Château Cheval Blanc, 1er Grand Cru Classé, St Emilion
    Château Cheval Blanc

    Château Cheval Blanc, 1er Grand Cru Classé, St Emilion, 2016

    100/100
    The Wine Independent
    98/100
    Vinous
    Available Vintages
    Broking
    1. 2016

      1x6L

      DP

      £5,429.77

    Justerini & Brooks Tasting note

    Blending is a big job at Cheval. The estate is split into 45 plots, all of which are vinified individually. Every effort is made in the vineyard to achieve the best possible results from their diverse array of terroir. Once vinifications have started, Pierre-Olivier Clouet and his team taste each plot every day. That's a lot of tasting. We were lucky to taste a dozen samples with Pierre-Olivier and Arnaud in October - it was fascinating to see how each plot has such a unique character. Only with an intimate knowledge of each plot and such regular tasting can they judge when to stop macerations. Like many other top estates, the philosophy is to stop before coarse flavours are extracted. And then this process is continued; tasting every day, understanding the qualities of each plot, and building up an image of the final wine. They build complexity through diversity, and the 2016 Cheval Blanc is an ensemble of 33 plots. As with the Petit Cheval, this is all grace, charm and refinement, however, there is a serious, complex and large-scale wine lurking beneath. Somewhat introverted aromatically, but with coaxing a stunning bouquet of flowers, fresh pine cones, eucalyptus, cool cassis and crushed rocks emerges. Noble flavours of pure raspberry, crème de cassis and loganberry captivate the palate. Wave after wave of sumptuous, but reserved fruit, washes over the palate and lingers persistently on the mineral infused tannins. There is more than a hint of classicism and so much potential; this has a very bright and long future ahead.

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    Critic Reviews

    100/100
    Lisa Perrotti-Brown,
    The Wine Independent
    The 2016 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 58% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon and has a deep garnet-purple color. It needs a fair bit of swirling to unlock a powerful, profound nose of cassis, black raspberries, and stewed plums, followed by suggestions of Indian spices, fragrant soil, crushed rocks, and menthol, with a touch of violets. Medium-bodied, the palate is bright, energetic and gracefully styled, featuring youthful blackberry layers and loads of mineral and floral sparks, with a fine-grained, beautifully ripe texture, finishing long and earthy. Mind-blowing!
    drinking window 2028 - 2068
    date of review 12/2022
    98/100
    Neal Martin,
    Vinous
    The 2016 Cheval Blanc has an exquisite bouquet of pixelated black and red fruit, crushed stone, violets and seamlessly integrated new oak; this is utterly seductive. The medium-bodied palate reveals a hint of marmalade on the entry. Powerful and dense, this is an impressive, almost heady nascent wine with plenty of grip and sinew toward the finish. Maybe it lacks that crystalline detail at the moment, but it is clearly a long-term proposition. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.
    drinking window 2026 - 2070
    date of review 08/2020

    product details

    Specifications

    Country:
    France
    Region:
    Bordeaux
    Appellation:
    St Emilion
    style:
    Red Wine
    Grape Variety:
    Merlot Cabernet
    abv:
    13%

    allergen information

    This product may contain sulphites. Full allergen information is available upon request, please call our Customer Relations Team on +44 (0)20 7484 6430.