Le Petit Cheval Bordeaux Blanc 2021

Together with Château Pétrus and Ausone, Château Cheval Blanc is one of the legends of the Right Bank. Always possesses enormous concentration, but at the same time finesse and freshness. This cru is owned by the Belgian Albert Frère and Bernard Arnault. It is Pierre Lurton (from the Dominique Lurton branch) who vinifies the wine (just like in Château d'Yquem). This year the vinification took place for the fifth time in the ultra-modern new chais of the architect Christian de Portzamparc. 50 specially shaped (tronconical) concrete cuvees are used for microvinification per plot. Concrete was chosen because it has good thermal insulation and a tronconical shape because it ensures a gentler extraction of the berries for better fermentation. Everything is also vinified using the principle of gravity (so the wine or berries are no longer pumped up). A gigantic investment in the service of quality!

The relatively new white wine from Cheval Blanc (2018 was the first vintage), the Le Petit Cheval Blanc, is a blend of 83% Sauvignon Blanc and 17% Sémillon. The wine has a nose of great freshness and precision, with a fine diversity of white flesh and citrus fruits. There are intense notes of ripe pineapple, passion fruit and white peaches, followed by fragrant notes of lemongrass, lime blossom and hints of salty sea spray. The palate is full of seductive oiliness with complex layers of tropical fruit, citrus peels and minerals, characterized by a refreshing line and ending with numerous mineral sparks. So beautiful, but at least this is from Cheval Blanc.

The 2021 vintage is average in terms of precipitation (789 mm), as well as temperature (13.8°C), which is nevertheless one degree lower than in the last three vintages. The heavy rainfall in May (102 mm) and June (166 mm) was significantly above normal, as the average for these months since 1955 has been around 60 mm. The vintage was characterized by a summer with alternating sun and rain. Mid-August, drier weather, with occasional showers, until the relatively late harvest. The harvest, late for this vintage, ran from September 10 to 16. At the end of the pressing, the slightly settled grape must is fermented in demi-muids (600L), foudres (15hL) and wooden barrels (15, 20, 25 and 30hL). After vinification, the rhythm of stirring decreases, initially daily, depending on the team's tastings. The wines blended in February are left to mature for 18 months.