As the Manchester Christmas Markets were in full flow selling their Christmas wares and providing customers with mulled wine and eggnog, just short of 80 Commanders, Partners and their Guests made their way to the Derby Suite at Manchester’s iconic Midland Hotel for a unique event in the Commanderie de Bordeaux à Manchester’s 35-year history.

The event was dedicated to the prestigious and acclaimed Domaine de Chevalier from the Pessac-Léognan appellation of Bordeaux and owned and run by the Bernard family.  A total of seven wines from the Domaine de Chevalier estate and one from a Château affiliated to the Bernard family, Chateau Guiraud, were tasted during the evening.

In a break from the traditional pre-dinner Champagne Reception, the Rosé de Chevalier 2022, AOC Pessac-Léognan, was served to those in attendance. On first taste, and being served quite cold, initial comments on the wine were quite mixed. However, as the wine warmed in the glass it changed remarkably. Essence of Strawberries and Cherries provided a wonderful flavour on the palate with a long warm fruity finish. This wine was a wonderful start to the evening and was extremely well received.

Prior to the start of the meal, the most wonderful ceremony of Intronisation was undertaken twice to confirm the membership of two of the most recent additions to the Manchester Commanderie family.

As the Intronisations took place L’Esprit de Chevalier Blanc 2013, AOC Pessac-Léognan was served and, once again, was well received. The wine proved to be quite complex with a wonderful grapefruit nose. It was observed that, whilst 2013 was not a great vintage, this wine was excellent and quite a treat. We were informed that the wine had been very generously provided by Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier to support the evening’s event – and was much appreciated by all who were there.

The first course of dinner was served – a pressé of maize fed chicken, truffled hazelnuts, girolle mushrooms, boozy prune, frisée and brioche. What a delight. A very complex dish with numerous differing delicate flavours which integrated to provide an excellent start to the meal.

The excellent dish was paired with the Domaine de Chevalier 2013, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, AOC Pessac-Léognan.  The wine proved to be a perfect match to the food being quite citrus, very long and completely balanced.  Some said that there was not too much difference between the two white wines – both being thoroughly enjoyed.  The success of the two white wines gave rise to one comment – ‘there are no better white wines in Bordeaux’.

As the main course of venison loin, new season kale, pommes Anna, textures of beetroot, gingerbread sauce and black berry juice was being served Commander David Chapman, having visited Domaine de Chevalier on a number of occasions, provided some information about the Domaine and the generosity of the Bernard family. Not only had the Manchester Commanderie visited the property and had been wonderfully received in 2016, but David explained that he had attended one event at the property where all the wines tasted were from varying vintages ending in ’09 and served in differing sizes of bottles!

The 2011 and 2009 vintages of the Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, AOC Pessac-Léognan accompanied the venison main course. The 2009, from a great vintage, with 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, lived up to its reputation of being ‘a fantastic wine’ with some thoughts that the wine could be better in 10 years’ time. The 2011 Rouge had a very slight increase in the percentage of Merlot and whilst the vintage is not as well renowned as the 2009 the wine proved to be a great success with a blackberry and blueberry nose, a lovely balance of rich fruit and tannins and a long complex finish.

What about the venison and were the wines a good accompaniment to the main course? The venison was sublime. This excellently prepared dish was perfect, full of flavour and a wonderful taste throughout. Both the 2009 and 2011 vintage of the Rouge proved to be excellent pairing to the meat. All in all, a remarkable course of lovely food and stunning wines. The Midland Hotel Head Chef, Andy, received well-deserved applause when introduced to those attending and was presented with a token of our appreciation for the excellent food served thus far.

To accompany the cheese course of Comté and Baron Bigod cheeses, port figs, candied walnuts and sourdough toast the 2008 and 2000 vintages of the Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, AOC Pessac-Léognan were poured.

The cheese course proved to be extremely well received with a great balance between the two different cheeses which had been wonderfully prepared by Bradley. Both of the red wines were amazing. The 2008 was very intense and quite complex both on the palate and the finish. The 2000 vintage, being another great vintage, showed a dark colour, lots of fruit on the nose and a rich fruity palate with a fully mature long finish.

The final course of the evening was a fantastic ‘take’ on Rhubarb and Custard. This very impressive course looked wonderful on the plate and had a number of different tastes due to the vanilla poached rhubarb, custard cremeux, rhubarb jelly, sable biscuit and marigold leaves.

