2018 Chateau Cheval Blanc 2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc 2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc 2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc 2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc 2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc
2018 Chateau Cheval Blanc
2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc
2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc
2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc
2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc
2006 Chateau Cheval Blanc

2018 Chateau Cheval Blanc

Red Bordeaux Blend

France / Bordeaux / Libournais / Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

¥918,900
RP 98
Size:
Quantity:

2018 Chateau Cheval Blanc, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France

2018 will be remembered for the very strong downy mildew pressure observed in the vineyard.
Fortunately the weather completely shifted to the months of August, September and October, ensuring raw material of remarkable quality.

Weather conditions

TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION
After a very wet January, February was more in line with normal. The month of March saw precipitation twice as heavy as normal. The month of April was consistent, preceding the months of May and June which presented a high frequency of precipitation although remaining close to average. It was only from June 15 that dry weather set in. Temperatures at the start of the year were normal, although February was very cold and April was two degrees higher than average. The months of July and August saw very little rain with the exception of the first week of July but with temperatures without excess, the rainfall in September was very scant, only 26 mm allowed very good maturity of the grapes and the The harvest ended in October with superb weather.

WATER DIET
The water regime in its chronology was very favorable to the quality of the grapes. In fact, the heavy rainfall in the first part of the year constituted significant reserves to allow the plant to fully benefit from the drought of July and August. However, the very low rainfall in September caused stress on some young vines on gravel. The clays reacted extremely well as did the sands on clays. After a very wet month of March, a normal month of April, the very frequently rainy months of May and June categorized the vintage as of June 30 as wet. After this very wet start to the growing cycle, 2018 turned out to be a very dry year following the lack of precipitation in the months of July, August and September. As of September 30, 2018 is in eighth position in terms of water stress intensity since the 1952 vintage, along with vintages such as 1990, 2000 and even 2016. The water regime during the cycle was very close to the 2000 vintage. The month of September very little rain only favored the maturity of the grapes which ended in mid-October in very dry conditions. The three Cheval Blanc terroirs reacted very well to this water regime which was less restrictive than 2016 for the gravel terroirs. The water regime of summer and late season greatly benefited the clay terroirs.

VINE CYCLE
Bud burst was average, on April 11 for the Merlots, on the 14th for the Cabernet Francs. Mid-flowering was noted on May 28 for the Merlots and on 01/06 for the Cabernet Sauvignons and on 02/06 for the Cabernet Francs. The very rainy conditions did not alter the quality of the flowering which turned out to be complete and grouped.

Veraison took place between July 30 and August 8 depending on the grape variety. The great drought of the summer months favored an early cessation of growth. The harvest took place over a very long period from September 10 to October 11. The dry weather of summer and the beautiful late season made it possible to obtain very good maturity and to peck each plot at its optimum maturity. The health status was extremely satisfactory.

Phenological stages Merlot average 1996-2018 Cabernet Franc average 1996-2018
Budburst April 11 March 30 April 13 April 4
Bloom May 28 May 28 June 2 June 1
Veraison July 30 August 2nd August 8 August 7
Harvest September 10 September 18 September 24 September 27
Duration in days between…
Budburst and flowering 59 days 62 days 58 days 60 days
Flowering and veraison 63 days 64 days 67 days 67 days
Veraison and harvest 45 days 47 days 45 days 50 days

Particularity of the vintage

GRAPE MATURITY AND YIELD
2018 will surely go down as one of the estate's great vintages. The generous rainfall during the vine's growth phase and the drought during the ripening and harvest periods constitute almost ideal conditions for obtaining rich and complex grapes. This allows low growth of the berries as well as their perfect maturity. These small berries ensure a very good concentration of the grapes which also had a very complex aroma. Analytically the degrees are quite high but counterbalanced by contained pH.

