Le Petit Cheval 2020

Sleek and solid, with a well-defined core of dark currant and black cherry puree lined with black licorice and sweet tobacco. Boasts black tea and warm paving stone accents through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2033.

Cola, liquorice and ripe blueberries on the nose – perfumed, heady and expressive. So delicious on the palate, smooth and driving with excellent energy – a youthful tension at the mid‑palate. Sleek and stylish with a gorgeous texture, perfectly weighted to give a mouth‑filling expression while keeping a refined and focused delivery of black fruit, liquorice and floral flavours. Impressive and supremely pleasurable – this makes you want a glass immediately. Spicy and perfumed because of the Cabernet Franc, and all the better for it, with 59% Cabernet Franc and 41% Merlot.

The quality of the tannin is impressive in this second wine, with lovely aromas and flavors of currants, berries and cherries, with some chocolate and walnut. Medium body. Racy and fine. 59% cabernet franc and 41% merlot. Give it three to five years to come completely together, but it’s already very beautiful.

59% Cabernet Franc, 41% Merlot. 12% of production. Cask sample. Juicy and fresh with dark-fruit and mint notes. Delicate and restrained on the palate but misses some depth in the middle. Tannins initially finely edged but a tad dry and grainy on the finish. (JL)

The 2020 Le Petit Cheval is stunning. Rich, deep and expansive, the Petit Cheval is outrageously good. In fact, it could easily be mistaken for a Cheval Blanc from anything less than a great vintage. The aromatics are alluring and the balance is sublime; all that really identifies this as a second wine is a bit of mid-palate depth. Sweet floral and spice accents extend the effortless, gracious finish.

It is easy to think of this as a mini Cheval Blanc due to its gorgeous display of flowers, sweet cherries, spices and tobacco wrappers in the perfume. The wine offers the perfect blend of freshness, silky, refined textures and purity in the supple fruits on the palate that carry you all the way through to the finish. There was a time when second wines were simply second wines. That is clearly not the case, as this is a solid example of a baby Cheval Blanc. You can enjoy this on release and for the following two decades after that. Drink from 2023–2040.

Floral nose with violet, fine spice and pepper, very Cab Franc, with layers of ripe dark fruit and cassis. Fine density with a backbone of fine tannin, savoury with some sage and bay leaf, a nice bite of freshness despite the ripe fruit, and a long, lingering finish.

I wrote in my note on the 2020 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval that this is “one hell of a second wine,” and it has a kiss of the elegance and complexity found in the top cuvée. Black fruits, roasted herbs, graphite, and scorched earth notes all emerge from this ruby/purple-hued beauty, which has medium to full-bodied richness, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It will drink nicely for 15+ years.

Kunz barrel sample 2021: (41% Merlot, 59% Cabernet Franc) Silky, delicate bouquet, cherries, raspberries, various blossoms, fine nougat. Elegant, refined, fresh palate with creamy fruit, fine tannins, a delicate, finely knit structure, powerful aromatics, and a long, fresh finish.

(41% Merlot, 59% Cabernet Franc) Silky, delicate bouquet, cherries, raspberries, various blossoms, fine nougat. Elegant, refined, fresh palate with creamy fruit, fine tannins, delicate structure, powerful aromatics, long, fresh finish. 17/20 2026 - 2040

So much complexity and layers, wonderfully fragrant, with raspberry and damson fruits, plus notes of orange and mandarin peel that bring flecks of minerality and a touch of bitterness in the best way. Balanced acidities and a serious architecture combine to deliver a brilliant Petit Cheval that has improved with ageing and is one to look out for. 39ha, director Pierre Lurton, winemaker Pierre Olivier Clouet. 12% of overall production because the dry summer was tough on the young vines on gravel. pH 3.7.

A blend of 59% Cabernet Franc and 41% Merlot, the 2020 Le Petit Cheval has a pH of 3.6 and a deep garnet-purple color. It swans out of the glass with showy scents of crushed redcurrants, blackberry preserves, and kirsch, followed by suggestions of lavender, cedar chest, menthol, and fallen leaves. The medium to full-bodied palate has a firm backbone of chewy tannins, with seamless freshness to support the tight-knit red and black fruit layers, finishing on a lingering mineral note.

An enthusiastic nose, like a curious child ready to discover the world. Delicate, innocent notes of tiny flower buds and aromatic herbs mingle with the growing opulence of blue fruits. Both linear and expansive, the wine fills the mouth from every angle, clinging to every corner with a powerful finish that holds your full attention.

It was important to harvest early to avoid overripe grapes. Very long, hot days and little drop in temperature during the night. The bouquet «

Dark, intense, and beautiful color. Very aromatic nose, delicate, fruity, pure, and even complex. Lovely raspberry scent. A whole that is hard to describe, blending red and black fruits. Captivating. Here we have a wine with an enticing texture that glides, charms, becomes juicy, lingers mid-palate, then melts away. It finishes delicate, long, and utterly impossible to spit, with deep aromas. Blend: 50% cabernet franc, 41% merlot.

93–95. Barrel Sample. The wine's structure is just right for a second wine, rich with open tannins and fruit that shine through impressively. There is a fine juicy quality to this wine that reveals the floral character of the Cabernet Franc in the blend. For medium term aging.