Tasted at the chateau, the 1996 Domaine de Chevalier certainly surpassed my expectations even though I would caution that I think Olivier Bernard has made better vintages since then. Deep in color, the nose is quite captivating with black fruit, brine and crushed stone. I like the strictness here -- very 1996 in style. The palate is medium-bodied with quite a svelte texture. The bead of acidity lends this tension although I found that finish surprisingly backward and just lacked that peacock's tail that would have warranted a higher score. Of course, there is a chance that this could come with time because it is undeniably very well balanced and pure. It just needs a bit more ... ambition. Tasted July 2016.

While I have been critical of Domaine de Chevalier, because the wines have contained entirely too much aggressive oak for the amount of fruit, recent vintages reveal a more subtle touch with the wood. The 1996 has turned out beautifully from the bottle. It is an exceptionally elegant wine, with well-integrated oak, and tobacco-tinged, cherry and cassis fruit. It appears to be a return to the style of the seventies and early eighties. Lush, with excellent concentration, a beautiful texture, and a flattering, potentially complex aromatic profile, this medium-bodied wine should be at its finest between 2003-2016.