Domaine de Chevalier Rouge 2016 (750ML)

96 Points, Christopher Deas, Zachys Buying Team: "The little value gem has been on a roll since 2014, but it was the 2016 that literally stopped us in mid-conversation to stare down and reflect on what was going on the in the glass. In fact, in tasting more than 100+ wines at the UGC event in January, this was the WOTN for value. It is one of those wines where the nose alone is worth the price of admission - explosive red fruit, herbs, and minerality. There is a Burgundian sensibility to the wine with its purity of fruits, freshness, salinity, and mid-weight approachability. Expect to find nuances of black cherries, raspberries, wild blackberries, red licorice, wet stones, a slight tinge of tobacco and herbs. Awesome elegance with deceiving approachability. A must buy."

94+ Points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "The 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Deep garnet-purple colored, it rocks up with expressive warm plums, blueberry compote and cassis scents with suggestions of sandalwood, baking spices and potpourri. Medium-bodied and delicately styled yet with a rock-solid frame of grainy tannins, it sports restrained earth-laced fruit and a long finish." 11/18

95 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: “The 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a classy affair on the nose: nothing ambitious or self-aggrandizing, just beautifully defined black fruit laced with pine needles and wilted irises. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red fruit, filigreed tannin, pitch-perfect acidity and a captivating sense of mineralité toward the persistent finish. This is an outstanding Domaine de Chevalier, possessing a surfeit of pedigree and breeding.” 01/19

97 Points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous: "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. (Drink between 2026-2066)" 01/19

97 Points, James Suckling: "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. Try from 2024." 2/19

97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com: "As to the reds, the 2016 Domaine de Chevalier is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc that saw an extended maceration, malo in barrel, and 18 months in just 35% new French oak. This deep purple-hued beauty boasts a powerful bouquet of tobacco smoke, damp earth, gravelly, rocky minerality, wood smoke, and loads of dark fruits. Full-bodied, deep, concentrated yet incredibly elegant and seamless on the palate, it's a legendary Chevalier in the making. While I rated this as high as 99 points on one of the four separate occasions I was able to taste it, I'm being conservative with the score. it has some upfront charm but needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for 3-4 decades." 2/19