Château Cheval Blanc, a 1er Grand Cru Classé (A) is unquestionably the leading estate in St. Emilion. It is located in the north-west of the St. Emilion appellation, bordering Pomerol.
Cheval Blanc’s vineyards (Merlot 39%, Cabernet Franc 57%, Malbec 3%, Cabernet Sauvignon 1%) enjoy a variety of soils: gravel, clay and sand, all underpinned by an impermeable sedimentary rock (`crasse de fer’). Fermentation and maceration last 4 weeks in stainless steel vats, followed by 18 months’ maturation in new oak barrels.
Cheval Blanc produces the most famous Cabernet Franc-based wine in the world and present régisseur Pierre Lurton is amongst the most talented winemakers working in Bordeaux today. Cheval Blanc requires a minimum 10 years of bottle age and the best vintages can last for 50 years or more.
95 Points Robert Parker Wine Advocate
This is an outrageously decadent Cheval Blanc. The nose is layer upon layer of ebullient, red-berried fruit: raspberries, crushed strawberries, lavish creamy new oak and a touch of vanilla pod. I would describe it as “”slutty”” in the hands of a lesser estate. The palate is full-bodied with plush red-berried fruit, at the moment firmly under the governance of the Merlot with a sexy, lascivious finish. The word that comes to mind is: orgiastic. I wonder if it will obtain the breeding of the ’85?