Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Grand Cru Classé, 2017

Olivier Bernard's Domaine de Chevalier is always one of the elite wines in Pessac Leognan. The spring frosts were quite uneven here, sparing the large plateau in front of the chateau, but decimating many other plots. Thankfully, the plateau had a successful and early crop with good yields. Rich, but also bright and juicy with notes of fruit pastels, ripe plum, a hint of gravel, stones, cooked meats, smoke and spice. This is rather lovely, it isn't especially challenging, but it is generous, fleshy, and quite persistent, framed with perfectly ripe tannins. Produced from 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot.