Chateau Cheval Blanc, Premier Grand Cru Classe "A", Saint Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 2021

Grapes: A blend of 52% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 56 plots planted over a 39ha vineyard, clay gravel & sand soils, 28hl/ha yield, indigenous yeast fermentation, aged 16 months in 100% new French oak

Producer Tasting Note:

Driven by 52% Cabernet Franc, which is once again in the majority with this vintage, the 2021 marks the end of ten vintages dominated by Merlot and thus reconnects with the historic style of the property. And with what success! On the nose, it develops beautiful, complex aromas of graphite, red fruits, violets and menthol. On the palate, it reveals a subtle and velvety texture, supported by a dense, opulent tannic structure, great freshness and delicate oak. Simply superb. 2021 was the final vintage before the chateau withdrew from the Saint Emilion classification system in 2022.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"52% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cask sample.
Deep crimson hue. Fragrant and floral with a hint of mint, the same returning on the palate. Focused and precise, the fruit juicy and the plentiful tannins finely grained. Low-key but elegant and refined. Should fill out more in bottle."  Drink 2030-2046

17++/20 points, James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson.com, May 2022

"A gorgeous wine, especially when you consider the vintage, you start off with a nose offering complexities of tobacco leaf, violets, roses, spice-box, mint leaf, and ripe, red and black pit fruits. On the palate you find layers of sensual, pure, silky fruits, cashmere, polished tannins and a richness created by velvet textured plums and black cherries. There is a slight drop off in the weight of the fruit after the mid-palate that makes this a very, very good vintage for Cheval Blanc, but stops it from being one of the great vintages from the estate. Still, there is a lot to love about the 2021 Cheval, making this one of the contenders for wine of the vintage. The wine blends 52% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, 5%, 13.25% ABV, 3.61 pH. Cabernet Sauvignon. the harvest took place September 24 - October 14, making this a very late vintage here. In fact, it is the lateness of the harvest that is the secret to the success of the vintage. Yields were low at only 28 hectoliters per hectare."  Drink from 2029-2055

97/100 points, Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider, May 2022

"The 2021 Château Cheval Blanc has turned out beautifully in bottle, and director Pierre-Olivier Clouet even considers it to be superior to the 2020, a preference that I share. Wafting from the glass with aromas of mulberries and cherries mingled with incense, iris and rose petals, framed by a deft touch of new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and layered, with a velvety attack that segues into a rich, concentrated mid-palate framed by sweet, powdery tannins and concluding with a long, penetrating, rose-inflected finish."  Drink 2027-2055

97/100 points, William Kelley, Wine Advocate, February 2024

Estate: Located at the western edge of the appellation (neighbouring Pomerol), on one of Bordeaux's most complex terroirs, Cheval Blanc sits on the site of an ancient river delta, with (to generalise) clay-rich soils in the lower-lying parts where rivulets once flowed and gravel and sand elsewhere. This complexity is reflected, of course, in the resulting wine but also in how it is farmed and made, with thoughtful use of cover crops according to soil type and parcel-by-parcel vinification. A concerted effort is being made, moreover, to bring life back to the vineyard, with hedges of native species to act as wildlife corridors and fruit trees planted among the vines. The same attention to detail that's applied in the vineyards, for example with regard to developing and testing an in-house massal selection, is applied in the cellar, where cooperage trials are notable for their exigence. All of that shows in the glass. Cabernet dominates in the 2021 blend, and the result is a serious Cheval Blanc built for the long haul.

Food Match: Roasted Rack of Lamb, Beef Wellington, Tournedos Rossini (Filet mignon topped with pan-seared foie gras and black truffles), Roasted Duck Breast, Slow-Braised Lentils, Mushroom Risotto, Saint-Nectaire or aged Gouda & Comté cheeses