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| Domaine de Chevalier - Vintage 2015 |
| By Arjun Sachar |
| The en primeur campaign in Bordeaux is not only tests your tasting skills but your endurance through endless flights of wine and gastronomical experiences. The workday in the wine capital of the world is tough. An invitation from Anne and Olivier Bernard to taste en primeur at Domaine de Chevalier, a chateau with a long history in the region of Pessac-Leognan, is rare and gave me an opportunity to get special insights into the 2015 vintage. Mr. Bernard is also the current President of the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB), so I also asked him what lies in store at the UGCB. |
| With his wife, Anne, Mr. Bernard took over the management of the chateau in 1983 and gradually introduced the philosophy of obtaining optimum balance both in viticulture and vinification to respect the purity of fruit and terroir. His trademark statement, “to make great wine, you need great grapes”, is known to those well known to him. |
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Olivier and Anne Bernard |
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| Harvest: Mr. Bernard shared his thoughts on the harvest at Domaine de Chevalier. The winter of 2014-15 came with a lot of rainfall which led to high levels of water in the vineyards. Fortunately, it’s not a big worry at that time of the year for the vines. Viticulture management in the next months can restore the correct balance of various parameters. But, from April-July 2015, extreme dry conditions were seen and, by the end of July, there was a lot of stress in the vegetation. |
| Mr. Bernard told me that he had hoped that the month of August would be colder than usual and that it would see some rainfall – even if it was something that Bordeaux had not seen in a long time – and voila, that is exactly what happened! 17mm of rainfall with not so high temperatures, a gentle August brought normal maturity levels and the lower levels of temperature didn’t let the white’s burn inspite of the very hot and dry June-July. In a way, August saved the vintage! |
| The conditions in September-October came as a bonus. It was cold at night and sunny during the day with very little rainfall – a condition that provides a fine balance and elegance, especially on the tannins. Harvest started with Sauvignon Blanc in the beginning of September and finished with Cabernet Sauvignon by the 15th of October. |
| Mr. Bernard believes that while 2015 might be remembered as a warm vintage, in reality it was not – it was saved by a ‘perfect’ August and lovely weather in September-October. |
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Domaine de Chevalier |
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| Pricing: “Things are much different if compared with 2009 and 2010”. Robert Parker stopped evaluating wines. In the past, high ratings by Parker meant high prices – even a 2nd growth with Parker 100 points would increase the price substantially! |
| 2011, 2012 and 2013 yielded small production. There was a need in the market for more wine. The negociants need to buy more wine, the chateaux need to sell more and this drives the dynamics of the equilibrium in the Place de la Bordeaux. But the global economic situation hasn’t been all that good therefore prices can’t be sky-rocketing. The wines sold at relatively low prices – a situation that is not favourable for Bordeaux. Overall, 2015 was a good vintage that gave higher production levels so that the wineries and negociants will have more wine at their disposal. |
| UGCB: Mr. Bernard was appointed President of the UGCB in 2013. He says, “It’s a great responsibility but at the same time it’s a lot of time and energy. What is important is to manage the things that are happening in the present but also to anticipate how the demand will shape up in the next ten years. We need to communicate with the younger audience, to evolve the wine enthusiasts, and that will not always be through formal channels”. |
| The Bernard family are warm and wonderful hosts, and I am grateful to receive the invitation to this exquisite lunch at Domaine de Chevalier and for the insights that I got from Mr. Bernard, which will be important future references for me. |
| Arjun Sachar was in Bordeaux for the en primeur week and was able to join the Invitation Primeurs 2015 from Domaine de Chevalier, that was made possible by vino india. |
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