Le Petit Cheval 2013

Le Petit Cheval 2013 is very convincing, in a style that is clearly less dense than Cheval Blanc 2015, more immediately accessible, yet sharing the same pedigree.

Well-presented, fruity and spicy: nice, but not a great Petit Cheval.

Soft-edged at first, with graceful plum and mulled strawberry notes, this picks up some flesh with air, showing pretty bergamot tea and blood orange details. Finishes with a light spine of singed cedar. Drink now through 2017. 3,811 cases made.

Almost entirely Merlot, this is a rich and fruity wine. Dusty tannins hang in suspension alongside the ripe blackberry fruits. The wine is juicy, fresh with acidity and likely to develop quickly. Drink from 2018.

79% Merlot. Pretty nose - fresh and fruit-driven. Sweet-fruited attack then smooth, lithe and fresh. Elegant wine with fine tannins but for earlier drinking.

A very delicious red with plum, chocolate and orange peel character. Medium body, light tannins and a fresh finish. Salty lemon. Drink now.

Rich and luxurious scent – lots of perfume and succulent fruit. But also a definite green tinge. Light on the palate, with a sour, bitter element. Tannins are under control, though certainly on the rough side. It’s a shame – the scent is charming, but the palate is seemingly suffering from lack of ripeness. (RH)

Blending 79% Merlot with 21% Cabernet Franc produced a light, ruby-colored wine with a cherry blossom character complicated by fresh herbs. Soft, bright and already open for pleasure, the finish is spicy and fresh. 86-88 Pts

Sweet notes of plum and ripe red berries on the nose. Medium weight, red plum notes, aromatic herbs, young and slim texture with high acidity and rounded finish.

Dark garnet, fairly dense in the core, ruby rim. Inky notes, bakelite, black berries and Brazilian tobacco, cold tea. Juicy palate with a slightly cool expression, some skin-like tones, but otherwise very aromatic.

Floral, light, peppery bouquet; red berries, white pepper, toasted notes, chocolate. Light, fine-grained palate with a slender structure, fine-grained tannins, light, sweet aromatics, and a dry finish. 16/20 2018 - 2027

85% Merlot, small production. Supple fruit, lots of vibrancy, subtle roundness, with length but also a very pronounced acidity. The texture is precise.

Le Petit-Cheval has a garnet hue. The nose is slightly vegetal beneath red fruit aromas. The wine is very elegant, very Merlot-driven, with a slight firmness on the finish. 10,000 bottles. 79% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc.

A medium-intensity, evolved color. A highly aromatic, fruity, subtle nose, already showing some development. The palate is juicy, fragrant and flavorful, slightly firm on the finish, but nicely supported by a hint of cedar. Medium length.