France

Cabernet Sauvignon

Merlot

Cabernet Franc

Ch. Cheval Blanc

Chateau Cheval Blanc Premier Grand Cru Classe A Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Bordeaux

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

Amatør

Lilac, peony flowers, same family of aromatics as the Petit Cheval, same feeling of finesse and precision, but here everything has been taken up a notch, more density, more slate and pumice stone texture. Expect subtle complexity, a wine that steals up on you, impresses in its precision and clarity. July and August just 20mm of rain each month, well below 30 year average, 140mm rain in September, highest since 2006, harvest September 18 to October 3, 3.62ph (3.9ph in 2022), 37 plots out of the 56 in the vineyard are in here.  100% new oak for ageing. Looking forward to seeing after ageing, it has all the elements and bones in place for a totally delicious Cheval.

Inside Bordeaux

The 2023 Cheval Blanc, accounting for 75% of this year's crop, is deep garnet-purple in color. After a little swirling, the nose erupts with an atomic perfume of Morello cherries, wild blueberries, black raspberries, and ripe plums leading to a fragrant undercurrent of rosebud tea, menthol, star anise, and cinnamon stick. The medium-bodied palate is fantastically fresh and graceful, delivering super-fine-grained tannins and just enough tension to support the red, black, and blue fruit layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note. This is magnificent. The blend is 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, with pH 3.80.

by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW

The 2022 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and it has a deep garnet-purple color. It erupts from the glass with an intense perfume of violets, rose oil, and licorice, leading to a vibrant, fruity core of juicy blueberries, fresh blackberries, redcurrant preserves, and raspberry coulis, plus a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, the palate begins fragrant and opulent, textures and flavors melting in the mouth like Turkish Delight, leading to a generous core of juicy black, blue, and red berry layers, supported by super-fine, silt-like tannins, finishing very long, minerally and refreshing. So graceful, so singular, so Cheval.

We are in an entirely different world of textured tannins, and dense fruit character compared to most, clearly among the red wines of the vintage. Showing an inky character, cigar box, cassis, bluberry, crushed roses, gunsmoke and flint nose along with powerful but understated blueberry and damson fruits. The 30th anniversary with Pierre Lurton as director, and the last official year as Premier Grand Cru Classé A - both things that put this firmly in the buy camp. Biggest percentage of Cabernet Franc since 2011, and the first time to use more Cabernet Franc than Merlot in the blend. 100% new oak.

A blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 Cheval Blanc has more Merlot than usual as some of the young Cabernet Franc that would normally be used was not suitable this year but the Merlot was outstanding! It has a deep purple-black color and a pH of 3.7. The nose is very closed and tight to begin, needing a lot of swirling to coax out notes of plum preserves, black cherry compote, and blueberry pie, followed by suggestions of pencil shavings, clove oil, candied violets, cast-iron pan, and fertile loam, with a waft of wild sage. The medium to full-bodied palate is locked-up tight, with loads of layers, bound with a firm frame of grainy tannins and just enough freshness, finishing long and earthy. It will need a lot of time!

Sommelier

The 2018 Cheval Blanc is deep garnet purple in color. It drifts effortlessly out of the glass with scents of black cherry compote, boysenberry preserves, and anise, plus touches of cedar, pencil shavings, and kirsch. Full-bodied, the palate is rich and muscular with firm, grainy tannins and a long, earthy finish. 

Critic Average Rating

This has depths that steal up on you, clinging on through the palate, dark fruit expression, cassis bud, blackcurrant puree, raspberry leaf and mandarin peel freshness, nuanced and gorgeous and hard to argue with. All the plots but two made it into the main wine in this vintage. 100% new oak, Pierre Lurton director. As an aside, it's wonderful tasting Cheval and Ausone in 2015, as both deliver such a clear imprint of their different locations in St Emilion, and both are exceptional wines.

Deep garnet-brick in color, the 2014 Cheval Blanc needs a lot of swirling to unlock notes of plum preserves and fruitcake plus suggestions of garrigue, black pepper, and tapenade with a hint of camphor. The medium to full-bodied palate has a rock solid structure of chewy tannins and bold freshness supporting the savory, muscular fruit, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

Medium garnet in color, the 2013 Cheval Blanc is a tad broody to start, offering notions of dried herbs, tar, and damp soil before giving way to notes of prunes, fruitcake, and beef dripping with a touch of unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate is all class, with fine-grained tannins and delicately knit, well-sustained fruit, finishing with a minerally lift.

Seductive, rich flavours, far more creamy in its fruit expression than many of the top Left Banks in the 2012 vintage, and yet also higher in fresh acidities, giving a lovely push-and-pull contrast. Persistent, with sage and white pepper spice, this is a nuanced and sculputed wine, full of personality and grace. Not the depth of the truly great vintages at Cheval such as the 2010 or 2016, but this is one of the wines of the tasting, with layers of flavour that will take decades to fully unwind. 100% new oak.

