Thursday 23rd May 2019

The "heavenly" 2018 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge will rank among the Graves estates finest ever vintages.  Highly praised by all the critics with Antonio Galloni and James Suckling both awarding it their highest score in the appellation - even outscoring Haut Brion and La Mission!  The potentially perfect  99-100 from James Suckling places it at the same level as Ausone, Lafite, Margaux and Vieux Chateau Certan but released at £650 per 12 it has a much more modest price tag.  Undoubtedly one of the stars of the vintage, the 2018 elevates the Domaine to another level and is a compelling proposition.  We expect this to sell quickly.  The estate's excellent dry white is also released at £860 per 12 and is one of the most impressive of the vintage.

99-100 JS - Wow. I can’t get over the pureness of fruit… Incredible depth and beauty… Greatest ever?
94-97 AG - The 2018 Domaine de Chevalier is magnificent. Bright, lifted and wonderfully nuanced, the 2018 has so much to offer… simply majestic - that's all there is to it.
96-98 JD - Possibly one of the finest wines ever to come from the Bernard family’s flagship estate… It’s a heavenly Graves that will keep for 30+ years?

Known for making traditional claret, Gruaud Larose is popular around the world and it usually looks reasonably priced next to other Second Growths.  The 2018 is the highest scoring vintage in the Wine Advocate since the legendary 1982!

Finally we have a "tight and precise" du Tertre (94-95 JS), this Classed Growth Margaux is available at £360 per 12.

Prices

BERLIQUET |   £396 per 12x75
93-95+ WA - This was really Nicolas Audebert’s first vintage at Berliquet, since the property was acquired by Chanel in the autumn of 2017. The most significant, immediate change from 2018 came from noticing that blocks of the vineyard had Merlot and Cabernet Franc interplanted. These used to be harvested together. This year the different cultivars were flagged and harvested separately so as to achieve optimal ripeness for both varieties... Deep purple-black in color, it leaps from the glass with bold kirsch, blueberry compote and Black Forest cake with touches of cloves, lavender, menthol and lilacs. Medium to full-bodied and elegant, with lovely freshness lifting the densely packed blue and black fruit flavors, it has a velvety texture and long, earthy finish.

DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER ROUGE |   £650 per 12x75  |  £325 per 6x75
99-100 JS - Wow. I can’t get over the pureness of fruit in this wine with so much currant, tar and wet-earth character. Flowers, too. So aromatic. Full body, yet pureness and brightness of fruit. Layered. Incredible depth and beauty... Greatest ever?

DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER BLANC |   £860 per 12x75  |  £430 per 6x75
95-97 JD - 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... it’s going to be relatively accessible in its youth (unlike the 2015) yet should age beautifully.

GRUAUD LAROSE |   £660 per 12x75  |  £330 per 6x75
95-97 WA - Deep garnet-purple in color, it leaps from the glass with bold black cherries, mulberries, plum preserves and blackcurrant cordial scents with hints of menthol, lilacs, licorice and cloves plus wafts of fallen leaves and tilled soil. Medium to full-bodied with a taut core of ripe, densely packed, muscular fruit, it has a firm line of ripe, grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and spicy. Very exotic Gruaud!

TERTRE |   £360 per 12x75
94-95 JS - A tight and precise du Tertre with deep and dark fruit, as well as fresh flowers. Medium to full body, firm tannins and a clean and beautiful finish. The tannins are folding into the wine here.

For more information or to place an order, please call on 01223 849040 or email us  (finewine@albanyvintners.com)