There is depth of fruit here but it is calm, smooth, layered and there is lovely acidity on the finish.

17.5+
Matthew Jukes, MatthewJukes.com, April 2019

The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has opened up since I tasted it from barrel; this half-bottle was allowed 30–45 minutes to open. It has a little more zip on the nose, the orchard fruit and touches of black currant and orange pith bursting from the glass. The palate is finely tuned with a superb bead of acidity, and more citric than the nose, still with that energy and tension and a light tang of marmalade and lemongrass toward the finish. While I maintain that it is not the best Domaine de Chevalier Blanc that I have ever encountered, it has gained more personality during its maturation and it should drink well for 20-plus years. 2023 - 2040

93
Neal Martin, vinous.com, March 2021
Read more tasting notes...

The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc has a tightly-wound bouquet with granite/limestone aromas infusing the malic, apply fruit. It is more austere than other vintages I have tasted over the last 30 years (which is all of them.) The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity, taut and energetic with good depth towards the lightly spiced, marmalade-tinged finish. This gets better as it goes along. No, not the greatest Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, but it seems to be improving during its élevage. Drink 2023-2040.

91/93
Neal Martin, vinous.com, November 2019

This is dense and very structured with phenolic tension and depth. Full-bodied, lightly phenolic with sliced apples, cooked pears and lemons. Lively and intense. Solid as a rock. This is one to watch.

97/98
James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com, April 2019

The Domaine de Chevalier 2018 Blanc, a blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, slowly reveals beguiling scents of lemongrass, lime leaves, fresh grapefruit, allspice and ginger with a core of fresh lemon and grapefruit. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers bold citrus and spice layers with fantastic tension and a chalky finish. Aging on lees in barriques, 35% new, is anticipated to go for 16 months.

93/95
Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW, Wine Advocate (April 2019), April 2019
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.