Le Petit Cheval 2019

Of outstanding precision, with delicate, barely perceptible maturation notes that perfectly support the alluring citrus nuances; slender on the palate, elegant, long, with a sustaining yet subtle acidity. It truly lives up to its name.

Bright and pure, with white peach, Key lime, verbena and tarragon accents that marry well, finishing with a suave and lingering feel. Distinctive and alluring in the end. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2025. 2,880 cases made.

Precision and breadth come together in this mouthwatering Sauvignon Blanc with 20% Semillon. The wine opens with notes of warm citrus, bergamot and fresh white blossom, then unfurls with a flinty minerality. Lees ageing gives it a full and creamy texture, but the finish is long and crystalline.

First made in 2008 but 2014 was the first vintage to be sold commercially. Tasted blind. Water white. Some discreet top-quality oak and a cool, refreshing wine that should become quite complex. Long. Distinctive. (JR)

The 2019 Le Petit Cheval Blanc feels more Sauvignon-driven on the nose, with Granny Smith apples and gooseberry. A touch of wild nettle emerges with time. The palate is well balanced with fine weight, not quite as complex as the best dry white in the flight, just a bit too toasty toward the finish. There is sufficient length and freshness, though perhaps not one that will cellar as long as others. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.

Fresh, bright and vibrant, the wine is all about its crisp, lively yellow citrus, white flowers, vanilla, green apple and orange blossom character. I love the lift, vibrancy and purity in the fruits with their mild touch of honey and spice on the finish. Drink from 2022-2031.

A wine that I don’t get to taste often, the 2019 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval Blanc is a stunning white that’s certainly worth seeking out, and it actually reminds me of the great white from Château Margaux. Vibrant citrus, white flowers, lime, and chalky mineral notes all emerge on the nose, and it’s medium-bodied, has terrific purity, bright acidity, and the balance to evolve for over a decade.

Love this wine, and it has taken a leap in depth and character since the addition of Sémillon as of the 2018 vintage. Fleshy citrus comes through in the rich texture and a contrasting scrape of fresh acidities pulls everything in. Gooseberry and lime zest flavours pick up the pace with a bright Sauvignon Blanc character, all balanced out by the steadying hand of Sémillon. A clean finish, this is an excellent vintage of this wine.

The 2019 Le Petit Cheval Blanc is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. Subdued notes of fresh lime juice, green apples, and orange blossom lead to hints of wet slate and dill seed with a waft of elderflower. Light to medium-bodied, the palate has impressive tension, with mineral and saline layers and a citrusy lift on the finish.

This white wine from Cheval Blanc gains complexity with each vintage, both aromatically (floral, citrus zest, lime) and in terms of structure, with greater depth.

Petit Cheval, a white Bordeaux aged in very large foudres for over 20 months on full lees, releases smoky notes with a hint of chlorophyll. Behind that, pineapple and acacia blossom shape the tasting before the saline imprint on the finish brings everything together into a textured whole.

Beautiful aromatic expression with floral and spicy nuances. Notes of white pepper, lily of the valley, and linden blossom. Good salinity on the attack. The wine is broad, long, well supported by its tension, and mouthwatering.

Pale color. Intense, pure, smoky nose, accompanied by gentle nuances of exotic fruit. A wine with a silky, melting mouthfeel, showing a fine creaminess from mid-palate to finish that bathes the palate like a great Burgundy. The delicate texture increasingly resembles that found in red wine. Very fine aromatic return on the finish. Here is a world of precision within a universe of entirely different white Bordeaux wines. The work of a fine team in action. Blend: 79% Sauvignon Blanc, 21% Sémillon. Alcohol: 13% - pH: 3.2.