Chateau Guiraud 2001, 1ier Grand Cru Classé, AOC Sauternes accompanied the final course of the evening. Very rich amber in colour, the wine proved to be a popular match to the ‘rhubarb and custard’ showing flavours of apricot and peach with a good balance of sweetness and acidity.

As this successful and unique event ended, thanks were given to the Front of House team led by Dale and Julia, particularly for the process of dealing with all the wine glasses on the tables! The Midland Hotel has a reputation for providing great support for various functions. This was no exception with great food and excellent service – their assistance is greatly appreciated

Our thanks were also given to the Manchester Commanderie Vinothécaire, Commander Tim Edwards, for sourcing and arranging all of the wines for this unique but extremely successful event

Final thanks were given to all the team at Domaine de Chevalier and, in particular, to Olivier Bernard for the help and support for the event and the extreme generosity in providing wine for the event.

Bordeaux, toujours Bordeaux,

Colin Smith

Maître

Cmdr Chapman has very kindly provided his notes from the evening:

DOMAINE DE CHEVALIER – A.O.C PESSAC-LEOGNAN

This vineyard which came into existence towards the end of the 19thC was bought by Olivier Bernard in 1983 and is still in the same ownership. This is the 40th anniversary of that purchase. There have been many celebrations at the Domaine including, in September, a tasting of each of the 40 vintages by 40 tasters from around the world including Chris Kissack of The Wine Doctor web site.

It has been my good fortune to get to know Olivier and to visit several times including taking the Manchester Commanderie for a memorable visit tasting and lunch on the Bordeaux trip in May 2016. I have visited personally on a couple of occasions at the time of the Primeurs for a tasting of the then new vintage of wines from the Appellation followed by lunch with some older vintages of the wines of various châteaux. There was due to be a Mondial or World Congress of the Commanderie de Bordeaux in September 2020 which, for some reason, was postponed until September 2021. Normally about 200+ Cmdrs. from around the world attend. In mid-2021, however, it was realised that there were still travel restrictions around the world and it was further postponed until 2022. Bordeaux offered anyone who was able to travel to come for a mini event and Jane and I attended. The last event was on the Saturday evening at this property when Olivier and his wife hosted the 22 intrepid visitors and provided wines all from vintages ending in the number nine. We started with a Jeroboam of Krug 1989, the Dom. De Chevalier Blanc 1989 in a double magnum, then the red 2009 in bottles, followed by the 1969 in a double magnum, then the same in 1989 also in a double magnum, on to Ch. Canon-La-Gaffelière 2009 in magnums and finally Ch. Guiraud 1979 of course in a double magnum. Generosity knows no bounds.

On acquisition the estate was 14 hectares and now is 45 hectares. It is planted for the red wines as 63% Cab. Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 2% Cab. Franc. Not content with just bringing the estate up to its present levels, Olivier has been asked by other estates to manage them. So, he looks after the vines and the winemaking at Dom. de la Solitude, Ch. Lespault-Martillac, Clos des Lunes (a former Sauternes property), Ch. Soubian and Ch. Poumey.

Domaine de Chevalier (Pessac-Léognan) 2011: An unusual season, with a warm spring (the second-warmest April since 1900), a cool and damp summer, then a warm autumn. Overall, warmer and drier than average. Now over ten years of age this is dark and smoky, the nose showing a modestly roasted edge, with black truffle and dark chocolate veins nuanced with perfumed rose petals and violets. This has the richer, hedonistic texture of the warm weather at the end of the season on the palate, coming across as slightly toasted, with a ripe tannic structure. And there is good length and grip here too. An impressive 2011 which will give a lot of pleasure. Drink now if you wish, but this is still on the way up. From Domaine de Chevalier, 1983 – 2022. 91/100 (September 2023)

Domaine de Chevalier (Pessac-Léognan) 2009: A cold and stormy winter was followed by months of fine weather, the storms returning momentarily in August. Fine weather in September finished the ripening, and the harvest was relaxed. Now at 14 years of age, this feels smoky and seductive on the nose, with spiced olive and currant, notes of macerated black cherry and a touch of cinnamon. The palate is warm, rich, velvety and welcoming, and while the first impression is one of soft and supple warmth, through the middle the tannins, ripe and tightly knit of course, show though, so that the finish is a rolling combination of tannin and texture. Voluptuous but still with upswing. Drink now if decanted, or hold; if you have several bottles, do both. From Domaine de Chevalier, 1983 – 2022. 94/100 (September 2023)