The tasting

March 1, 2019
The color is deep, intense red. The nose is dominated by a superb floral and fruity note, evoking raspberry and violet. Allowed to aerate, the fruit expresses itself more intensely with aromas of black cherries, blackberries and blackcurrant. The ever-present flowers develop around rose and lilac. Balsamic and spicy notes complement the already complex nose with aromas of cocoa beans and black pepper. This nose impresses with its freshness, its complexity, its brilliance, its precision. The attack on the palate is sumptuous: voluminous and full. The tannic richness of this wine impresses with its power, and also with its smoothness. The weave is continuous, deep, long, firm, perfectly enveloping and refined. The very distinguished structure continues with an endless, crunchy finish, which retains its freshness. The aromatic return is floral and fruity, with a spicy note. The balance and definition of this wine are worthy of the property's greatest vintages.
RP 98

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2018 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, with a 3.75 pH and 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs considerable swirling and air to releases fragrant notes of stewed plums, juicy black cherries and ripe blackberries with underlying suggestions of damp soil, black truffles, rose oil and cardamom with wafts of underbrush and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with rich black fruits and loads of earthy accents, framed by super firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness to balance, finishing with amazing length and a beautiful array of floral and mineral sparks. Thirty-three plots contributed to this wine, out of the forty-three in production. Of the rest, five went into Petit Cheval and five into bulk. It will need a good 6-7 years at least to really start to strut its stuff and should cellar for a further 30 years or more. Reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Issue date: March 2021. Drinking window: 2027 - 2057.

For INTERNATIONAL shipping, click HERE.

We ship within the United States to:

AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, and WY.

FREE SHIPPING INSURANCE: We provide FREE carrier insurance for lost or damaged shipments (per carrier terms and conditions.)

FREE WINE STORAGE: We provide FREE 6 Months wine cellar storage from date of purchase. Please choose this option at checkout and we will coordinate shipping for a later date.

SHIPPING: During warm summer weather, we recommend to only ship within the United States with Same Day or Next Day Air service to protect the wines from environmental damage. If you would like to waive this protection by shipping Ground, we will request a waiver be signed.

PACKAGING: Our premium wines need optimal temperature consistency, therefore are packaged in EPS foam shippers with gel pack (when needed) and shipped only during ideal weather temperatures.

For OWC (Original Wooden Case) orders, wine bottles will be removed from case and shipped inside a foam shipper box for safety (unless otherwise requested). The wooden case will be shipped separately at Ground service. If faster service is necessary please contact us.

WEATHER HOLD: In adverse temperature conditions, we reserve the right to withhold shipment until ideal temperatures return unless we receive explicit instructions via email to release the wines, voiding any guarantee. We will contact you if a hold is necessary.

FULFILLMENT: Shipments are via UPS.

  • Orders received Monday - Thursday before 2:00 p.m. will typically ship the same day.
  • Orders received Thursday 2:00 p.m. ~ Sunday will ship on Monday.

DELIVERY:

  • Same Day service within Los Angeles Metro area may be available if order is placed before noon, but not guaranteed. Please contact us directly at (626)714-7006 to facilitate expedited service.
  • During extreme temperatures, all shipments are recommended for Next Day Air.

Adult Signature: By law, all shipments of alcohol must be received and authorized by an adult. Our delivery carriers will not release packages without an adult signature and additional charges may be incurred if the package requires withholding or redirection.

*********

We ship within the United States to: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

  • CRITICAL REVIEWS
  • WINEMAKER NOTES
RP 98

Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2018 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, with a 3.75 pH and 14.5% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it needs considerable swirling and air to releases fragrant notes of stewed plums, juicy black cherries and ripe blackberries with underlying suggestions of damp soil, black truffles, rose oil and cardamom with wafts of underbrush and iron ore. The medium to full-bodied palate is densely packed with rich black fruits and loads of earthy accents, framed by super firm, grainy tannins and seamless freshness to balance, finishing with amazing length and a beautiful array of floral and mineral sparks. Thirty-three plots contributed to this wine, out of the forty-three in production. Of the rest, five went into Petit Cheval and five into bulk. It will need a good 6-7 years at least to really start to strut its stuff and should cellar for a further 30 years or more. Reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Issue date: March 2021. Drinking window: 2027 - 2057.

2018 Chateau Cheval Blanc, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, France

2018 will be remembered for the very strong downy mildew pressure observed in the vineyard.
Fortunately the weather completely shifted to the months of August, September and October, ensuring raw material of remarkable quality.

