Located at the Saint-Emilion appellation of Bordeaux, France, Chateau Cheval Blanc is one of the eight famous Chateaus in Bordeaux, which is classified as Premier Grand Cru Classe A in Saint-Emilion.
The most prestigious part of Cheval Blanc's history can be said to date from 1832, when Jean-Jacques Ducasse, President of the Libourne Trade Tribunal, purchased the core of the present-day estate. Over the next twenty years, the purchase of plots belonging to Chateau Figeac led to the creation of the 39-hectare vineyard as we know it today. The configuration has remained practically unchanged. The marriage of Jean-Jacques' daughter, Henriette, with Jean Laussac-Fourcaud, a Libourne wine merchant, opened a new chapter in the history of Cheval Blanc that would define and consolidate the identity of this unique property.
After Henriette inherited Cheval Blanc, her husband undertook a spectacular renovation. He was among the first people to understand the importance of water stress to produce the finest wines, and put in an efficient drainage system.
However, the greatest progress made by the new owners was in the vineyard. Aware of Cheval Blanc's outstanding potential, and helped by an extraordinary intuition, Jean Laussac-Fourcaud replanted part of the estate in the 1860s with a totally atypical proportion of grape varieties: half Merlot (the king of the Right Bank) and half Cabernet Franc. This replanting was finished in 1871.
Located in the commune of Saint-emilion, but bordering on Pomerol, the estate consists of 39 hectares divided into forty-five plots. What makes Cheval Blanc so unusual is three main soil types–fine textured with clay, more coarsely textured with gravel, and large gravel with sand–that constitute a veritable patchwork. This singular terroir is made up primarily of clay and large-size gravel in certain plots and sandy soil with smaller gravel in other parts. The grape varieties are: 49% Cabernet Franc, 47% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Each plot has its own specific profile due to the age of the vines, surface area, kind of soil, type of rootstock and grape variety, etc. Therefore, it only follows that the wine produced from each plot has its own profile too.
The annual production of Chateau Cheval Blanc is about 6,000 cases. The grapes need go through a four-weeks alcohol fermentation and malolactic fermentation, then aging in the 100% new oak for about 18-24 months. The production of Le Petit Cheval is about 2,500 cases each year.
Chateau Cheval Blanc red wine is attractive for its charming character across the whole life. A youthful Chateau Cheval Blanc may boat a sweet character, with less power. But after 10 year’s aging, it would obtain a powerful, layered, soft and creamy personality. Though the chateau locates close to Pomerol, the wine here have a totally different style. Flavors of spice, ripe black fruit, velvety texture are the typical characters for a Chateau Cheval Blanc Red, which is famous for its detail, elegance, and long finish.