2021 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval Blanc Magnum

Along with Château Pétrus and Ausone, Château Cheval Blanc is one of the legends of the Right Bank. It consistently possesses enormous concentration, yet simultaneously finesse and freshness. This cru is owned by 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 cuvees 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 massive investment in the service of quality!

The relatively new white wine from Cheval Blanc (2018 was the first vintage), Le Petit Cheval Blanc, is a blend of 83% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Sémillon. The wine has a nose of great freshness and precision, with a fine diversity of white flesh and citrus fruits. There are 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 seductive richness with complex layers of tropical fruit, citrus peel, and minerals, characterized by a refreshing finish and finishing with numerous mineral sparks. So beautiful, but at least this is Cheval Blanc.

The 2021 vintage experienced average rainfall (789 mm) and temperatures (13.8°C), though these were still one degree lower than in the last three vintages. Heavy rainfall in May (102 mm) and June (166 mm) was significantly above normal, as the average for these months since 1955 has been around 60 mm. The vintage was characterized by a summer of alternating sunshine and rain. From mid-August, the weather was drier, with occasional showers, until the relatively late harvest. The harvest, late for this vintage, ran from September 10th to 16th. At the end of pressing, the slightly settled grape must is fermented in demi-muids (600 L), foudres (15 hL), and wooden barrels (15, 20, 25, and 30 hL). After vinification, the stirring rhythm, initially daily, slows down depending on the team's tastings. The wines blended in February are left to mature for 18 months.

FACT: In the tab: Attachment, you'll find the official fact sheet and a presentation about this wine. We'll automatically send it to you when you order this wine.