2025 Cheval Blanc
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Tasting notes
FINE+RARE "51% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon - Showing an expressive core of cherry fruit, the 2025 Cheval Blanc is both powerful and beautifully composed. The palate is full-bodied, structured around fine-grain tannins that bring precision without heaviness. A mid-palate of elegant sweetness adds depth and charm, seamlessly integrated into a framework of great energy and freshness. There is a sense of long, precise balance throughout, with the wine carrying effortlessly into a persistent, refined finish. Already remarkably welcoming in its youth, it nevertheless remains clearly unfinished, with layers still to unfold. A great vintage at Cheval Blanc, this is a wine that will repay at least 10 years of cellaring, gaining further complexity while retaining its vibrant core." Drink from 20235+
Critic scores
Average Score
Neal Martin, Vinous
William Kelley, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The 2025 Cheval Blanc includes all 47 plots on the estate except one that was sold off. This nose is more immediate than some of its neighbours, a mixture of blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry and blueberry, very expressive, underneath which lie tobacco and graphite scents. It is open, nothing hidden here. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid red berry fruit, just a touch of black pepper, a more reserved and structured Cheval Blanc than usual, vertical in style, the Cabernet Franc driving the finish. Not what I would call a sensual Cheval Blanc, but it has a distinctive character. Nat everyone is going to fall head over heels for this Cheval Blanc because it is uncompromising, and I like that. Just be patient. This will need time.
Purple in hue, the wine explodes with an array of flowers, smoky truffles, black plums, black cherries, blue fruits, orange rind, tobacco leaf, licorice, and chocolate in the perfume. However, the palate is the main event. The mouthfeel perfectly balances its hedonistic tendencies with a touch of reticence, in a good way. There is length, volume, intensity, opulence, and lift. The seamless finish provides silk and velvet tannins, allowing the depth and purity of the fruit to stand out in the extensive, vibrant finish. The key to the vintage was the combination of a dry summer, which lowered yields, and the much-needed August rains, which brought about full maturity. 46 of 47 parcels were placed into the blend. It is important to note that no second wine was produced. Even more importantly, very little Cheval was produced. Yields were a scant 15 hectoliters per hectare, making this the lowest yields in the history of the estate. The wine is made from 51% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. 12.7% ABV, 3.6 pH. The harvest began September 18 for the Merlot, finishing their Cabernet Franc on October 3.
The 2025 Cheval Blanc includes all 47 plots on the estate except one that was sold off. This nose is more immediate than some of its neighbours, a mixture of blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry and blueberry, very expressive, underneath which lie tobacco and graphite scents. It is open, nothing hidden here. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid red berry fruit, just a touch of black pepper, a more reserved and structured Cheval Blanc than usual, vertical in style, the Cabernet Franc driving the finish. Not what I would call a sensual Cheval Blanc, but it has a distinctive character. Not everyone is going to fall head over heels for this Cheval Blanc because it is uncompromising, and I like that. Just be patient. This will need time.
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.