Domaine de Chevalier Rouge
Domaine de Chevalier is located in a sort of secret garden. At least, that's how they themselves describe it. The winery is located in a large clearing in the middle of the forest, well out of the spotlight. This place offers unique conditions for the vines.
In 1983, Olivier Bernard became the owner of the domain and set to work. He managed to double the total area of vineyards within five years, and a major renovation of the winery got underway. The wine cellars have been revamped and are now fitted with the most modern equipment. Today, his two sons, Adrien and Hugo, can also be found in the wine cellar.
By now, the total planting has grown to 65 hectares, of which 58 hectares are used for the production of the Domaine de Chevalier rouge. Cabernet sauvignon dominates the plantings. In the planting of white grape varieties, Sauvignon blanc plays the leading role, supported by semillon. The terroir is characterized by gentle slopes with a soil of gravel and clay. The highest point is 60 meters above sea level.
Vineyard management is based on sustainable and biodynamic methods. In addition, the harvest consists of strict selection procedures, which is why the grapes are sometimes picked one by one. The white Bordeaux wines of Domaine de Chevalier are fermented in oak barrels of 30% new oak. The barrel then goes into a special type of cold store, so to speak. This space is cooled to 18-20 degrees, so that the fermentation can be carried out at a controlled temperature. Chevalier is one of the few to use this method. The wine then matures for another year sur lie in the barrel, with battonage being applied regularly. After the sur lie maturation, the wine matures for another six months in barrels before being bottled. Of the white wine, only 1,000 cases are produced.
The red wines are fermented in stainless-steel tanks and concrete vats. The grapes that come from the old vines are fermented in oak barrels. After fermentation, the wines are transferred to barriques, where the wine is aged for another 18 to 22 months. In addition to their top cuvée, the winery also produces a second wine, called L'Esprit de Chevalier.
The best vintages of Domaine de Chevalier are: 1934, 1961, 1964, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009 , 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
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