CHEVAL BLANC 2022

Cheval Blanc

Château Comments

Cheval Blanc undoubtedly reigns supreme in Saint Emilion. Its surprising blend, dominated by Cabernet Franc, allows it a style and elegance coveted across the right bank. Although devoid of Cabernet Sauvignon, this Premier Grand Cru Classé A remains an exceptional aging wine that withstands the test of time, even decades, to ultimately offer us highly complex bouquets where moka mingles with truffle and raspberry.
An essential for grand cru enthusiasts, this legendary wine can maintain astonishing concentrations with very old vintages.
The iconic Cheval Blanc 1947 is the perfect proof: this wine, considered one of the top five greatest wines in the world, has endured over half a century to dazzle the fortunate tasters of this legendary wine.

History of the Château

Over a century and a half ago, the estate was part of the grand Figeac domain, another monument of the Libourne region. It was divided in two stages when 15 hectares of vineyards were handed over to the Ducasse family. The Ducasse children would expand the vineyard and share the actions of the Civil Society of Cheval Blanc, the new name of the estate. It was during the 18th century that the ingenious idea of blending Merlot, a traditional grape variety of the region, with Cabernet-Franc was born - hence, the Cheval Blanc style was created!

During the 19th century, the vine-growers of Libourne watched their Medoc neighbors rise to the rank of classified growth, although the quality of the Merlots from Saint-Emilion took some time to achieve equivalent success. Nature would have its revenge with the phylloxera crisis, which was much more lenient with Cheval Blanc, which produced consistently high-quality wines, while its neighbors faced disaster. This event allowed Cheval Blanc to be found on counters worldwide and finally receive the recognition it deserved.

While the 19th century smiled on the Medoc, the 20th century was undoubtedly that of Saint-Emilion. In 1954, the village's growths were classified, and Cheval Blanc obtained the illustrious rank of Premier grand cru classé A. It was only equaled by Ausone until the 2012 revision allowed Château L'Angélus and Château Pavie to also enter this exclusive circle.

Today

In 1998, Albert Frère and Bernard Arnault acquired the shares of the Civil Society of Cheval. A new winery was built in 2011, the work of architect Christian de Portzamparc. The first winery to be labeled HQE (High Environmental Quality), this decidedly modern space allows for precision winemaking that matches Cheval Blanc's ambitions. Always unique due to its grape variety, Cheval Blanc has remained one of the best ambassadors of its appellation... And one of the greatest wines in the world.