2022 Château Cheval Blanc 1er Grand Cru Classé Saint-Emilion

The 2022 Château Cheval Blanc 1er Grand Cru Classé is a monumental Saint-Émilion, capturing the opulence of a warm vintage with the precision and grace that have made this estate legendary. This is a wine for collectors and serious enthusiasts alike, offering depth, finesse, and extraordinary aging potential. As one of Bordeaux’s most revered Right Bank properties, Cheval Blanc continues its legacy of crafting wines that are as profound as they are seductive.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2022 Cheval Blanc shows a deep, vibrant ruby-purple hue, hinting at both concentration and youthful energy. The nose is layered and intensely expressive, with pure notes of black cherry, ripe plum and cassis intertwined with violets, graphite, fresh tobacco leaf, sandalwood and a subtle, cool herbal lift typical of great Cabernet Franc. On the palate, the wine is plush yet impeccably structured, with a velvety, almost spherical mouthfeel. Ripe dark berries, redcurrant and blueberry compote are supported by fine, powdery tannins and a precise, mineral line. Hints of cocoa, licorice, cedar spice and a delicate saline edge evolve with air, leading to a long, resonant finish that lingers on floral and graphite nuances. Despite the richness of the 2022 vintage, the balance between fruit, acidity and tannin is beautifully judged, suggesting an aging window of several decades—easily 20–30+ years in a good cellar, with the wine likely entering a more open, harmonious phase from around 10 years after the vintage.

Production
Château Cheval Blanc is situated on the privileged north-western plateau of Saint-Émilion, on the border with Pomerol, where an exceptional mosaic of gravel, clay and sand over a complex subsoil gives the wine its hallmark combination of power and finesse. The vineyard is planted predominantly to Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with a small proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, and each parcel is managed and harvested individually, often by hand in multiple passes to ensure optimal ripeness and selection. In 2022, meticulous vineyard work was essential to preserve freshness in a warm, dry year, with careful canopy management and strict yield control. Grapes are sorted with great precision before fermentation in temperature-controlled vats, often parcel by parcel, allowing the character of each terroir component to be expressed. The wine is then aged in high-quality French oak barrels (a significant portion new), where it slowly integrates tannin, texture and aromatic complexity while preserving the estate’s signature purity of fruit.

Food & Serving
The 2022 Château Cheval Blanc is a natural partner for refined, flavourful dishes such as roast lamb with herbs, beef tenderloin, pigeon or duck breast, as well as more luxurious pairings like truffle-infused dishes, veal sweetbreads, or a classic tournedos Rossini. It also pairs beautifully with well-aged hard cheeses such as Comté or Mimolette, and simple preparations of wild mushrooms. Serve at 16–18°C (about 60–64°F) to highlight both aromatics and structure. In its youth, this wine benefits from 2–3 hours of decanting to allow the bouquet and texture to fully unfurl; as it matures and develops tertiary complexity, a shorter decant or slow-ox opening may be preferable to preserve its more delicate aromatics.

Producer
Château Cheval Blanc is one of the most illustrious estates in Bordeaux and a benchmark for Saint-Émilion, holding the top-tier status of Premier Grand Cru Classé A for many years. With roots dating back to the 19th century, the property has built its reputation on an unusually high proportion of Cabernet Franc in its vineyards, a key to the wine’s aromatic complexity and aging capacity. Its unique terroir, straddling the border of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, has long set it apart as a stylistic bridge between the elegance of the Right Bank and the structure of the Left. Cheval Blanc has been at the forefront of parcel-based viticulture, precision winemaking and sustainable practices, and its wines regularly feature among the most sought-after and highly rated in the world, cementing its status as a true icon of Bordeaux.

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