Product description
Château Cheval Blanc is a legendary estate on the border between Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, where gravelly “graves” intermingle with clay and sand, and the vines grow in 55 separate plots, each vinified separately before being blended.The estate's history begins in 1832, when a parcel of land was set aside from the former Figeac estate; over time, it would become one of the most famous addresses on the right bank.For two hundred years, Cheval Blanc has cultivated a style based on the dominance of Cabernet Franc—unusual for Saint-Émilion—giving its wines a distinctive, floral and spicy finesse.In 2011, a state-of-the-art winery (designed by Christian de Portzamparc) was completed, enabling fully plot-by-plot, gravity-fed vinification and even more precise selection of the final blend.An interesting development in recent years has been the 2021 decision to opt out of the Saint-Émilion classification—Cheval Blanc now defends its “A” status on its own, through the strength of its terroir and the consistency of its style.
The 2011 vintage is a classic Cheval, elegant and cool, crafted from a blend dominated by Cabernet Franc: 52% CF and 48% Merlot (the final composition is sometimes reported with minor variations in various sources, but the key point is the dominance of Cabernet Franc).The wine aged in 100% new barriques for about.16–18 months, which beautifully “polishes” the tannins without masking the fruit.
Appearance: deep ruby red with garnet highlights, clear and intense.
Aroma: violet and peony with a hint of Cabernet Franc, along with black cherry, black currant, and raspberry; in the background, notes of cedar, tobacco, truffle, a touch of Sichuan pepper, and damp earth.
Taste: medium-bodied to full-bodied; silky, fine-grained tannins, excellent freshness and tension, juicy black-and-red fruit, hints of Provençal herbs, graphite, and cocoa; long, clean, mineral finish.
Food pairings: ideally, classics from the Right Bank: saddle of lamb with herbs, roast duck or pigeon, beef tenderloin with truffles; for a Polish twist—venison loin with porcini mushrooms or tenderloin with demi-glace sauce.