Château Cheval Blanc

Château Cheval Blanc is located in the commune of Saint-Émilion at the edge of the Pomerol area in the Bordeaux region in France. The estate lies between Saint-Émilion and Pomerol and shares the quaternary alluvial formation of the Isle with many Pomerol vineyards. The soils form a mosaic of clay, gravel and sand. Some plots consist predominantly of clay with small stones, while others consist of fine gravel and sand.

The vineyard is planted to 55% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Château Cheval Blanc takes into account the characteristics of each plot through different choices of pruning and bud selection, green harvesting, targeted work on the foliage and separate decisions for the harvest. During the growing season, soil temperature, water supply and mineral supply are measured; in addition, the phenolic development and the ripeness of the grapes are monitored plot by plot.

The estate has discontinued tillage by ploughing, sows cover crops between the rows and, as part of its agroecological programme, combines polyculture with biodiversity management. Documented climatic risks include spring frost, drought, heavy rainfall and hail.

The estate’s modern development began in 1832 with the purchase of its core by Jean-Jacques Ducasse. Subsequent acquisitions of plots from the holdings of Château Figeac formed the present-day property. Jean Laussac-Fourcaud planted part of the estate in the mid-1860s in roughly equal proportions with Merlot and Cabernet Franc; this replanting was completed in 1871. The wine was first marketed in 1852 under the name Cheval Blanc and received a bronze medal in 1862 at the World Exhibition in London. Bernard Arnault and Baron Albert Frère acquired Château Cheval Blanc in the autumn of 1998.

In 1954, the estate was classified in the first Saint-Émilion classification as Premier Grand Cru Classé A. In July 2021, it withdrew from the classification instead of taking part in the 2022 classification.

The grapes from the individual plots are vinified separately, with each plot being assigned to a specific fermentation vessel. For alcoholic fermentation, yeasts prepared from indigenous yeasts are used; pumping over is done manually, and samples from each vessel are tasted every day. Malolactic fermentation takes place at around 20 °C in the vessels. Press wine remains separated from the first and second wines. The wines then mature for around 16 to 18 months in French oak barrels in a cellar with approximately 14 °C.

Wines from clay plots are described as silky with soft tannins, while gravel plots produce more aromatic and elegant wines. According to the estate, the cuvées combine strength, elegance and a complex aromatic expression, and are intended to reflect the terroir as well as the climatic conditions of the particular vintage. Le Petit Cheval has been produced since 1988 from grapes from the same terroirs and the same grape varieties; it is selected from approximately one quarter of the harvest.