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2017 Cheval Blanc

Wine Details
Producer

Cheval Blanc

Place of Origin

France

Saint Émilion 1er Grand Cru Classé "A"

Bordeaux

Color

Red

Grape/Blend

52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, 2% Cabernet Sauvignon (2023 vintage)

Vintages
2023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199019891988198619851982198119791978197519711969196419621961195919551953195019491948194719461945193919381934192919211919
Reviews & Tasting Notes

00

Drinking Window

2024 - 2042

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I made two visits to Cheval Blanc midway and towards the end of my three weeks in Bordeaux. That is not just because of its reputation, but because it is one of the most fascinating wines of 2017. I was met by Pierre Lurton and Pierre-Olivier Clouet, who described the growing season. “The climatic conditions were simple to understand. It is an early vintage, bud-break early. There was the big frost and Cheval Blanc was affected. Over the two nights we lost between 30% and 35% of the vines so that we will bottle 50,000 compared to 106,000 as we did in 2016. This is because the yield in 2016 was much higher and likewise the percentage that went into Grand Vin last year. These days, we are trying to use more parcels so that they all have the capacity to go into the Grand Vin because they all have the DNA of Cheval Blanc. So to keep the identity we used two-thirds of the vineyard instead of selecting more and more severely. We want to respect who we are and the terroir we own. Except in 2015, all the parcels have contributed towards the Grand Vin.”

Before I continue, this is a very interesting approach, one that is contrary to many others who seek to deselect as much of the fruit as possible in order to create a kind of “haut couture” wine. Whilst the intentions might be good (though a cynic might suggest it is to limit supply and increase prices) you can find that the result is a technically perfect, blemish through, almost photo-shopped wine that articulates what the technical director has in mind, instead of a true reflection of how a vineyard translated the vagaries of a growing season. You can see in this report here, how some château lop off swathes of vineyard so that the final blend represents as little as 30% of the acreage. At what point does valid de-selection of less propitious parcels turn into unnecessary or even deleterious manipulation? I guess it depends on the estate however, I for one applaud this philosophy. Now, to continue with 2017...

“It was very dry in July and August that built the tannins in the wine. Thanks to the two weeks of rain in early September it helped the skins evolve. The botrytis started around 10 September so everybody was very anxious, but the cool nighttime temperatures prevented this. We started picking on 6 September, early to capture the delicacy of the Merlot including some Merlot on gravel soil, and finished 11 October in order to have ripe, precise Cabernet.”

The startling statistic is that two-thirds of the vineyard was impacted by frost at Cheval Blanc, a large percentage compared to other estates of similar stature. However, that two-thirds that relied on second-generation fruit only contribute 3% of the final blend, ergo the small production. So what you get is a kind of “remixed” version of Cheval Blanc insofar that there is a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and less Cabernet Franc. It creates a much stricter, linear, what you might describe as “cool” Cheval Blanc that is fascinating to taste. As I mentioned in my note, it is one of the most cerebral wines of the vintage. As a critic, I have to judge what I think is the best and so would I count the 2017 amongst the best of some 50-odd vintages that I have tasted? No. I miss the Cabernet Franc. More accurately, I miss the marriage of Cabernet Franc with Merlot that makes Cheval Blanc one of my favorite wines in the world. That sentiment is reflected in my cold-hearted score. However, truth is, if in 10 or 20 years you asked me which 2017 I would like to revisit, then it would probably be Cheval Blanc. It’s just a shame that cannot be reflected or factored into my score.

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