Saint-Émilion Grand Cru · outside the classification since 2022
Château Cheval Blanc: available vintages, prices and pairings
The grand vin of Cheval Blanc, old vintages included, vintage by vintage, with the format, the indicative price and what to expect from it today: ready to drink, or to keep. Tick what interests you, and the quote goes out with your selection.
Vintages on the price list
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The château
West of Saint-Émilion, on gravel and clay, right up against the border with Pomerol. Cabernet franc dominates here, which is rare in Bordeaux, with merlot and a little cabernet sauvignon: a fragrant, silky wine that tastes good young and yet lasts forty years.
Bernard Arnault and Albert Frère bought it in 1998. A premier grand cru classé A since the first classification, in 1955, the château withdrew from the 2022 classification. Its second wine is called Le Petit Cheval; the same family owns Quinault l’Enclos, in Libourne. The appellation's other châteaux are on the Saint-Émilion wines page.
The estate covers 42 hectares in a single block, in 56 plots whose layout has changed little in nearly a century and a half. Clay and gravel share the soil in roughly equal parts. The vineyard is 55% cabernet franc, 40% merlot and 5% cabernet sauvignon. The 1986, a cool and very dry year, bears the mark of cabernet franc. The 2000, a hot year, dry from late July, blends 53% merlot and 47% cabernet franc. The 2004, which the château describes as highly classic, reverses the proportion: 53% cabernet franc.
What to serve it with
- A vintage more than twenty years old: partridge, woodcock (which wine with game), a truffled bird (which wine with poultry).
- A vintage ten to twenty years old: rack of lamb (which wine with lamb), fillet of beef (which wine with beef).
- With cheese: an old comté, a well-aged brie de Meaux (which wine with cheese).
Which vintage for which occasion
For a birthday or a wedding anniversary, the year you want, if the table has it (birth-year vintage). For a collector, the original wooden case (which wine to give). For a vertical tasting among enthusiasts, three vintages side by side, from youngest to oldest.
Why is Cheval Blanc no longer classified?
Cheval Blanc was a premier grand cru classé A. It withdrew from the 2022 classification, disagreeing with the criteria used (the weight given to wine tourism and communication compared with terroir and tasting). The wine hasn't changed; only the mention has gone from the label.
Why so much cabernet franc?
Cheval Blanc's gravel and clay soils suit cabernet franc, which ripens better here than elsewhere on the Right Bank. It gives the wine its fragrance and finesse; merlot brings the flesh.
When should you drink a Cheval Blanc?
Allow twelve years before opening it and forty-five years of good form, a little more in a great year, a little less in a weak year or in half-bottles. The table applies this rule to each line; it isn't a tasting note, and a badly stored bottle ages faster.
Are the prices shown the prices on the quote?
They are the indicative prices from the price list, incl. VAT, per bottle of the format, excluding delivery. The quote confirms the price, the availability of each vintage and shipping; the delivery scale gives the lead times. For a vintage missing from the table, the quote request is still open.