Great red wines are too
often served too warm – and great whites too cold.
Depending on its age, red
Domaine de Chevalier should be decanted fairly far in advance and, in
any event, never be served at a temperature of more than 16/18°C. Ideally, white Chevalier should also be
systematically decanted – two or three hours beforehand if less than
ten years old – and served at 10/12°C.
With regard to purchasing
great white wines, it is useful to know that
"off years" for red wines can sometimes be outstanding
white wine vintages. This is because white wine grapes are picked two
weeks before red wine grapes. They are therefore far less vulnerable to autumn
showers. As you are surely aware, the reputation and price of Bordeaux wines in
a given vintage is based on the quality of red wines. Wine lovers thus have
much to gain in certain red wine vintages whose so-so reputation overshadows an
excellent year for white wines… at a rather interesting price!
"I suggest that you avoid white Chevalier with
shellfish such as oysters, mussels, cockles, whelks etc., that do not bring out
its best qualities, in favour of fish, lobster, white meats and, above all,
most great French cheeses made from unpasteurised milk."
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