2015 Château Cheval Blanc 1er Grand Cru Classé Saint-Emilion

Along with Château Pétrus and Ausone, Château Cheval Blanc is one of the legends of the Right Bank. It always possesses enormous concentration, yet simultaneously finesse and freshness. This cru is owned by the Belgians Albert Frère and Bernard Arnault. Pierre Lurton (of the Dominique Lurton family) vinifies the wine there (as he does at Château d'Yquem). This year marked the fifth vinification in the ultra-modern new chais designed by architect Christian de Portzamparc. Fifty specially shaped (tronconical) concrete vats are used for micro-vinification per plot. Concrete was chosen for its excellent thermal insulation, and a tronconical shape allows for gentler extraction of the berries, resulting in better fermentation. Furthermore, everything is vinified using gravity (so the wine or berries are no longer pumped upwards). A huge investment in the service of quality!

Wine lovers know that 2015 and 2016 were exceptionally good years in Bordeaux, and this 2015 Château Cheval Blanc received the maximum score of 100/100 Parker points. The harvest was carried out in stages, thanks to the beautiful summer, allowing each varietal, in each terroir, to be harvested at the ideal, ripe moment. The harvest lasted a record 34 days. Another special feature of 2015 was that of the château's 42 plots, 40 were of such high quality that they were all included in the first wine, so there was no Petit Cheval from the 2015 vintage.

In the glass, the wine is a very dark purple with violet hues. The nose offers highly complex notes of fruit, flowers (lilacs and violets), spices, and freshness. A memorable concentrate of invigorating red fruit, unctuous finesse, and graceful freshness. As always, in a pure, refined, and exceptionally nuanced style. With loads of kirsch, raspberry, blueberry reduction, and impeccably integrated oak. After a powerful, rich, and full attack, a very voluminous, pure, and delicious mid-palate follows, with fine tannins that are very precise and elegant. The volume and richness continue into the never-ending finish.