2020 Cheval Blanc
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2020 Cheval Blanc has a limpid deep people hue with noticeable tears in the glass. The bouquet demands several minutes to really open, delivering a payload of intense black cherry and blueberry fruit, pressed violet, a hint of licorice and crushed stone. The palate is medium-bodied with finely chiseled tannins, and quite dense and weighty in the mouth, though not sinewy. Everything is finely proportioned and multilayered, leading to a mineral-driven finish. This is a very serious, long-term Cheval Blanc with a glorious future ahead, though it would be wise to cellar this for a decade if you can resist temptation.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jane Anson, Decanter
James Lawther MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Spice, anis, rosemary, blackcurrant leaf, redcurrants, mint, peonies, the full array of aromatics are on display here, and there is an enveloping aspect to the fruit once you get to the body of the wine. The tannins are compact and powerful but they are wrapped in plump raspberry and blackberry brambled fruits. The wine feels full of life, with acidity that pulls the palate forward from the first moment, before austerity kicks in on the finish and closes things in, suggesting an extremely long life ahead. Hard to argue with this. Could go up after tasting in bottle, a potential 100 points. 98-100.
65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. 71% of production. Cask sample. Deep colour. Flattering and floral on the nose but slightly hard-edged on the palate. There’s a fleshy quality to the fruit and freshness as well but the luxurious nature of Cheval seems missing this year. Tight and firm at present, even a little pinched, the tannins overwhelm the fruit at present.
About the producer
Ch. Cheval Blanc is one the finest producers in Bordeaux. The Saint-Emilion estate’s Cabernet Franc-dominant wines are consistently among the top wines of the vintage.