Wine Advisor
Cheval Blanc 1966
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Description
Château Cheval Blanc, a 1er Grand Cru Classé (A) is unquestionably the leading estate in St. Emilion. It is located in the north-west of the St. Emilion appellation, bordering Pomerol. Cheval Blanc obtained its first medal at the 1862 Universal Exhibition in London. In fact, a representation of this bronze medal is found on the château’s present-day label. Cheval Blanc won their first gold medal at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris, and this new distinction also appeared on the label. In 1886, Cheval Blanc won a second gold medal at the Universal Exhibition in Antwerp. Reflecting this series of successes and a wine well on the way to achieving international recognition, a château was built on the estate.
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s Christmas lunch. The ’66 Cheval Blanc has a deep core with a mature tawny rim. The bouquet is very well defined though without much fruite, more aromas of brine, a touch of camphor and Tuscan delicatessen. The palate is medium-bodied and well-balanced, demonstrating greater fruit concentration than the aromatics and certainly more Merlot-driven than Cabernet Franc, although the finish displays a hint of bell pepper. There is a sense that this Cheval Blanc is on the cusp of drying out, so open bottles in the near future. Drink now-2014. Tasted December 2010.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Although this came from just a half-bottle purchased from a UK merchant, it turned out to be one of the best wines of the Cheval vertical. The first Cheval Blanc to be fermented in temperature-controlled vats, it has wonderful definition on the nose that is much more reserved than the '64. Cedar and tobacco infused black fruit, perhaps foursquare but very focused. The palate is clean and fresh with fine tannins. Correct and conservative, yet very elegant and refined, this is a composed mature Saint Emilion that is drinking beautifully. Tasted February 2014.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A good rather than great effort from Cheval Blanc, the 1966 is now fully mature. Medium ruby with an amber edge, this is a restrained version of Cheval Blanc, with a stylish, reserved bouquet of mineral scents, black currants, and spicy oak. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied, moderately fleshy, but not so voluptuous or as concentrated as one expects Cheval Blanc to be in this highly regarded vintage. Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 10/90.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Following from a delicious half-bottle in February, the Château Cheval Blanc 1966 put in another impressive performance just a few months later. Served blind, it has a typical bouquet for the vintage: tobacco and cigar box, the fruit in the background, tertiary and classic in style. The palate is very well balanced and errs more towards the Left Bank than the Right Bank: structured, firm, aloof but compelling. This is a sublime expression of Cheval Blanc and it deserves to be drunk over the next 8-10 years. Tasted September 2014.
About the Producer
Château Cheval Blanc is a highly lauded wine estate in the Saint-Émilion region of northeast Bordeaux. Classified with the top ranking of Premier Grand Cru Classé A, it is regarded by many as one of the greatest wines of the appellation – if not, the greatest. It is certainly the most famous Cabernet Franc-based wine in the world, albeit often alongside very similar levels of Merlot. Typically, the "grand vin" (the estate's eponymous wine) is lush and full bodied with great weight of fruit. It tends to require ten years of bottle age and the best vintages can last half a century or more. The second wine of the estate is Le Petit Cheval. The vineyard is located in the northwest of the region, bordering Pomerol (La Conseillante is a neighbor) and consists of 39 hectares (96 acres) divided into 45 plots. There is an unusually large amount of Cabernet Franc planted – about 49 percent – with 47 percent Merlot and four percent Cabernet Sauvignon. The unusual planting proportions reflect the terroir; most vineyards in the region are either clay or gravel-based over impermeable sedimentary rock, but Cheval Blanc is unique in having a patchwork of soils with the two types in roughly equal proportions. The clay soils provide base wines with velvety tannins, while those from gravel soils are more aromatic and elegant. Vines have been grown since the 14th Century at this spot but the vineyard as it is known today took shape in the 19th Century when the core plots were added to by purchases from the nearby Figeac estate. Subsequent replantings established the atypical half-Merlot, half-Cabernet Franc proportions. Cheval Blanc gained its first medal at the 1862 Universal Exhibition in London – the first of a series of successes building its reputation and achieving price levels comparable to the Médoc first growths, which paved the way for a château to be built on the estate. In the first classification of Saint-Émilion wines in 1955, Cheval Blanc was awarded the highest possible rating and remains a Premier Grand Cru Classé A. In 1998, after 166 years of continuous family ownership, Bernard Arnault, the head of luxury goods firm LVMH, and the late Baron Albert Frère (a Belgian billionaire investor) jointly purchased the estate. The spectacular new cellar opened in 2011, with 52 concrete vats (replacing stainless steel) of differing sizes corresponding to different vineyard plots. The grand vin spends 16 to 18 months in new oak barrels from a variety of cooperages.
1953(1)1954(2)1962(1)
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