Chateau Cheval Blanc 2023

Initially reserved, the wine reveals its aromatic complexity with air—profound, noble, floral—with dark and red berries, and excellent balance on the palate; the fruit is perfectly ripe, the acidity lends drive, and the silky tannins only show on the finish. A Cheval Blanc that perfectly reflects this contemporary-classic vintage.

Fresh and floral on the nose, with cool, crisp aromas. Purple flowers, red and purple berries with crayon, graphite and liquorice. Gorgeous texture on the palate, this has grip and bite; the tannins are present and quite imposing, really coating the mouth with a powdery chalkiness. There are layers of tannin and ripe fruit but with freshness and lift all the way through. It’s not immediately charming and generous; it’s more controlled, but not strict. Fresh, clean, precise, with style and finesse, and this packs more power than some. Raspberries, chalky cherries, bright blueberries with wet stones, lots of liquorice and slate. Balanced and combining both warm and cool vintage markers – lots of complexity on offer. It’s missing a touch of that gorgeous charm that Cheval does so well, a sense of enrobing, but it’s very well constructed with lots of personality. The largest ever vintage in the Cheval cellars with a yield of 40 hl/ha. 3.82 pH.

52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. 40 hl/ha. Cask sample. Purple hue. More restrained than Petit Cheval but dense and beguiling. Bright, fresh and smooth, yet with plenty of punch from a polished but solid tannic core. Abundant fruit. Long. Should hold up well. (JL)

The 2023 Cheval Blanc, which was bottled on June 8, the highest production due to the yield (39 hl/ha), a high percentage of vines in production and the selection of Petit Cheval. As usual, technical director Pierre-Olivier Clouet reminded me that there is no vin de presse. It has a delectable bouquet with exquisite delineation: blackberry, raspberry, crushed stone and very light pencil-box scents. Typical Cheval Blanc. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins, wonderful balance and purity, silky smooth yet there is tangible grip and backbone. Just a judicious dab of cracked black pepper on the finish. One of the best Right Bank wines of the vintage. Effortless.

The Cabernet Franc makes a strong impression on the nose with tobacco, flowers, black and red fruits, chocolate, orange peel, and mint leaf. However, it’s on the palate—thanks to its length, purity, vibrancy, elegance, and refinement—that it truly steals the show. The wine starts slowly, building in intensity as it lingers. But once it gets going, you find layer after layer of vibrant, silky, electric fruit. Perfectly ripe, balanced, and fresh, the finish stays with you for close to 60 seconds. The chateau thinks it is better than 2022; I’m not sure. But I’m ready to blind taste both, again and again, to find out. The key to the vintage this year is the uniqueness and inclusion of each parcel. In 2023, all 41 parcels produced fruit used in the Grand Vin, allowing a true representation of the vineyard in the wine. In other words, 2023 is a vintage where the terroir shapes the wine’s character more than the climatic conditions. The wine is made from 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.65% ABV, 3.8 pH. Harvest began September 6 for the Merlot. The Cabernet Franc was picked September 12–October 3. Drink 2030–2065. 97–99 pts.

Contrasts intensity and depth with nuance and a softly spoken character. Lift and tension, precisely placed cocoa bean, liquorice root, tomato leaf, tannins, violet and peony florals and slate; sinewy, slow-tug tannins, powerful with lift-off. Has plenty to say and demands that you slow down to hear it. 40 hl/ha yield, 75% of overall production (no press wine as ever), harvest September 6 to October 3. Pierre-Olivier Clouet, director.

Score: 96–98. A clear, quivering nose, dark and mysterious, that transports you far away, unfolding aromas of licorice, incense, Peking duck and, of course, pure, crunchy fruit (raspberry). On the palate, a whirl of deliciously creamy flavors on notes of succulent blackberry and graphite, with a saline, chewy finish.

Deep dark ruby, opaque core with purple reflections, subtle brightening at the rim. Delicate tangerine zest, a fine touch of oak, ripe cherries, some redcurrants, floral nuances underneath. Complex, taut and fresh, fine red-berry nuances, vivid, still somewhat demanding tannins, salty aftertaste, subtle herbal savouriness and umami on the finish, a touch of cherry on the aftertaste, definite ageing potential.

96-98. Barrel Sample. While Merlot makes up just over a majority the blend, it is the Cabernet Franc that dominates the taste. Licorice and dark coffee aromas are followed by dense black-plum fruits and layers of dark tannins. It is powerful—a great wine from this top estate that will age well.

This impressive red lets warm paving stone, smoldering tobacco and iris hints peek out from behind its prodigious core of cassis and plum reduction, before a cascade of black tea and loam asserts itself on the finish. Broad and deep but doesn’t try to outmuscle the vintage, staying poised and focused through the long finish. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2028 through 2045. 10,000 cases made, 1,300 cases imported.