Vines have been grown at the place named Cheval Blanc for centuries and the vineyard of Saint-Emilion has produced wines of outstanding quality year after year, decade after decade, since late antiquity… they are some of the most acclaimed in the world – and the mythical Château Cheval Blanc is at their forefront.
Cheval Blanc obtained the highest possible distinction in the first classification of Saint-Emilion wines in 1954: Premier Grand Cru Classé “A”. This exalted rank was confirmed in every following classification in each subsequent decade.
GRAND CRU - Classé "A" (1982)
CHÂTEAU CHEVAL BLANC
This was an outstanding year, where quality went hand in hand with quantity. 1982 Cheval Blanc is rich and complete. It is one of the finest vintages in the latter half of the 20th century.
The beautiful colour is medium-deep and showing some bricking on the rim. The nose is remarkably powerful, concentrated, and complex with an elegant succession of truffle, crème caramel, and prune aromas, as well as a slight smokiness. When swirled in the glass, the bouquet goes on to reveal roasted overtones of coffee, cocoa, and chocolate overlaying spice (cinnamon) and praline. The wine starts out smooth, fresh and rich on the palate. It is rich, concentrated, round, and sinewy on the palate, but also fluid and in no way heavy. The velvety tannin is accompanied by flavours of cedar and blackcurrant, accompanied by blackberry and raspberry jam nuances that go into a very long aftertaste. This wine seems virtually eternal and still has the attributes of its flamboyant youth.
GRAND CRU - 1er CLASSÉ "A" (2005)
CHÂTEAU CHEVAL BLANC
This warm year with record dry weather was as favourable to Merlot as it was to Cabernet Franc. This immense wine is elegant and powerful, with a beautiful tannic texture and great length. It will long leave its mark on the history of Château Cheval Blanc.
The weather this year was ideal and brought together all the necessary qualities of a great vintage. This was the driest growing season ever recorded in Saint Emilion. It also confirms that dry years make for outstanding vintages in Bordeaux. The colour is exceptionally deep, dark, and intense. The nose is rich, with ripe black fruit aromas. In fact, this wine is rich in every respect. It shows concentrated black fruit on the palate, as well as a beautiful tannic texture – the sign of great Cabernet Franc. The aftertaste is tremendously long and generous – the sign of an outstanding year. Marked by Cabernet Franc in superb condition contributing elegance and complexity, this vintage also features power and richness of similarly successful Merlot grapes. The extraordinary length is indicative a wine that will last for several generations.
GRAND CRU - CLASSÉ "A" (2015)
CHÂTEAU CHEVAL BLANC
2015 was hot and dry at the beginning of the year and then cool during the ripening season. Due to the exceptional quality of the harvest throughout, there was no Petit Cheval produced in this vintage. The 2015 vintage wines are beautifully balanced and harmonious.
Deep, shiny, ruby red colour with violet hints. The nose is extraordinarily intense. A medley of fruit, flowers, spices and balsamic notes combines with a marked freshness resulting in a bouquet of rare complexity. The initial aromas are dominated by red fruits, raspberry, blackcurrant crush and subtle floral notes of lily and violet. A powerful, rich attack develops into a dense mid-palate enveloped in precise, clean, elegant, distinguished and persistent tannins. This wine is rich and full-bodied with an extremely long finish. Power, elegance and distinction combine to create a perfectly harmonious wine.