2022 Chateau Cheval Blanc Saint-Emilion
The 2022 Chateau Cheval Blanc Saint-Emilion is an exceptional Bordeaux wine that embodies finesse, complexity, and timeless elegance. This red wine blend showcases a captivating deep ruby color, hinting at its depth and intensity. The bouquet is enchanting, revealing an exquisite interplay of red and black fruits, such as cherries, blackberries, and plums, accompanied by delicate floral notes and hints of spices. On the palate, it displays a velvety texture, with silky tannins and a vibrant acidity. Flavors of ripe berries, dark chocolate, tobacco, and earthy undertones unfold gracefully, leading to a long, harmonious finish. This wine is a true reflection of the terroir and craftsmanship of Saint-Emilion, promising an unforgettable drinking experience.
The storied Saint-Émilion estate needs little introduction, but its history is worth noting. The creation story starts in 1832 when a neighboring estate sold 15 hectares, some of which had distinctive gravelly soils that run like a vein through the region. It wasn't until 1871 that Cheval Blanc achieved its present day size, but seed was there from the beginning - to marry Merlot with Saint-Émilion's traditional Cabernet Franc. Already adored and well-medaled, Cheval Blanc scored the distinctive ranking of Premier Grand Cru Classé "A" in 1954. As of 2012 they're still just one of four Châteaux to earn the distinction.
Wine Advocate
One of the stars of the vintage is the striking 2022 Cheval Blanc, a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon that bursts from the glass with aromas of mulberries, cherries and wild berries mingled with mint, orange zest, pencil lead, vine smoke and exotic spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's rich and gourmand, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acids and a long, saline, pungently perfumed finish. Harvest began on 29 August, with all the Merlot picked before the month was out, and the result is a wine that is as vibrant as it is lavish.
Vinous
The 2022 Cheval Blanc is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Deep, seamless and striking in its beauty, the 2022 possesses pedigree to burn. Readers will find a sumptuous wine, but there’s plenty of tannin lurking beneath all of that intensity. In fact, the 2022 is the most tannic Cheval since 2010. The aromatics are surprisingly vibrant for a wine from a warm, dry year. The wine's energy is palpable. The 100% new oak is not all perceptible, which is another sign of top-notch balance. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of exotic Franc notes, followed by blood orange, red fruit, mind and dried herb touches. The 2022 includes 17% press wine (compared to the 11% or so that is typical), but as I have noted in my comments elsewhere in this report, the press lots were of high quality in 2022 because the winemaking was gentle. Once again, Cheval Blanc represents a pinnacle of excellence.
James Suckling
This is a wine that soars to new heights with its brightness and weightlessness. The balance of serene fruit that’s perfectly ripe. Full-bodied yet tight and polished where it seems delicate and compressed, with berry, chocolate and walnut character. The finish is endless and poised. Wine of the vintage? 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Jeb Dunnuck
I was able to taste the 2022 Château Cheval Blanc in its individual components as well as a final blend, which is incredibly insightful when trying to understand a young barrel sample. The final blend is 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon (which is similar to the 2010), and as always, it's resting in new barrels. A deep, concentrated, structured Cheval Blanc, it has beautiful cassis, violets, flowers, and chocolate-driven aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, concentrated, structured 2022 that stays tight, focused, and firm on the palate, with very little in the way of baby fat, yet the tannins are fine and polished. With a stacked mid-palate and a great finish, this masculine, structured, dense, powerful 2022 is going to need a decade or more of bottle age, but it should be brilliant
Decanter
An extremely gorgeous 2022 taking the best from the vintage in terms of power, concentration and structure and presenting it with elegance, purity and a kind of quiet confidence that Cheval does so well. Crushed stones, salt, blue fruits and soft perfumed aromas on the nose. Smooth texture, so fine, silky, supple and agile, this has such an alluring energy from the first sip. Tannins are velvety soft providing a gentle grip with a powdery, chalky graphite, liquorice and fresh mint touch. This feels calm and controlled with the power coming slowly and subtly in the undercurrent of lush ripe fruit. Intensity is matched by accessibility with a combination of high acidity and appealing sweetness with layers of nuance and detail. So complete - nothing is missing here, but it's more about what it's not saying than what it is. A great wine that has potential for upscore in bottle. Potential 100 point wine. A yield of 27hl/ha, due to size of the berries.