2020 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval Blanc

Together with Château Pétrus and Ausone, Château Cheval Blanc is one of the legends of the Right Bank. Always possesses enormous concentration, but at the same time finesse and freshness. This cru is owned by the Belgian Albert Frère and Bernard Arnault. It is Pierre Lurton (of the Dominique Lurton branch) who vinifies the wine there (just like in Château d'Yquem). This year vinified for the fifth time in the ultra-modern new chais designed by the architect Christian de Portzamparc. 50 specially shaped (tron-conical) concrete cuves are responsible for microvinification per plot. Concrete was chosen because it has good thermal insulation and a tron-conical shape because it allows a gentler extraction of the berries for better fermentation. Everything is also vinified with the principle of gravity (so the wine or berries are no longer pumped up). A gigantic investment in the service of quality!

The relatively new white wine from Cheval Blanc (2018 was the first vintage), the Le Petit Cheval Blanc, is a blend of 82% Sauvignon Blanc and 18% Sémillon. The wine has intense notes of ripe pineapple, passion fruit and white peaches, followed by fragrant notes of lemongrass, lime blossom and hints of salty sea spray. The palate is full of a seductive oiliness with complex layers of tropical fruit, citrus peel and minerals, characterized by a refreshing line and ending with numerous mineral sparks. So beautiful but in the end this is from Cheval Blanc. The 2020 is a beautiful vintage with a very nice balance for a wine that is accessible from its youngest age

The 2020 harvest starts with fairly dry and mild January and February. March was very rainy in the first decade and surprisingly mild between 18 and 24. April, May and June were mild and very rainy until June 20. After this date and until August 12, the weather was extremely dry, more than 60 days without rain and very hot with summer temperatures regularly approaching 35 to 37 degrees. Ten days before the harvest the temperature dropped and it was cloudy. Fortunately, the final ripening of the grapes took place under fresher conditions, preserving the aromas of the wine. Temperatures were higher than normal in the first trimester, leading to the earliest bud this young vineyard has ever seen, on March 19 for Semillon and March 21 for Sauvignon. Flowering and veraison were extremely fast (1 week for flowering and 8 days for veraison) and very homogeneous. The harvest, which was very early, took place from August 19 to 24 and everything in perfect health. At the end of the pressing, the slightly settled grape must ferments in demi-muids (600L), foudres (15hL) and wooden barrels (15, 20 , 25 and 30hL). After vinification, the rhythm of stirring, initially daily, decreases depending on the team's tastings. The wines blended in February are aged for 18 months.

FACT: In the Tab: Appendix you will find the official fact sheet and a presentation about this wine. We will automatically send it to you when you order this wine.