The 2011 Cheval Blanc has a deep garnet-brick color. The nose is redolent of tar, fertile loam, licorice, and prunes, giving way to a core of fruitcake, new leather, and black truffles. The palate is full-bodied, rich, and concentrated with earthy nuances coming through on the long finish.

The 2010 Cheval Blanc is deep garnet in color, with a touch of brick. Broody to begin, offering wafts of tar, chargrill, and smoked meats, after considerable swirling the nose reveals a fragrant perfume of Morello cherries and violets, with a touch of star anise. The concentrated, full-bodied palate is packed with tightly knit, impactful black fruits, framed by firm, yet plush, tannins and bags of freshness, finishing very long and earthy.

A blend of 56% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 Cheval Blanc has a deep garnet-brick color. It needs a lot of shaking to wake this sleeping giant, then it roars into life with powerful crème de cassis, blackberry coulis, and fruitcake scents, leading to touches of sandalwood and dusty soil. The full-bodied palate is laden with densely packed black fruits, intertwined with mineral and exotic spice accents, supported by super-plush tannins, and finishing with epic length. Stunning!

A great moment to begin drinking this, although still young at 15 years old with no rush to get going. Rich berry fruits, huge depth to the black cherry, textured raspberry and bilberry flavours, firm and fresh. Just the beginning of tobacco, fennel, truffle and crushed stone. 3.94ph. A year that really favoured Merlot, and its seductive appeal is fully on display.

Almost equal proportions of Cabernet and Merlot, summing up how balanced the 2005 vintage was. Rosehip, rose petal, ripe raspberry fruits. Now beginning to open up, even inching towards tertiary with its wisps of florality and tobacco but still with so much power and concentration. This is right up there as one of the wines of the vintage, with huge complexity, touches of Asian spice, mint leaf, you really feel just how much is going on in the glass. Plenty of Cheval signature in its classicism and balance, with a moreish bitter almond and salted cracker signoff. I last had this three or four years ago and it was not ready, but it has flipped the switch now, and can be enjoyed with a good few hours in a carafe. Harvest September 12 to 27, 42hl/h yield. 100% new oak, 57% of overall production, no press wine. Vinified in the old cellar, and this is three years before the arrival of current technical director Pierre Olivier Clouet, with Thierry Garnrud cellar master, Pierre Lurton director. Unrolls in the glass, with decades ahead of it.

Mye rød frukt, kjøtt, bra tanniner, elegant og konsentrert, mye power og mye finnesse. På nesen er det rød frukt, litt lær, litt mint. På smaken er det rød frukt, men også litt trøffel. Lang og konsentert ettersmak.

Expert

Nuanced supple tannins with saffron, cold ash and violets notes. Extremely charming, this highlights so many of the things that Cheval Blanc does so well - nuance, elegant, precision, flesh, silken fruits with freshly crushed mint and eucalyptus on the finish. 55% 1st wine, 1% press wine with 100% new oak.

A blend of 53% Merlot and 47% Cabernet Franc, the 2000 Cheval Blanc has a medium garnet-brick color. It explodes with an amazingly complex array of fragrant earth and exotic spice scents, leading to a core of raspberry preserves, cherry cola, dried mulberries, and violets, plus hints of licorice, iron ore, and unsmoked cigars. The palate is gracefully styled and medium-bodied with layer upon layer of fruit, earth, and perfumed spice flavors, framed by silky tannins and beautiful tension, finishing long and minerally. Phenomenal!

An appetisting, delicate balance between rich berry fruit and clear tertiary earth, smoked cinammon and cold ash notes, matched by a colour that remains vibrant but is beginning to show some bricking around the edge. The tannins are supple, integrated, and well-placed, with the precision of the estate. Overshadowed by the 1998, and 2000, and yet in a difficult year it was this corner of St Emilion, together with the big names of Pomerol, that fought for the title of wine of the vintage, mainly because they were able to ripen and be picked before the rains. An abundant year in terms of yield, coming in at around 50hl/h. 10% press wine, 1999 Cheval Blanc was aged in 100% new oak barrels. 52% 1st wine, 3.46ph.

Igjen en elegant vin - fastere i frukten i peer group - pen sødme - sublim balanse - (95)

Mørke bær, fløteaktig konsistens. Hinter av lær og pepper. Mest fantastiske vinen jeg har drukket (smakt første gang i 2019) 


A blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, the 1989 Cheval Blanc comes from a dry, hot vintage. It has a medium brick color and the nose begins with ferrous wafts of rusty nails, giving way to a core of redcurrant preserves, sweaty leather, dusty soil, and incense, followed by a touch of unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate is elegant, refreshing, and soft-textured, delivering a lifted finish.

Transparent ruby with a garnet rim. Blueberries, cassis, leather and minerals. Fresh acidity. Vibrant and playful with cherries, licorice, crowberries and spice. Polished integrated tannins. Very long.

Drink from now until 2040(?).