Weather conditions

TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION
After a very wet January, February was more in line with normal. The month of March saw precipitation twice as heavy as normal. The month of April was consistent, preceding the months of May and June which presented a high frequency of precipitation although remaining close to average. It was only from June 15 that dry weather set in. Temperatures at the start of the year were normal, although February was very cold and April was two degrees higher than average. The months of July and August saw very little rain with the exception of the first week of July but with temperatures without excess, the rainfall in September was very scant, only 26 mm allowed very good maturity of the grapes and the The harvest ended in October with superb weather.

WATER DIET
The water regime in its chronology was very favorable to the quality of the grapes. In fact, the heavy rainfall in the first part of the year constituted significant reserves to allow the plant to fully benefit from the drought of July and August. However, the very low rainfall in September caused stress on some young vines on gravel. The clays reacted extremely well as did the sands on clays. After a very wet month of March, a normal month of April, the very frequently rainy months of May and June categorized the vintage as of June 30 as wet. After this very wet start to the growing cycle, 2018 turned out to be a very dry year following the lack of precipitation in the months of July, August and September. As of September 30, 2018 is in eighth position in terms of water stress intensity since the 1952 vintage, along with vintages such as 1990, 2000 and even 2016. The water regime during the cycle was very close to the 2000 vintage. The month of September very little rain only favored the maturity of the grapes which ended in mid-October in very dry conditions. The three Cheval Blanc terroirs reacted very well to this water regime which was less restrictive than 2016 for the gravel terroirs. The water regime of summer and late season greatly benefited the clay terroirs.

VINE CYCLE
Bud burst was average, on April 11 for the Merlots, on the 14th for the Cabernet Francs. Mid-flowering was noted on May 28 for the Merlots and on 01/06 for the Cabernet Sauvignons and on 02/06 for the Cabernet Francs. The very rainy conditions did not alter the quality of the flowering which turned out to be complete and grouped.

Veraison took place between July 30 and August 8 depending on the grape variety. The great drought of the summer months favored an early cessation of growth. The harvest took place over a very long period from September 10 to October 11. The dry weather of summer and the beautiful late season made it possible to obtain very good maturity and to peck each plot at its optimum maturity. The health status was extremely satisfactory.

Phenological stages Merlot average 1996-2018 Cabernet Franc average 1996-2018
Budburst April 11 March 30 April 13 April 4
Bloom May 28 May 28 June 2 June 1
Veraison July 30 August 2nd August 8 August 7
Harvest September 10 September 18 September 24 September 27
Duration in days between…
Budburst and flowering 59 days 62 days 58 days 60 days
Flowering and veraison 63 days 64 days 67 days 67 days
Veraison and harvest 45 days 47 days 45 days 50 days

Particularity of the vintage

GRAPE MATURITY AND YIELD
2018 will surely go down as one of the estate's great vintages. The generous rainfall during the vine's growth phase and the drought during the ripening and harvest periods constitute almost ideal conditions for obtaining rich and complex grapes. This allows low growth of the berries as well as their perfect maturity. These small berries ensure a very good concentration of the grapes which also had a very complex aroma. Analytically the degrees are quite high but counterbalanced by contained pH.

The tasting

March 1, 2019
The color is deep, intense red. The nose is dominated by a superb floral and fruity note, evoking raspberry and violet. Allowed to aerate, the fruit expresses itself more intensely with aromas of black cherries, blackberries and blackcurrant. The ever-present flowers develop around rose and lilac. Balsamic and spicy notes complement the already complex nose with aromas of cocoa beans and black pepper. This nose impresses with its freshness, its complexity, its brilliance, its precision. The attack on the palate is sumptuous: voluminous and full. The tannic richness of this wine impresses with its power, and also with its smoothness. The weave is continuous, deep, long, firm, perfectly enveloping and refined. The very distinguished structure continues with an endless, crunchy finish, which retains its freshness. The aromatic return is floral and fruity, with a spicy note. The balance and definition of this wine are worthy of the property's greatest vintages.

You may also like

Recently viewed