Château Cheval Blanc 2022

A fresh and beautifully complex Saint-Émilion wine

The property

Known worldwide, Château Cheval Blanc, is part of the legendary properties of the wines from the right bank of the Bordeaux region. The second wine of the property, Petit Cheval, offers a superb introduction to the excellence of the grand wine Cheval Blanc, with refined, powerful wines, on a palate with striking and gourmet fruit. With a new cellar designed by Christian de Portzamparc and inaugurated in June 2011, Château Cheval Blanc continues to write the legend of the greatest wines of Bordeaux.

The vineyard

Château Cheval Blanc benefits from a unique and rare terroir composed of 39 hectares, of which 33.3 hectares are in production, enjoying a particular position on the plateau of Saint-Émilion. While the Saint-Émilion appellation is known for its limestone formations, Château Cheval Blanc is located on the quaternary alluvium of the Isle, a non-limestone formation with a varied texture, combining gravel and clay soils in roughly equal proportions. This particularity of the soils means that this property benefits from soils similar to those of the greatest wines of Pomerol.

The vintage

2022 is among the driest vintages of the property, as were the years 2005, 2011 or 2015. The bud break at the end of March precedes a mid-flowering recorded on May 24. If warm and dry conditions favor an early mid-veraison from July 23 for the merlots, it also leads to a reduction in yields and early harvests. 

Vinification and aging

Parcel vinification using selected indigenous yeasts. Gentle extraction followed by a long maceration accompanied by manual pump-overs and a single racking during the 4 weeks of vatting. Malolactic fermentation in vats. Aging for 16 months in barrels (100% new).

Blend

Merlot (53%)
Cabernet franc (46%)
Cabernet sauvignon (1%).

Characteristics and tasting advice for Château Cheval Blanc 2022

Tasting

Nose
Expressive and complex, the nose seduces with its freshness and its intense floral fragrances.

Palate
This sunny vintage is translated here by a broad attack, preceding a palate where the powerful and precise tannins harmoniously combine with a creamy and silky structure as well as a touch of rare freshness and balance.