Le Petit Cheval 2021

A rich and exotic blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, the 2021 Le Petit Cheval Blanc bursts with aromas of green mango, passion fruit, lime and white flowers, followed by a medium-bodied, ample and fleshy palate that's satiny, textural and perfumed.

Fresh, with a dusting of chalk over lemon pith and chamomile notes, backed by grapefruit peel and quinine accents on the lengthy finish. Nicely focused throughout. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2027. 2,466 cases made.

Very Sauvignon nose, green peas, straw, lemon zest and elderflower - smells very expressive with cool citrus elements. Crisp and alive, so delicious, crunchy with mouthwatering acidity but then a weight - almost oiliness / fat from the wood and lees adds to to the texture that immediately counters the acidity and gives the mouth filling expression. Bitter grapefruit and lemon zest on the finish. Great energy and complexity. A touch green in some places, you know this isn’t from a warm vintage, a touch of metallic element on the finish, but extremely enjoyable.

Tasted blind. Creamy oak with lots of charm on the nose but it’s lighter-bodied than some of these. Quite a charmer but probably not for the very long term. Perfect for those recovering from pneumonia. Long and lifted. Fresher than most but slightly bitter. (JR)

The 2021 Le Petit Cheval (Blanc) is 80% aged in foudres and 20% in demi-muids, 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Sémillon. It has a well-defined bouquet, fresh and vibrant, displaying Anjou pear and touches of Granny Smith, petrichor scents surfacing with aeration. The palate is well-balanced with a lovely texture, the Sémillon playing a greater influence than the proportion of the blend would suggest and imparting a slightly waxy texture. Fleeting touches of chamomile and quince emerge toward the finish. Excellent.

Crisp, bright, and fresh, with an exotic touch, the nose exudes fresh yellow citrus, Granny Smith apples, pear, orange rind, and honeysuckle. The palate follows the nose with a lush, precise display of waxy lemons, grapefruits, and tangerines, along with a hint of roundness adding just the right touch of sweetness. Drink from 2024 to 2037.

The 2021 Château Cheval Blanc Petit Cheval Blanc is gorgeous and comes from a parcel just to the west of the château. A blend of 83% Sauvignon and 17% Sémillon brought up in 50% new wood, it has a killer nose of crushed citrus, orange blossom, and chalky minerality to go with a medium-bodied, vibrant, racy, yet beautifully concentrated and textured style on the palate. I love its overall balance, it has remarkable purity, and I suspect it will provide over a decade of prime drinking.

The white Petit Cheval from Cheval Blanc is a rather rare wine. It is aged 20% in demi-muids (600 liters) as well as in large oak foudres with a capacity of 15 to 30 hl. Super deep and fresh on the nose, with the finest hint of pineapple on the top note. Lots of citrus and zest, hardly any fruit at the core aroma, plus white flowers, jasmine, and a very delicate touch of oak. High concentration, no oxidation or hint of honey, everything fresh and clear. Long and taut on the palate, super fresh and deeply complex, very clean and precise, endlessly long. A white wine that, like the red, is meant to reflect the terroir. Without tropical fruitiness, rather masculine in structure.

High aromatics, this is succulent and savoury, delicate, with a finely-balanced mix of acidity and flesh, saline and mouthwatering, apricot pit, white pear, eges of bitter anis and fennel, a brilliant white wine. Long ageing in an array of demi-muys, oak casks, nothing in traditional Bordeaux barrels. 3.2ph.

A blend of 83% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Semillon, Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2021 skips out of the glass with bright, carefree scents of lemon tart, fresh grapefruit, and lime leaves, leading to hints of coriander seed, white pepper, and sea spray. The medium to full-bodied palate is charged with electric citrus fruit flavors, supported by a racy backbone and silken texture, finishing long and minerally.

The bouquet of Petit Cheval is defined by its freshness and intensity. It expresses freshness through nuances of lemongrass, mint, and linden blossom. On the palate, the wine shows some density and tension. Harmony is therefore ensured and further reinforced by a mouthwatering, saline acidity.

(83% Sauvignon Blanc, 17% Sémillon) The nose is fruity, indulgent, and offers a lovely sense of richness/body. It reveals notes of ripe white grapefruit, pulpy vineyard peach and, more lightly, ripe lemon, apple blossom, and a subtle hint of almost bergamot/apricot blossom. All with great finesse. The palate is beautifully mineral, zesty, and gourmand, offering a delicate creaminess from the lees work, with precision, accuracy, and a fine structure. One could almost speak of a tannic structure. On the palate, this wine delivers notes of ripe/juicy white grapefruit, fleshy/juicy vineyard peach, and, more lightly, bright apple, combined with touches of juicy/fresh apricot, bergamot/vervain, as well as a subtle hint of juicy lychee and very discreet toasted hazelnut nuances. One almost perceives a salty/iodized edge to the richness. Lovely freshness and roundness. The tannic aspect is present in the structure, the aromatics, and the salivating finish. Long persistence.