Chateau Cheval Blanc - Saint-Emilion 2016
Price: $1300.00
| Producer | Chateau Cheval Blanc |
| Country | France |
| Region | Bordeaux |
| Subregion | Saint-Emilion |
| Varietal | Red Blend |
| Vintage | 2016 |
| Sku | 26025 |
Chateau Cheval Blanc Description
A beautiful vintage, dry and fresh, expressing all the typicity of a grand Cheval Blanc. Complex, balanced, dense and fresh, he is made for a long ageing potential.
Wine Maker Tasting Notes: An initially discreet nose the reveals complex aromas very quickly. A palette of red and black fruits, such as cherry, raspberry, blackberry and blackcurrant dominate. In addition, there are abundant floral notes of violet, rose, lily and peony. As the wine gradually opens it reveals almost caramelised notes with pepper and spices. A vibrant and clean nose. The attack is creamy and mouth filling, developing into the mid-palate with powerful, round tannins which are both rich and elegant, voluminous and refined. The balance between the tannins and acidity lend freshness and fruitiness and an extremely long finish. The aromatic intensity of this Cheval Blanc is impressive.
Wine Advocate: 100 Points
The 2016 Cheval Blanc is blended of 59.5% Merlot, 37.2% Cabernet Franc and 3.3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose is incredibly youthful yet not so shy as some other 2016s at this stage, giving wonderfully intense scents of red currants, black cherries, wild blueberries and violets with nuances of star anise, cinnamon stick, rose hip tea, cigar box and wood smoke plus a touch of beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has jaw-dropping elegance and depth, offering up layer upon layer of fragrant red and black fruits plus an extraordinary array of mineral sparks, supported by a rock-solid grainy texture, finishing with epic persistence and an edifying perfume. This is a very different style from the rich, opulently hedonic 2015, yet this wonderfully fragrant, beautifully poised and intellectually compelling 2016 is equally extraordinary.
James Suckling: 99 Points
Wet earth and sliced, fresh mushrooms. Menthol. Dark berries, such as blackberries and blueberries. Full-bodied, dense and whole, but you don’t feel the tannins, even though it is so powerful and structured. Detailed and defined. Cashmere. Wonderful finish. Glorious young Cheval.
Vinous Media: 98 Points
The 2016 Cheval Blanc has an exquisite bouquet of pixelated black and red fruit, crushed stone, violets and seamlessly integrated new oak; this is utterly seductive. The medium-bodied palate reveals a hint of marmalade on the entry. Powerful and dense, this is an impressive, almost heady nascent wine with plenty of grip and sinew toward the finish. Maybe it lacks that crystalline detail at the moment, but it is clearly a long-term proposition.
Wine Spectator: 97 Points
This has turned into a very dense wine, with waves of cassis, plum reduction and blackberry paste forming the core. Wrapped tightly in layers of tobacco and loam for now, while singed alder, incense, black tea and bergamot notes peek in here and there. The finish rumbles like thunder for now, with the swath of tannins, and there's just a twinge of drought-induced austerity. But there's acidity and drive too, and this will cruise in the cellar for some time.
