Le Petit Cheval, St Emilion, 2023
There is a Petit Cheval this year, and very good it is too, although only 15,000 bottles have been produced. Slightly subdued initially, then revealing a rather attractive bouquet of vibrant cherries, rose petals, fine cigar tobacco. and sandalwood. Pure, sumptuous fruit on the mid palate, very aromatic and expressive; wild berry fruit, cranberries and vanilla, wrapped in quite serious and multifaceted tannins, grippy but supple. Long, clear fruited finish - very refined.
critic reviews
The 2023 Le Petit Cheval represents 10% of total production this vintage. It has a fragrant bouquet that is very pure, black cherries and wild strawberry, hints of cassis with peony and violet scents that percolate through with time. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, fine sapidity, quite assertive in terms of grip toward the finish with a touch of brine on the aftertaste. An upstanding Petit Cheval.
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2023 Le Petit Cheval storms out of the glass with powerful earthy/savory notes of tar, tapenade, and underbrush giving way to a core of ripe black plums, boysenberries, and iris bulb with a fragrant touch of dried Provence herbs. The medium-bodied palate is satin-soft and refreshing, with a well-sustained mid-palate of savory flavors, finishing with a cheeky red berry lift. The blend is 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Franc, aged in 1-year barrels with no new oak. Le Petit Cheval accounts for 10% of production.
Precise carved quality to this Petit Cheval, gorgeous vibrancy to the tannins, savoury cassis and blueberry fruits, with sage, fennel and lemongrass edges, grilled and mouthwatering spices on the finish. Drawn from five plots in 2023. Pierre Olivier Clouet director, 40hl/h yield, 10% of overall production, harvest September 6 to October 3.
There are only 15,000 bottles of the 2023 Le Petit Cheval, a blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc that didn't have quite the plenitude of the grand vin. Offering up an attractive bouquet of minty berries, cherries, plums and petals, it's medium-bodied, pillowy and vibrant, with polished tannins and a bright core of fruit. I suspect that a bit of patience will be rewarded by more fat and texture.