Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé A
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What wine lover has never heard of Château Cheval Blanc, one of the most unmissable and legendary Bordeaux wines? It was in 1832 that the Domaine was bought by Jean-Jacques Ducasse, president of the court of Libourne, who contributed to its development. It will rise in prestige then in 1878, it gets its first gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. The excellence of the wines of Cheval Blanc will then not cease to be recognized throughout the world for the following decades.
It is in 1998 that the handover is made to Bernard Arnault and Baron Albert Frère, who both breathe new vitality into Domaine, respecting its history as well as its heritage. Directed today by Pierre Lurton, the quest for perfect quality vintage after vintage remains the credo of the estate. This is made possible in particular thanks to the majestic cellar inaugurated in 2011, which allows for tailor-made vinification to reveal the potential of each part of this illustrious terroir.
When the first edition of the Saint-Emilion classification was published in 1955, Château Cheval Blanc was promoted straight away to the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé "A". It will keep this distinction until the 2021 vintage. At the beginning of 2022, Domaine will choose to withdraw from the ranking, the next edition of which was to be made official in September of the same year. Thus, from the 2022 vintage, the label of Château Cheval Blanc will mention only the Saint-Emilion appellation Grand Cru.
The Château Cheval Blanc stands on a vineyard of 39 hectares of vines planted on soils where gravel, clay and sand mix. The grape variety is composed of 52% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are aged for 16 to 18 months in 100% new oak barrels.
The property produces a Second wine named the Petit Cheval. It also produces a Bordeauxwhite Sec Petit Cheval since 2014, from 7 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc (80%) and Semillon (20%). It is a very complex wine in line with the DNA of Cheval Blanc.
The Château Cheval Blanc offers exceptional wines, for which nothing is left to chance in their making. These are wines that combine finesse of aromas, freshness and delicacy, where the mastered power is matched only by the exquisite velvety sensation they provide.
The 2012 vintage is marked by important climatic contrasts, making it interesting. The spring and the beginning of the summer were indeed quite rainy, while between mid-July and the end of September, a certain dryness settled on the Bordeaux vineyard, which allowed to shape the vintage and offered the berries the possibility to perfect their maturity. The sanitary state at the time of the harvest was irreproachable.
Blend of the vintage 2012 : 53% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet-Sauvignon
The color is a pretty purple, with subtle tints.
The nose is incredibly fresh and complex. It reveals notes of wild berries, menthol and crème de cassis, accompanied by roasted hazelnut.
The palate is velvety, with a great tannic sweetness and an explosion of violet and crème de cassis flavors. Dense and with a beautiful texture, it lasts a long time until a persistent finish which signs a wine of a very surprising youth and freshness.
Food and wine pairing:
Château Cheval Blanc 2012 should be enjoyed with appropriate food. Enjoy it with a tender piece of beef such as tournedos, with a truffle sauce and accompanied by button mushrooms and a pumpkin purée with fleur de sel and cumin. Roasted lamb from Pauillac will be able to enhance it, as well as a Châteaubriand with a foie gras sauce.
Several cheeses are suitable, including Morbier with truffles, Cantal, Brie de Meaux and Melun and Salers.
As far as desserts are concerned, it can be wonderfully enjoyed on Pierre Hermé's meringue chocolate cake. It can also be enjoyed on a dessert such as Meyer's pear and lemon charlotte.
Ageing potential and tasting:
This vintage of Cheval Blanc will reach its peak between 2023 and 2032, but it can easily be enjoyed at its full potential today.
Serve at room temperature, having opened the bottle the day before if possible. If not, open and decant the bottle at least 5 to 6 hours before tasting.
To follow its evolution over time, do not hesitate to proceed to successive tastings to measure the evolution of the wine and its qualitative peak.
The bottles should be kept in the cellar in a dark place, lying down, with an optimal hygrometric degree of 70%.
