Château Cheval Blanc 2012

The new cellar has allowed Cheval Blanc, instead of harvesting 35 plots individually and separately, to distinguish 71 different “lots,” enabling separate vinification even within a single plot. The result is utmost precision and perfectly ripe harvests, bringing Cheval Blanc back to the podium. Superb aromatic potential with floral and fruity notes, perfectly balanced, classy tannins, a full, even slightly fiery finish; a very fine wine with almost unbelievable transparency and precision, yet also with density and length.

A beautiful wine that always seems to drink well, the 2012 Château Cheval Blanc has a sweet, fragrant nose of black and red currants, floral nuances and spice. Supple, round and juicy, this wine can be drunk now or cellared for another 15 or more years.

This wine is gorgeous in all facets, offering a simultaneously loamy and creamy mouthfeel, seamless layers of red and black currant, cherry, raspberry and blackberry fruit, and a long, tobacco-fueled finish that features alluring hints of black tea and incense. The fruit and terroir shine in this broad, deep and defined style. Best from 2018 through 2030. 7,083 cases made.

A beautifully balanced claret with a fragrant, silky texture, fine backbone and length on the palate, promising a long life. Not a ‘big’ wine but a delicious one with class. Made in the spanking new cellar (inaugurated June 2011).

A ripe and fleshy St.-Emilion with an excellent interplay of forest-berry fruit, bitter chocolate and a whiff of cinnamon and allspice. Lovely, creamy richness on the mid-palate, but also a hint of warmth from alcohol. The supple tannins make for a very smooth finish, but it’s not so complex there. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.

The 2012 Cheval Blanc has a lovely bouquet with raspberry coulis, hints of marmalade and just a touch of espresso, nicely detailed though not intense. The palate is medium-bodied with a strict entry. This is quite backward and tight, lightly spiced with a touch of sour cherry and cracked black pepper on the finish. This is a delicious, well-crafted Cheval Blanc. A second bottle demonstrates just a little more backbone and persistence. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.

A reserved vintage for Cheval Blanc, the wine pops with flowers, cigar wrapper, mint leaf, spice, cedar, and just a hint of truffle. Bright, fresh, juicy, crisp red cherries and plums are also front and center of this medium-bodied, elegant, classic version of Cheval Blanc. Drink from 2022-2045.

Floral and dark-fruited with hints of violet and dark cherry, lots of structure on the palate, fine and lingering tannins, great length; elegant, cool, and restrained style.

54% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with a violet rim. While Petit Cheval leapt straight out of the glass, this barrel sample was discreet and reserved; only on the second nose did it start to open: rock candy notes, black tea, Tasmanian pepper, licorice, currants, tar, and summer truffle; the fruit shows from blue to black berries. On the palate, a fairly demanding package: intense tannins, showing muscle and a subtly rustic edge; plenty of aromatic potential inside, tannins with crumbly contours; certainly lots of power, but for now also an unexpected arrogance; on the extract there are (hopefully) noble bitters reminiscent of over-steeped black tea. Not a soft Cheval variation, but one that calls for patience and a bit of confidence. Predicting the likely (surely again too high) price of this Cheval 2012 is almost easier than assessing its potential correctly. I was, however, impressed by the finish, or rather the retro-olfaction. It lasted 750 meters, as I still had the taste in my mouth when, after our visit, we arrived at Evangile on Monday morning at 9:18 a.m. Three days later, Jimmy Sichel brought a bottle of Cheval 1985 to the restaurant Lion D’Or. In its make-up, Cheval 2012 might perhaps head in that direction.

54% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc. Deep purple-garnet, dense at the core, with a violet hue on the rim. While Petit Cheval literally leapt from the glass, this barrel sample was discreet and reserved; only on a second nosing could it be approached properly: rock candy notes, black tea, Tasmanian pepper, licorice, currants, tar, and summer truffle, with fruit ranging from blue to black berries. On the palate, a fairly demanding package: intense, muscular tannins with a subtly rustic edge; plenty of aromatic potential at the core; the tannins show crumbly contours; surely lots of power but, for now, also an unexpected arrogance. On the extract there are (hopefully…) noble bitter elements reminiscent of over-steeped black tea. Not a soft Cheval variation, but one that calls for patience and a bit of confidence. Predicting the possible (surely again too high) price of this Cheval 2012 is almost easier than gauging its true potential. I was, however, impressed by the finish, or rather the retro-olfaction. It stretched 750 meters, as I still had the taste in my mouth when, after our visit, we arrived at Evangile on Monday morning at 9:18 a.m. Three days later, Jimmy Sichel brought a bottle of Cheval 1985 to the Lion D'Or restaurant. Judging by its makeup, Cheval 2012 might perhaps head in that direction.

(54% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc) Deep, refined, elegant, velvety bouquet; blueberries, strawberries, subtle mocha, tobacco, red currant, mint, herbs. Balanced, elegant, tightly knit palate with a finely creamy texture, plenty of fine tannins, powerful, complex aromatics, dense, sweet, delicate fruit, and a very long, powerful, sweet, fresh finish with pronounced afteraromas. 18/20 2020 - 2045

Seductive, rich flavours, far more creamy in its fruit expression than many of the top Left Banks in the 2012 vintage, and yet also higher in fresh acidities, giving a lovely push-and-pull contrast. Persistent, with sage and white pepper spice, this is a nuanced and sculpted wine, full of personality and grace. Not the depth of the truly great vintages at Cheval such as the 2010 or 2016, but this is one of the wines of the tasting, with layers of flavour that will take decades to fully unwind. 100% new oak.

The 2012 Cheval Blanc is deep garnet-brick in color. Notes of cigar box, Chinese five spice, and plum preserves all leap from the nose, leading to hints of dried cherries, dusty soil, graphite, and garrigue. The medium-bodied palate is both generous and lively, with velvety tannins to support and a long, spicy finish.

The 2012, in the same spirit of superlative finesse as the 2013 and 2014, offers an immediately extremely seductive, floral expression, driven by great coherence and a sublime delicacy of texture.

On the nose, a gentle blend of opulence and sophistication unfolds with aromas of musk and cut flowers, before opening onto a chocolatey palate with meaty notes, followed by a deliciously creamy, long, and delicately grainy finish.

Slightly purplish ruby red. Elegant yet discreet bouquet. Notes of red fruits

Logo on the cork: A in a circle (Amorim) Dark color, of normal intensity and slightly evolved. Very aromatic nose, delicate, fruity, needing aeration. Creamy nuances. Soft on the attack, melting on the mid-palate, juicy; the wine develops with savory flavors, very pleasant, with a finish slightly marked by the presence of tannin. Normal length.

95–97. Barrel sample. An impressively dense wine with a serious structure. Dusty tannins go with a powerful structure and a wonderfully deep texture. Very solid and chunky.