| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The 2007 Cheval Blanc has a refined bouquet with scents of red berry fruit, leather, iron filing and orange rind, perhaps a little more advanced than some of its Saint Emilion peers, but still attractive. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin on the entry. This is a "stocky" Cheval Blanc, with the Cabernet Franc component really forming the backbone to this wine, imparting bell pepper and spice box notes towards the grippy finish. I think it might have peaked a couple of years ago, so drink now and over the next 15 years. Tasted February 2017.
Drink Date 2017 - 2030
A strong effort in this vintage, the evolved, perfumed, purple-tinged 2007 Cheval Blanc offers complex aromas of menthol, cedarwood, mulberries, and black currants. Medium-bodied with beautiful fruit, sweet tannin, and a heady finish, this lovely wine should drink well for 10-15 years. Drink 2010-2025.
Has gorgeous aromas already, with plum, sweet tobacco, violet and a little coffee. Medium-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long finish. This is 30 percent of the harvest. 60 percent Cabernet Franc and 40 percent Merlot
55% Cabernet Franc, 45% Merlot. Selection of the grand vin was limited by the amount of good Merlot available. They made only one third of the usual volume. Quite a long harvest. They usually pick early but had to wait to get full ripeness. More complex than Petit Cheval and lovely freshness and minerality but the difference between Petit Cheval and Cheval Blanc seems much less than in some more dramatically successful years. Cool and calm. Malted milk. Maybe not really really dramatic. Quality of the fruit of 2004 but with softer tannins. So mellow! Drink 2013-2021
(a 54/46 blend of cabernet franc and merlot) Good ruby-red. Pure nose offers blackberry, violet, licorice and bitter chocolate. Supple and sweet, with nicely integrated acidity that's in harmony with the wine's silky texture. Just a tad peppery; I looked for a bit more thrust. Best today on the finish, where the suave fruit shows a lovely restrained sweetness and spreads out to saturate the palate. This is around 13.5% alcohol, with a bit of saignee done for the merlot.
There is a wonderful violet fragrance on the nose, lots of black fruit behind this, bilberry and bramble lifted by a touch of green pepper. The palate has layers of flavour, fleshy richness beautifully balanced by red fruit freshness, a lovely complexity. The finish is very long and there is the feel of more fruit to show. 2013-2026.
The trademark elegance is there in the bouquet which shows a poise and freshness of fruit (55% Cabernet Franc in the blend). The palate also shows smoothness and suavity of texture with a crisp tannic edge but the finish is just a little less polished than the rest. Drink 2013-2020. 4 stars.
No tasting note given.
The Cheval Blanc has a deep garnet/purple colour. The nose is reticent at first, it definitely needs time so wait 3 minutes and it unfurls some attractive earthy aromas with tobacco becoming ever-stronger with time. The palate is very intense, superb acidity and what I really like about this year’s Cheval is the tension in the wine (a while since I mentioned that at en primeur.) This Cheval Blanc has a sense of urgency that I adore. Very well defined on the finish – masculine, almost Cabernet Sauvignon in quality but I think this is one of the few 2007’s with long-term potential. Great wine. Tasted April 2008.
