- of interest
- en primeur
- wine regions
- champagne and sparkling
- magnums and halves
- port, sherry and sweet
- organic and biodynamic
- spirits
- Recently Viewed
Colour
Red
Vintage
2010
Producer
Chateau Cheval Blanc
Country
France
Region
Bordeaux
Sub Region
St Emilion
Product code
23CHE1B2010
Grape Variety
56% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot
Tasting Notes
Robert Parker
Score: 96-98+ / 100 Robert Parker2010 Cheval Blanc: The 2010 Cheval Blanc contains 13.8% alcohol, which is very high for this estate, and has an unusually high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the final blend (56% versus 44% Merlot). Yields were tiny, adding to the richness and intensity already instilled by the drought of summer and resulting tiny berries. In the style of some of the great Cheval Blancs of the late 1940s, this wine is rich, opulent, full-bodied, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, as saturated purple in color as any Cheval Blanc I have seen. Mulberries, black currants, fresh minerals, and floral notes jump from the glass of this full-bodied, dense wine. With its tannins, good acidity and surprisingly modest pH, this should be an exceptionally long-lived wine, more backward and delineated than the fatter, more opulent 2009. Drink it over the next 30+ years.
Jancis Robinson
Score: 18.5+ / 2056% Cabernet Franc, 44% Merlot. Meaty and savoury. Almost austere on the nose relative to how young Cheval usually tastes. Very youthful but aromatic, then lovely lusciousness on the palate. Recalls great old Chevals with that seductive freshness. Lovely dry finish. (Blend for 2009 was exactly the opposite.) Coulure affected Merlot in 2010. Lost lots of volume on Merlot. Great structure but also lovely floral seductive aroma. Opens out in the glass in the most convincing manner. Presumably they think it would have been even better if vinified in the new cellar that is due for completion this summer. 14.5%
Wine Spectator
Score: 95-98 / 100Lush and very rounded, with lots of muscle and heft, but also great polish and pose to the gorgeous boysenberry, plum and fig notes. Supercreamy on the finish, with bittersweet cocoa, violet, mint, anise and tobacco in reserve.
Bibendum
Score: 18.5 / 20Perfumed, floral fruit. Very expressive on the nose. Tighter and leaner on the palate with lots of grippy tannins slightly obscuring the fruit. Restrained and elegant rather than showy and clearly built to last. Very impressive.
James Suckling
Score: 99-100 / 100The blueberry and blackberry character and bouquet of violets is off the charts. Full body, the Cabernet Franc dominates the blend now, with so much dark fruits, minerals and flowers with hints of spices. It is a very powerful and linear CB and shows amazing length and purity. Zen-like focus.
Producer Information
This Premier Grand Cru Classe property occupies a unique position in St Emilion and Bordeaux, and has a history of producing some of the best wines of the region. The Cheval Blanc vineyards, and the property itself, border those of Pomerol. The vines, which are 57% Cabernet Franc, with the balance mostly Merlot (39%), augmented by a little Cabernet Sauvignon (3%) and Malbec (1%), lie on three principle terroirs; first a blend of gravel and sand over much of the vineyard, secondly a large area of sand and clay over a compact blue clay, whilst lastly a smaller proportion of the estate is sandy-clay with iron deposits. The vines are aged over 30 years on average, and there is a conscientious approach to vineyard management.
