Critic Notes
Love the mineral, violets and berries on the nose. Turns to chocolate too. This is so silky and beautiful, with amazing texture for a second wine. Long and beautiful. It’s like a top Pomerol this year. Better than 2009. 75 percent Merlot and 25 percent Cabernet Franc. James Suckling jamessuckling.com
Score: 94-95/100James Suckling
The 2010 Petit Cheval has aromas of plums, cassis, blackberries and cedar, and exuberant flavours with wonderful ripe blackberry and violet notes. This beautifully austere second wine has the same pH (acidity level), and alcohol as the Cheval Blanc, layers of concentration and very dense firm tannins - a wine to lay down for at least 8-10 years. Jeannie Cho Lee MW asianpalate.com
Score: 92-94/100Jeannie Cho Lee MW
The best second wine I have ever tasted from Cheval Blanc is the 2010 Le Petit Cheval. This wine is essentially three-fourths Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. Rivaling the brilliant 2009, thirty percent of the production from this monstrously sized estate made it into this wine, which offers up plenty of white chocolate, cassis and mulberry as well as a hint of roasted herbs. With fleshy, round flavors, full-bodied texture and an amazing finish, this is no second wine, and considerably better than some of the Cheval Blancs of the 1960s and 1970s! Drink it over the next 15 or so years. Feb 2013, www.robertparker.com
Score: 93-/100Robert Parker
Supersilky, with lush plum and fig notes and a broad swath of tobacco flowing through the very rounded finish. Tasted non-blind. —J.M. James Molesworth, winespectator.com
Score: 91-94/100Wine Spectator
Le Petit Chevalhas varied and improved, especially in 2009 and 2010. Decisions about the blend are made by blind tasting. The 2009 owed much to its 66.6% Merlot and 33.3% Cabernet Franc. The 2010 is 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc. The impression is of a very full but not overblown blend, lighter tannins integrating with citrus, plum, blackberry and blackcurrant elements, with a promise to be enjoyed in a few years and beyond. Ivor Davies
Score: 17-/20Ivor Davies
Just 20 % of the crop went into the Petit Cheval which spots superb fruit - a compot of hedgerow berries laced with coffee oak. There is perhaps a lack of lift at the end which hints at low acidity but this doesn't seem to be a problem as the purity of the fruit keeps the suggestion of freshness.
Score: 17-/20FINE+RARE
20% of the crop this year and more Merlot (75%) than '09. Medium to full-bodied, round with supple texture and fine tannins. Acidity provides freshness and length. A very polished wine. Drink 2016-2028. (17 points) James Lawther, decanter.com
Score: 17-/20Decanter
This absorbed a lot of the Merlot. 75% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. Sweet and spicy on the nose. Lovely texture and sweet start. Very charming start, then quite tough and drying tannins on the finish. Slightly hot finish. Great freshness. Apparently the analysis is exactly the same as for Cheval Blanc – most unusual. (IPT 84). 14.5% jancisrobinson.com
Score: 17-/20Jancis Robinson
Le Petit Cheval From 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, this medium bodied wine is filled with coco powder, black cherry and licorice, coupled with freshness and round textures. 90-92 Pts Jeff Leve winecellarinsider.com
Score: 90-92/100Jeff Leve
A blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc, this represents around 20% of the production. This has a very tight nose at first that needs time to open up: dark berries, loganberry, wild hedgerow and just a hint of Chinese tea. Good definition. The palate is medium-bodied with good definition and structure, the Cabernet Franc imparting a slight bell pepper tang towards the linear finish. Good focus, very smooth and just a little dry towards the finish. Fine. Drink 2013-2020. Tasted March 2011. Neal Martin erobertparker.com
Score: 90-92/100Neal Martin
