Château Cheval Blanc 2019

One of the unequivocally great wines of the vintage is the 2019 Cheval Blanc, a stunning young Saint-Émilion that wafts from the glass with aromas of wild berries and plums mingled with notions of lilac, pipe tobacco, violets, raw cocoa, licorice, crushed mint and burning embers. Full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it's deep and intense, with beautifully rich, powdery tannins and vibrant flavors. Concluding with a long, saline finish, this rivals the 2016 as the finest Cheval Blanc of the decade, and in many respects it might be thought of as the latter vintage's sun-kissed cousin. Bravo to Pierre-Olivier Clouet and his team! One of Bordeaux's most complex terroirs, Cheval Blanc sits on the site of an ancient river delta, with (to generalize) clay-rich soils in the lower-lying parts where rivulets once flowed and gravel and sand elsewhere. This complexity is reflected, of course, in the resulting wine, but also in how it is farmed and made, with thoughtful use of cover crops according to soil type and parcel-by-parcel vinification. A concerted effort is being made, moreover, to bring life back to the vineyard, with hedges of native species to act as wildlife corridors, and fruit trees planted among the vines. The same attention to detail that's applied in the vineyards, for example with regard to developing and testing an in-house massal selection, is applied in the cellar, where cooperage trials are notable for their exigence. All of that shows in the glass. On my most recent visit, technical director Pierre-Olivier Clouet and I tasted the 2019 in the context of the last 10 vintages of Cheval Blanc, and it stood out even in such illustrious company, with—to my palate—2016 its only plausible rival for the title of Cheval Blanc of the decade. Readers with the requisite disposable income won't want to miss it. - William Kelley.

Blackcurrants, cassis, graphite and earth on the nose, then changing to roses, violets and berries. Full-bodied with incredible energy of fine tannins and lively acidity. It grows on the palate and escalates to the summit of perfect wine. Very powerful at the end. Holding back and a great finish. Quantity and quality. Menthol. Cool. One of the greatest young Cheval Blancs I have ever tasted. 58% merlot, 34% cabernet franc and 8% cabernet sauvignon. Great finish. Give it time. Try after 2028.

If only one Saint-Émilion wine could be picked in the vintage of 2019, my choice must be Cheval Blanc. The wine is as perfect as a mythical work of art, seamless from the beginning to the end, highlighting the extraordinary winemaking talent of Pierre-Olivier’s entire team from the inside out. Cheval Blanc 2019 gives me a

Le côté juvénile, végétal noble, floral du bouquet de Cheval Blanc en dit long sur ses intentions et ambitions. Que d’intensité et de pluralité avec des notes de menthe, de tabac et de feuilles de thé. Le vin affiche une exceptionnelle densité, beaucoup de profondeur mais sans aucune opulence. Il est très ciselé, précis, droit et persistant. La structure acide confère une rafraîchissante énergie, une tension vivifiante tout en favorisant l’expression aromatique jusqu’en finale. Un Cheval puissant, dense, aux tannins serrés et imposants. Quelle trame et quelle longueur. Un vin identitaire, cérébral avec le typique ADN de Cheval. 2026-2050.