2003 Le Petit Cheval

Cheval Blanc has been something of a controversial wine in the early going, with some tasters disappointed not to find more richness and ripeness and claiming that the chateau's vines on sandy soil struggled in the heat of 2003. But then Cheval is always difficult to taste early on, as its high percentage of cabernet franc can be quite tight and closed during elevage and takes time to knit with the merlot. Cheval Blanc's harvest was its earliest since 1893, beginning on September 1 and finishing on September 14. The 2003 grand vin represents a 50% selection. Virtually all of the merlot that made it into the blend is from plots with clay subsoil. The yield was a low 30 hectoliters per hectare, as the grapes had trouble growing larger due to the heat during the weeks leading up to the veraison