Description

This is one of my favourite Bordeaux Estates and Domaine de Chevalier Pessac-Leognan 2009 is a wine to be excited about. The wines are lean, elegant, understated and perfectly balanced. I have never had a bad bottle: young or old. I’ve found in great years the wine is great, in tough years the wine exceeds expectations and is a bargain. The Domaine (not Chateau!) is 80 hectare split up as 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2.5% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.

Graves

The home of the original Claret that the English fell in love with. Graves gets its name from the large amounts of gravel in the vineyard which gives a lighter, more aromatic style of Bordeaux. Although it is on the Left Bank it more often lines up with the Right Bank on vintage preferences. Graves is capable and often excels at making white wines from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. They are often barrel aged and live as long as any white in the world.

Pessac-Leognan

Part of the larger Graves appellation that is the home of the original Claret that the English feel in love with. Pessac hosts most of the big names in the Graves appellation and is allowed to be named as a separate appellation.

Cabernet Sauvignon

The noble variety of Bordeaux’s left bank. Firm tannins, a streak of acidity and punctuated by flavours of cassis, violets, spice and leather. The best examples can age for the long term. Although Cabernet does often require blending with Merlot, Cabernet Franc or Shiraz to fix the hole it has in its middle palate.

Merlot

It gets a tough time most of the places it is grown. But in Pomerol and Saint-Emilion Merlot not only dominates but makes some of the best wines in the world. Perfume, silky and plush. Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon season the wines with structure and acid but in some places, like Petrus, they are almost not needed.

2009

Having tasted a few vintages of Bordeaux in my time I have no doubt that this will be one of the best in the modern era. I feel that 2010 is on a par for different reasons and 2005 exceeds them both, but it is a small margin.