{"product_id":"2021-chateau-cheval-blanc-le-petit-cheval-blanc","title":"2021 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval Blanc","description":"\u003cp\u003eLe Petit Cheval Blanc 2021 is the luminous white counterpart to the legendary Château Cheval Blanc, crafted with the same obsessive focus on detail and finesse. This dry white Bordeaux blends precision, texture and understated power into a wine that is both immediately seductive and built to evolve. As one of the youngest cuvées in the Cheval Blanc family (first vintage 2018), it has already established itself as one of the most sought‑after white wines of the Right Bank.\n\nThe unique selling point here is the marriage of Cheval Blanc’s grand cru heritage with an ultra‑modern, small‑batch approach to white-wine vinification. Micro-vinified in specially designed concrete tanks and aged in a refined mix of demi-muids, large foudres and barrels, it offers a level of detail and precision rarely seen in Bordeaux blanc. Historically, Cheval Blanc has been a red-wine icon alongside Pétrus and Ausone; Le Petit Cheval Blanc marks a new chapter, showing how the estate’s famed terroir and savoir‑faire translate brilliantly into white wine.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTasting Notes\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn the glass, the 2021 Le Petit Cheval Blanc is pale straw to light gold, with a crystalline brightness that hints at its freshness and energy. Swirl the glass and you’ll immediately pick up a lifted, pure bouquet: vibrant citrus (lime, grapefruit zest), white peach and ripe pear, layered with notes of pineapple and passionfruit. As it opens, fine floral tones of lime blossom and lemongrass emerge, along with a whisper of saline sea spray and subtle spice from the élevage.\n\nThe palate is at once silky and incisive. A gentle, almost oily texture from the Sémillon provides volume and creaminess, while the Sauvignon Blanc delivers a razor-fine line of acidity that keeps everything taut and precise. Flavours echo the nose – tropical fruit, citrus peel, white stone fruit – intertwined with chalky, salty mineral notes that stretch out through a long, shimmering finish. Despite its generosity, the wine remains perfectly balanced, with no heaviness. The 2021 has the structure and concentration to age gracefully for 8–12 years in a good cellar, gaining more honeyed, nutty and lanolin nuances over time while retaining its core of freshness.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduction\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLe Petit Cheval Blanc is produced from estate vineyards in Saint‑Émilion on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, where clay, gravel and sand over a complex subsoil give both power and tension to white varieties. The blend in 2021 is 83% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Sémillon, harvested relatively late for the vintage between 10 and 16 September, after a season marked by alternating sun and rain, then a drier spell from mid‑August that allowed slow, even ripening. Grapes are picked parcel by parcel, then vinified with extraordinary precision in Cheval Blanc’s state‑of‑the‑art chai, designed by architect Christian de Portzamparc. Fifty specially shaped tronconic concrete vessels are used for micro-vinification, chosen for their thermal stability and gentle extraction, and the entire process follows gravity-flow principles to avoid pumping and preserve delicacy. After a light settling, the must ferments in demi-muids (600 L), large foudres (15 hL) and a range of wooden vats (15–30 hL). Lees stirring is initially frequent, then gradually reduced based on tasting by the cellar team. The final blend is assembled in February and then matured for around 18 months, allowing the different vessels to contribute texture, complexity and harmony.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFood \u0026amp; Serving\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is a gastronomic white Bordeaux that shines at the table. Pair it with refined seafood dishes such as turbot with beurre blanc, grilled langoustines, scallops, or butter-poached lobster; it also works beautifully with line-caught white fish, sushi or sashimi where texture and purity matter. On land, think roast chicken with herbs, veal in a light cream sauce, or subtly spiced Asian cuisine featuring lemongrass, ginger and lime. Soft cheeses like young goat’s cheese, Tomme or mild Comté are excellent companions. Serve at 10–12 °C to allow the aromatics to fully express themselves. Decanting for 30–45 minutes before serving, especially in its youth, will help the wine unwind and reveal its layers of fruit and minerality.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProducer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eChâteau Cheval Blanc is one of Bordeaux’s true legends, a Premier Grand Cru Classé A estate on the Right Bank, long mentioned in the same breath as Pétrus and Ausone. Its history stretches back to the 19th century, with a reputation built on remarkably ageworthy, complex wines that combine richness with striking finesse. Today the château is owned by Belgian industrialist Albert Frère and LVMH’s Bernard Arnault, with Pierre Lurton at the helm of winemaking, as he is also at Château d’Yquem. The recent investment in an ultra‑modern winery, complete with 50 tronconic concrete tanks and a gravity‑flow design, underscores Cheval Blanc’s commitment to quality at the very highest level. Le Petit Cheval Blanc, launched in 2018, is the white expression of this iconic estate – a comparatively new wine that has rapidly become a reference point for premium white Bordeaux from Saint‑Émilion.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Château Cheval Blanc","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54251808686417,"sku":"GCW-CHEV-21987","price":151.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0874\/0614\/9969\/files\/2021_Chteau_Cheval_Blanc_Le_Petit_Cheval_Blanc.png?v=1783441559","url":"https:\/\/bottlehero.com\/products\/2021-chateau-cheval-blanc-le-petit-cheval-blanc","provider":"Bottle Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}