Château Cheval Blanc 2020 - 1er Grand Cru Classé

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

With apple trees between the vines, chickens, sheep and a few pigs, Cheval Blanc has a sustainable vision of agriculture. The 39 hectares of this legendary estate occupy a prime position on the appellation's sandy-gravel plateau, which is slightly more clayey on its northern flank, near Pomerol. Cheval Blanc is distinguished from its neighbors by its legendary longevity, due to the high percentage of Cabernet Franc. Pierre Lurton, its director since 1991 (he also presides over Château d'Yquem) and his talented teams apply rigor and spirit to perpetuate its inimitable style. 2018, 2019 and 2020 are superb.

Decanter

About the wine:

Spices, anise, rosemary, blackcurrant leaves, redcurrants, mint and peonies - the full range of aromas unfolds here, and the fruit has an enveloping quality as soon as you get to the body of the wine. The tannins are compact and powerful, but enveloped by plump raspberries and blackberries. The wine is full of life, with acidity pulling the palate forward from the first moments, before austerity intervenes on the finish and closes things up, hinting at a very long life ahead. Potential of 100 points. 2028-2048

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

Originally a simple Figeac tenant farm, Cheval Blanc became an independent estate in 1832 when Jean-Jacques Ducasse, president of the Libourne court, bought it and had the present château built. His descendants undertook major works, including drainage, and by the end of the Second Empire, the vineyard had reached its current size (37 ha) and was one of the most renowned in Saint-Émilion. Its Pomerol-style terroir, with gravel and ancient sand over clay, explains the originality of its grape varieties, predominantly Cabernet Franc, complemented by Merlot. The descendants of President Ducasse remained at the head of the estate until it was bought out in 1998 by Bernard Arnault (LVMH) and Albert Frère. The latter appointed Pierre Lurton as general manager and endowed the château with a new winery, built by Christian de Portzamparc.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the domain :

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

Against a backdrop of heightened competition between premier grands crus classés, and after a period of neglect (until 2005), the return of the property owned by businessmen Albert Frère and Bernard Arnaud to the elite of Saint-Emilion has been a resounding success. A new page is being written on this exceptional sandy-gravel terroir on the edge of Pomerol, with a vineyard that relies on a high proportion of Cabernet Franc, including 8 hectares planted in 1956, giving the grand vin a unique freshness and depth of flavor. Since 2011, vinification has taken place in the new, airy winery designed by architect Christian de Portzamparc. A tall, vast, luminous, elementary and ecological vessel. 55 custom-built, corseted and profiled ivory cement tanks. The "beautiful and useful" tool that captain-director Pierre Lurton and technical director Pierre-Olivier Clouet dreamed of. This spectacular, but not ostentatious, investment follows a vigorous return to viticulture since 2008. With its confirmation as a premier grand cru classé A in the 2012 classification, the land base has expanded. For the first time, 1.40 ha from the annexation of Château Tour du Pin (a mound of clay in perfect continuity with the château's driveway) is included in the grand vin. Never the most powerful, Cheval Blanc is nonetheless capable of offering rare elegance and refinement. These characteristics are found in the last five vintages and justify Cheval Blanc's return last year to the select group of three stars.

Vinous A. Galloni

About the wine:

Cheval Blanc 2020 is timeless, flawless and exceptionally beautiful. All the elements come together so well. Rose petal, blood orange, raspberry jam and cinnamon take shape in the glass. Above all, Château Cheval Blanc 2020 is a wine of breathtaking balance. Notes of mocha, raspberry jam, pomegranate and spice emerge over time in the glass. Cheval is quite simply one of the greatest wines of the vintage.

Jean-Marc Quarin

About the wine:

Deep, dark, crimson red. Intense, fine, fruity, ripe nose, smelling of black fruits, refreshed by mint. Becomes floral when the glass is shaken. Ooh, grace has taken hold of this magnificent wine, which melts as soon as it enters the mouth, on a fine fatness and never stops gliding over the tongue. From the middle, it tightens delicately, bounces back, velvety, with a tannic touch that energizes it and pulls it long into persistence. Wonderful. 2032-2065

Vert de Vin

About the wine:

The nose is elegant, beautifully fresh and offers delicacy (in finesse), power (in subtlety), depth (in finesse), a lovely sense of detail, goldsmithery (millimeter-perfect) and complexity. There are notes of bright blackcurrant, pulpy boysenberry and, more lightly, violet, combined with hints of blueberry/blueberry and hints of caramelization, toast, almond, a subtle hint of vanilla bean, blueberry and licorice. On the palate, the wine is fruity, fresh, mineral, elegant and well-balanced, offering astonishing freshness for such a warm vintage, a pretty multi-layered side (all finesse), lovely definition, precision, delicacy, richness (in finesse and almost restraint) as well as density (in elegance and balance) and an airy side. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of bursting blackcurrant, juicy/pulpy blackberry, pulpy plum, as well as fine hints of tonka bean, caramelized hazelnut, a hint of balsamic and spice. The tannins are elegant, massive, polished and subtle at the same time. The bitterness on the finish lengthens the wine and adds a touch of sapidity. A wine of the contrary, surprisingly fine and complex in its richness.

The Wine Cellar Insider - Jeff Leve

About the wine:

The bouquet of white, red and violet flowers is further enhanced by the addition of Indian spices, red and black fruits and truffles. But as good as the nose is, it's the palate, with its seemingly endless layers of cashmere-textured fruit, refined, silky tannins, vivacity and energy, that steals the show. The wine delicately caresses the palate for over 60 seconds. This is a monumental Cheval Blanc that will age for decades, but it's sexy and can be enjoyed young. Drink between 2027 and 2065.