2016 Domaine de Chevalier

品飲筆記：酒色深沉，初聞散發成熟黑莓、黑李與黑醋栗的果香，伴隨雪茄煙草、香杉木、石墨與一絲八角辛香。入口飽滿而有層次，果實鮮明但被清爽酸度與細緻礦物質感托起，單寧結構堅實卻圓潤，質地帶有絲滑感，尾韻悠長且帶咖啡與黑巧克力餘味。
酒莊與田間：騎士莊園立足於Léognan石礫地帶，自1983年由Bernard家族接手以來，成為Pessac-Léognan的代表酒款之一。葡萄園為砂礫覆蓋於黏礫岩地層，2016年夏季偏乾使果皮較厚、風味集中，但園主得以精準分地塊採收，果實健康完整。
釀造與熟成：全部手工採摘入小籃，田間與入廠後多道分選。酒廠使用兩間發酵室 — 其中包含較新的鬱金香形槽以利細分與柔化萃取。酒液在橡木桶中熟成16–20個月，約35%新桶，造就果香與橡木的平衡，以及圓潤的口感。飲用建議：若提前開瓶，醒酒約90分鐘可讓酒更開放，適合搭配慢火紅肉、野味或較陳年的乾酪。

Tasting Note: Deep ruby core with a fragrant bouquet of blackberry, black plum and cassis layered over cedar, tobacco, graphite and a touch of anise and spice. On the palate the wine is dense and polished — concentrated dark fruit framed by fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins, evolving into notes of coffee and dark chocolate and finishing long and mineral-driven.
Producer Notes: Domaine de Chevalier sits in the gravelly hills of Léognan and has been in the care of the Bernard family since 1983. The estate is a benchmark of Pessac-Léognan, producing reds of classed-growth stature and whites of world-class finesse.
Winemaking Notes: Grapes are hand-picked into small crates and rigorously sorted before and after destemming. The estate uses two vat-rooms (including tulip-shaped tanks for enhanced plot selection and refined extraction). Maturation is in barrel for 16–20 months with about 35% new oak, producing a wine that balances ripe fruit, structure and polished oak.
Vineyard Notes: Parcels sit on gravel over clay-gravel subsoil. A warm, dry 2016 led to thick-skinned berries and concentrated flavours while allowing precise plot-by-plot picking. The harvest benefitted from ideal weather, giving healthy berries and excellent phenolic ripeness.
Cellaring & Service: Superb ageing potential; best drinking window extends for decades. Serve after decanting — around 90 minutes for early drinking — and pair with robust red meats or mature cheeses.

Specification

• Alcohol %: 13.5%
• Decant Time: 90 minutes
• Taste: blackberry, black plum, cassis, tobacco, cedar, graphite, anise, spice, coffee, dark chocolate, fine-grained tannins, fresh acidity, minerality, long finish
• Food Matching: Fillet steak, Roast lamb, Venison / game, Grilled sirloin, Mature hard cheeses (e.g. aged cheddar, Linconshire Poacher)
• Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon : 65%, Merlot : 30%, Petit Verdot : 5%, Cabernet Franc , Other ,

Winery

騎士莊園位於Léognan，歷史可追溯至18世紀地圖記載，1983年起由Bernard家族接手經營。莊主Olivier Bernard強調平衡與細緻管理，重視分地塊釀造與嚴格分選，酒款兼具典雅與陳年實力。

Domaine de Chevalier is a historic estate in Léognan, long noted on maps since the 18th century and run by the Bernard family since 1983. Under Olivier Bernard the domaine pursues precision, plot selection and balance, producing top-tier classified-growth red wines and celebrated dry whites.