2010 Cheval Blanc
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Tasting notes
A very sweet, almost jammy nose. Very polished an luxurious, with just enough acidity to preserve the fresh charater of the fruit. The length is very impressive and the fruit dense which perhaps at this stage give the impression of a lack of space in the wine. There is a HUGE level of tannin, though it melts well. It finishes dry but the fruit persists throughout. A little perplexing at this stage but there is no doubt that there is a lot of very good material here. The density and tannin level to seem worrisome but there is so much that is good here it deserves the benifit of the doubt. Certainly has the potential to be truly great...certainly made us think!
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeannie Cho Lee MW
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
The 2010 Cheval Blanc gives off notes of violets, roses, cedar, tobacco, spices and blackberries, resulting in a very aromatic wine, with rich velvety tannins and a density that is prominent on the mid palate and finish. More restrained in style than the 2009, this is a classic, precise wine built to last for many decades. While the 2010 is wonderful I have a slight preference for the 2009, which has more sex appeal, perhaps on account of its much higher Merlot content - 60%, compared with only 44% in 2010. asianpalate.com
Cheval Blanc Produced from a higher percentage of Cabernet Franc than usual, 56% Cabernet Franc, with the remaining 34% percent relegated to Merlot. that assemblage is similar to what is planted in the vineyards today. The wine reached 14.5% alcohol with a 3.75 pH, allowing for a rich, ripe wine that is also alcoholic and fresh. Placing your nose into this wine reminds you of walking into a flower shop. The aromatics are further complicated with scents of stone, oak, truffle, caramel and black cherry. Pairing delicacy with power, this is an elegant, deep, wine of finesse, purity and refinement. Part of the reason for the wines success is the long and exacting time spent harvesting the fruit. The estate took three weeks to conclude picking. Previously, they finished the harvest in two weeks. winecellarinsider.com
The whole team participates here, tasting the grapes as they ripen, the skins and the pips, which were nutty this year, and observing the resulting tannins and acidity. Concrete vats are used and a conservative attitude is taken to extraction, allowing the natural heat of fermentation only to be controlled if it is too high.The deep carmine-coloured outcome offers subtle aromas of mulberry, chocolate and forest fruits. The taste is full but subtle, not fully allowing the cornucopia of apricot, plum, damson, blackberry and blackcurrant to emerge until its long journey to maturity from 2020 to 2055.
About the producer
Ch. Cheval Blanc is one the finest producers in Bordeaux. The Saint-Emilion estate’s Cabernet Franc-dominant wines are consistently among the top wines of the vintage.