Cheval Blanc is one of the most modern wineries in Bordeaux. They have 41 hectares of vineyard located very close to Pomerol with sandy blue clay soil. From Cheval Blanc you have a 20 minute walk to Petrus and less to Figeac. Up to 1838 the vineyards were a part of Chateau Figeac. It was then purchased by the Ducasse family.

Along with Chateau Ausone, Angelus and Pavie, Cheval Blanc is one of the four Premier Grand Cru Classe A in St. Emilion.

In the movie Ratatouille (do see it if you have not) the Restaurant critic Anton Ego orders a bottle of 1947 Cheval Blanc to go with "some fresh, clear, well-seasoned perspective". The 47 is an iconic bottle of Cheval Blanc. Have I tasted the 1947 vintage? Nope, but I just tasted a splendid 1986 Cheval Blanc :)

The 1985 Cheval Blanc has a medium garnet-brick color. It strides confidently out of the glass with mature notes of cigar box, plum pudding, dried figs, and dusty soil, followed by fragrant wafts of jasmine tea and potpourri. The medium-bodied palate offers compelling tension and loads of exotic spice sparks amongst the dried red and black berry layers, textured by soft, powdery tannins, finishing with a persistent minerally whisper.

The 1982 Chevel Blanc has a medium garnet-brick color and springs from the glass with scents of kirsch, dried cranberries, and pencil shavings, leading to hints of rose oil, rare steak, and crushed rocks. The medium-bodied palate is packed with mature red fruit and earthy layers, textured with satiny tannins and delivering seamless acidity, finishing on a long-lingering mocha note. Still very youthful, this was clearly a very good bottle, coming directly from the Chateau. The yields in 1982 for Cheval Blanc were a whopping 55 hl/ha, according to Pierre Lurton.

fra Furuholmen auksjonen - perfekt 75 med runde tanniner - ørlite jordlig med mørke bær. Kjølig kjeller vinner alltid.

Wow, sitter fortsatt ved bordet. Skriver mens jeg har smaken på tunga. Fra et trist år for bordeaux så kommer de sterke frem. Korken smuldret med duranden men med tålmodighet så gikk hele ut uten biter i vinen. 

Fløtekonsistens med smak av mørke bær, vanilje og eksellens. Duft av skog, mose og høst. 

Enda rød i fargen (drukket flere viner fra 73 der alle har vært brune). 

Drukket til indrefilet

Fantastisk

definisjonen av eleganse. Intet preg av tørket frukt. Sømløs vin med dyp frukt. Raffinert og kompleks. En av de bedre røde bdx på lenge (95+)

A blend of 55% Cabernet Franc and 45% Merlot, the 1970 Cheval Blanc has a pale brick color. The nose is a little tired and disappointing to begin, only to give way after about 15 minutes to fragrant scents of dried lavender, Darjeeling tea, dried cranberries, and prunes, followed by touches of new leather, dates, and tobacco. The light to medium-bodied palate is delicate and perfumed, with lively acidity and powdery tannins, finishing with a quiet intensity. It is delicate and alluring.

The 1967 Cheval Blanc has a medium brick color. The nose begins subtle and restrained, offering soft-spoken scents of leather, cast-iron pan, and Indian spices, before revealing a fragrant core of lavender and cherry cola, with a fragrant waft of dried roses. The medium-bodied palate is lively and delicately nuanced, with loads of exotic spices and mineral sparks, textured by powdery tannins, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

Klart på vei nedover, ennå interessant i glasset, men mer en kuriositet smaking enn opplevelse.

fra Furuholmen kjelleren - utsøkt fruktsødme med underliggende mineralitet mot varm grus - mørk eksotisk krydret frukt - sensuell tekstur - strålende flaske (94)

perfekt kork - noe varmere frukt i peer group - svakt røffere tanniner - pent krydret - lang søt finish (96)

'49 var rikere, fyldigere og viste dypere frukt - en hedonistisk vin med pen friskhet (98+)

Hvor god kan en vin bli? En dyp skogsbærsmak som smaker hele rekken av nyanser - komplekst. Superren frukt, lang og med syren til en langt yngre vin, Pent tanningrip som matcher intensiteten til den mørke frukten. En unik balanse og en velutviklet, balansert skogsbærparfyme på nese og munn. Elegant og lang.

Mähler-Besse - rekorket på chateauet i 2018 - en godt moden CB - plomme og sjokolade, ikke den mest konsentrerte og noe tørring på finish - men ingen oksidasjon og urenheter - ok lengde

2024	No priceNot available	Outstanding
2023	No priceNot available	Extraordinary
2022	kr 8 500,00Not available	Extraordinary
2021	kr 5 772,40Not available	Extraordinary
2020	kr 7 250,00Available	Extraordinary

Category	Red wine
Vinmonopolet no.
Producer	Ch. Cheval Blanc
Vintages	1962
Country	France, Bordeaux, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
Bottle	75 cl

Alcohol	%
Acid	%
Sugar	g/l

Packaging
Cork type
Selection
Wholesaler
Carrier