Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I need to start w/ a little preamble.

For me, Pessac-Leognan was a late comer Bordeaux region. The last one I gravitated to in my 26 yr Bordeaux experience.

Nearly all the previous 2000 Bordeaux’s I’ve had up to this point needed a lot more cellaring. Mostly 1st & 2nd Growths, some 3rd. This 2000 started lean…lacking depth & a bigger tannin profile. But that is not entirely uncharacteristic for older Pessac’s. It seemed slightly more late in its drinking window. It picked up weight in the decanter at 2 1/2 hours and then showed more weight & depth w/ my Ribcap.

This started elegant w/ soft Bordeaux characteristics. Beauty & elegance as I understand it in Bordeaux’s from this region and this kind of age. But lacked 2000 earthiness & depth. For me, this is a 3rd tier Pessac producer, my terminology. Not up there with Haut Bailly or Pape Clement and of course Haut Brion.

2000’s up to this point have shown great depth & deep characteristics. Most needing longer than anticipated aging.

This was beautiful, elegant but lean based on previous definitions. Early on it seemly felt like it was a drink up in the next 3 yrs w/o the steak. With a longish decant & steak, more 7-10 yrs.

The nose shows muddled to slightly stewy; dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, both plums to pudding, poached strawberries, black raspberries and haunting blueberries, red cola, dark chocolate, dry herbs, dry leather-tobacco, softened graphite, moist clay, hints of pepper, some mushroom notes, rich, darkish soils with dry leaves, steeped tea, limestone/sandstone, dry twig, dry pebbles-top soils with dark, red, withering flowers.

The palate shows beautiful elegance with nothing that bites back. Perfectly resolved velvety tannins. Ripe, juicy, somewhat ruby fruits. Yet, have slightly stewy characteristics. Dark currants, blackberries, black cherries, both plums to pudding, poached strawberries, black raspberries and haunting blueberries, red cola, dark chocolate, softly layered & even baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, mid, dark, Asian spices, dry herbs, dry leather-tobacco, softened, nearly sweet graphite, moist clay, hints of pepper, rich, darkish soils with dry leaves, charcoal, volcanic ash, steeped tea, limestone/sandstone, dry twig, dry pebbles, dry top soils with dark, red, withering flowers, near perfect acidity, well balanced w/ softened structure/tension, great length and an elegant finish that goes on and on and long sets on spice & clay.

Almost new cork and little to no sediment.

92-93 with a long decant & a rich, fatty steak-Ribcap. First taste after pouring into the decanter, 90.

Photos of; Haut-Bergey, Paul Garcin-Managing Director and Francois Prouteau-Cellar Master. — 20 hours ago

Ruud Verhagen

9.4

explosive from the first sniff and sipp, no decant, really nice with and without food. More modern than old-school…, re-buy! — a month ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Hard to resist opening as this is in a perfect spot with its red & black fruits, sweet tobacco, licorice, spice box, menthol, leather & floral notes — 2 hours ago

Meredith Moody

9.1

Loved my first sip of this. Have in my notes that I liked it less as I kept drinking, but then liked it again at the end. It’s pretty dry and you can taste the yeast. Definitely apple-y , I also get some grapefruit and pineapple. It has a bit of oak and minerality. Feels polished. Nice wine. — 16 days ago

Mark S.

9.1

Lemon yellow with green. chalk mineral herbaceous woody vanilla oak clove. Honeysuckle. Pear peach. Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M Acidity M+ Bitterness M+ Body M Finish M Fresh Dry Elegancy and Excellently Balanced I am wondering how it changed for years. 13.5% Domaine de Chevalier Pessac Leognan Semillon sauvignon Blend 21 @31500, AD, 260226 — 24 days ago

Brad Jensen

9.5

Velvety red fruits, vanilla, rubber industrial tubing, cracked pepper and wet forest floor permeate the nose, with a slight malo character that pervades, along with an overall floral element that wafts throughout. You can tell the pedigree with this. Deep red/purple coloration on a medium to full body, and even though this in young, the acidity seems well aligned, with tannins perfectly integrated, dry, but not austere. Palate is rich and refined, with prominent red fruits, not overly jammy or fleshy, but silky plums, black cherries, granite or graphite, with pencil shavings, slight balsamic characteristics, and a loooong lingering dry palate that lingers for quite some time. Really impressive for a wine so young! — a month ago

with Tiva

Ming L

9.3

The nose is a tapestry of ripe plum, cedar, and smoky graphite, with a vivid burst of crème de cassis and violets. The palate is plush and sleek, offering concentrated blackberry and earthy notes framed by suave tannins. Finish is long and savoury.

Purchased at around $40. What a value! — 16 days ago

Chris MacLean

9.1

More focused than the 2015 as you might expect. Integrated butterscotch and rocks. — 20 days ago

with Sarah

Jamie Amann

9.0

It had a greenish yellow color, smelled like citrus and tasted like lemon, lime, and pineapple. — 16 days ago

Bob Boyle

9.1

Very good wine — 20 days ago