Château Cheval Blanc 2013

Of great purity, the 2013 displays a finesse of flavour all of its own. The harmony and distinction of the floral, ferruginous, subtly spiced notes are worthy of the great 2012 and 2014 vintages that frame it.

53% Cabernet Franc. Ruby red. Quite intense aromatically - summer fruit cocktail. Fine, smooth texture. Good mid-palate fruit. Tannins caressing. Elegant wine with focused finish. Less depth but true to style.

Mellow and quite developed, this has plenty of wild-berry fruit, but also a touch of blood orange. Medium-bodied and rather supple, but not very strong on the mid-palate, this is a competent example of the vintage. Better at the moderately dry and harmonious finish. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.

The 2013 Cheval Blanc has an attractive, slightly ferrous nose of light red fruit, loam and white pepper scents. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very simple for Cheval Blanc, though endowed with a sense of weight and personality. White pepper and clove appear toward the finish. This should be drunk over the next decade. Tasted at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year On tasting.

Light, fresh, bright, elegant, soft, forward and user friendly style of wine with sweet, cherries, licorice, flowers and plums in its core that carry though to the fresh, red berry, polished, soft textured, finish.

Youthful aromas of flower, wild berries, plum and mild spices on the nose. The palate is youthful and discreet at the beginning but it expands and shows a very good length with elegant fresh berry fruit and fine spices on the finish, well integrated oak.

On its own, the 2013 Chateau Cheval Blanc could easily be the wine of an evening, but on this occasion it is was paired with the likes of the 2010, 2009, 2000, and 1990. Nevertheless, it’s a true Cheval Blanc and offers beautiful notes of red and black fruits, leafy herbs, spice, and cedarwood. Seamless, medium-bodied, and elegant on the palate, with ripe and integrated tannins, it’s going to continue drinking nicely for another 10-15 years.

52% Cabernet Franc, 48% Merlot. Deep purple, dense at the core, with a garnet shimmer at the rim. A restrained bouquet—you have to go to it—then on the second nose it releases wonderful tea aromas (Darjeeling and Earl Grey), mulberries, blackberries, dark precious woods, with a fine minty lift. On the palate it is velvety and supple, with lovely fullness; the tannins are fine and creamy, nicely knit into a long finish carrying notes of plum skin and tobacco. For a truly great Cheval, it lacks—as was to be expected—the Merlot-rich breadth, but the wonderfully successful Cabernet Francs make up for much of this potential shortcoming. Not unlike Cheval 2008. And that is currently rated 19/20. So in a few years, the same could well be true for Cheval 2013.

52% Cabernet Franc, 48% Merlot. Deep purple, dense at the core, with a garnet rim. A restrained bouquet—you have to go to it; on the second nose it releases wonderful tea aromas (Darjeeling and Earl Grey), mulberries, blackberries, dark precious woods, with a finely minty note. On the palate it is velvety and soft, with lovely fullness; the tannins are fine and creamy, neatly knit through the long finish, carrying notes of plum skin and tobacco. For a truly great Cheval, it does however lack—as was to be expected—the Merlot’s richness, but the wonderfully successful Cabernet Francs make up for a large part of this potential shortcoming. Not unlike the 2008 Cheval. And that one currently stands at 19/20. So in a few years, the same could well be the case for the 2013 Cheval.

(52% Cabernet Franc, 48% Merlot) Silky, elegant, fresh bouquet: blue berries, strawberries, blueberries, praline notes, tobacco, fine herbal hints. Balanced, fine-textured, multi-layered palate with delicate fruit, a powerful, sweet, fresh aromatic profile, plenty of fine tannins, and a refined structure with enough muscle. Very long, aromatic finish with lots of lingering notes. 18/20 2022 - 2036

One of the best of the lineup, this has supple tannins, nuanced raspberry and redcurrant fruit, with lift and juice through the finish. Still an early drinker with higher acidity than in most years of this wine, but one that is worth seeking out and enjoying, with just a hint of the magic of these soils. 60% 1st wine with the rest divided into 20% Petit Cheval, with 20% declassified.

Medium garnet in color, the 2013 Cheval Blanc is a tad broody to start, offering notions of dried herbs, tar, and damp soil before giving way to notes of prunes, fruitcake, and beef dripping with a touch of unsmoked cigars. The medium-bodied palate is all class, with fine-grained tannins and delicately knit, well-sustained fruit, finishing with a minerally lift.

The wine is airy and lifted, with floral aromas alongside red fruit notes and a hint of almond. The tannins are ripe, enveloping and round, while remaining supple.

More delicate than usual, Cheval 2013 nevertheless has a charming personality, with an appealing animal note and a pleasant menthol touch. The tannins, however, are a little drying.

A lovely wine, very elegant and refined, with great length that unfolds as the tasting progresses. On the nose, notes of dark fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry) mingle with lighter red-fruit nuances (raspberry, cherry) and floral hints, alongside a touch of spice (notably cocoa) and subtle, beautifully integrated oaky notes. The palate is aromatic, opulent, fresh and generous, with a lovely velvety texture. The palate, like the nose, gradually reveals itself. On the palate, dark fruit and raspberry notes return, accompanied by a hint of spice and delicate toasted nuances. The finish is fresh, fruity and long, with lingering persistence and precise fruit expression.

Logo on the cork: an inverted T (Trescases) Dark color, medium intensity, slightly evolved. Discreet nose, with a somewhat lively fruitiness. This sense of difficult ripeness carries through on the palate, even if the wine shows no harshness in its overall character. Simple finish.