Château Cheval Blanc 2024

The freshness and balance of a great Saint-Émilion wine born from a demanding vintage

The estate

The Château Cheval Blanc, anchored in Saint-Émilion since the 15th century, has a rich wine heritage spanning six centuries. It took its current form in the 19th century thanks to Jean-Jacques Ducasse and his son-in-law Jean Laussac-Fourcaud, who defined a unique grape variety with equal parts of merlot and cabernet franc. By the end of the 19th century, the estate had gained international renown, crowned by several medals and a presence on major official tables. Classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé "A" since 1954, Cheval Blanc was taken over in 1998 by Bernard Arnault and Albert Frère, who reinforced its dynamic of excellence.

The vineyard

Château Cheval Blanc benefits from an exceptional terroir composed of Quaternary alluvial soils mixing gravels and clays. This mosaic of terroirs, rare in Saint-Émilion, has characteristics close to those of Pomerol. In 2024, the clayey plots particularly well resisted the difficult climatic conditions, while the gravelly soils experienced more marked water stress in August.

The wine

The 2024 vintage marks a new page in the history of the estate, through a new innovative, eco-designed case made in Aquitaine.

The vintage

The year 2024 was characterized by continuous rainfall since the fall of 2023, followed by a dry summer with moderate temperatures in July and August. September brought significant rainfall (124 mm). The vegetative cycle began with an early bud break, followed by a chaotic and prolonged flowering from the end of May to the end of June. The color change was long and heterogeneous, later than in previous years. The harvest took place from September 18 to October 3 in rainy conditions.

Vinification and aging

Faced with the challenges of the 2024 vintage, the process included meticulous manual sorting, density baths, bleedings, and a significant production gap. From an initial yield of 40 hL/Ha, only 28 hL/Ha were vinified, and only 66% of the harvest will be bottled, thus guaranteeing exceptional quality.

Blend

The Château Cheval Blanc 2024 is the result of a blend of 48% cabernet franc, 46% merlot, and 6% cabernet-sauvignon.