Le Petit Cheval, Grand Cru Classé, St Emilion, 2011
Produced from 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, Petit Cheval is an athletic, muscular cuvee with a beautiful bouquet of finely ground stones - very mineral indeed. The fruit on the palate is bright, clear, clean and precise. There is good texture, but despite the high proportion of Merlot, there is no puppy fat here; this is tense and linear, but ever so graceful. Super-fine tannins here.
critic reviews
Bright medium red. Strawberry, redcurrant and violet on the nose. Juicy and vinous, with redcurrant and delicate coffee flavors showing good sweetness and plenty of early appeal. Finishes moderately long and a bit simple, with a hint of dusty minerals, repeating floral nuances and smooth tannins. A lovely wine expressing pristine aromas and flavors. Pierre Lurton and technical director Pierre-Olivier Clouet told me that the final blend is 72% merlot and 28% cabernet franc (it was 75% merlot and 25% cabernet franc during the Primeurs).
The quality of Cheval Blancs second wine continues to go from strength to strength. For example, the 2011 Le Petit Cheval reveals savory, high-brow nuances along with black currant, black cherry, spice box and mineral notes. Round, generous and medium-bodied, this sleeper of the vintage is ideal for drinking over the next decade or more.