Petit Cheval 2008

Petit Cheval St Emilion Grand Cru, Bordeaux, France, 2008 

Grapes: 35% Merlot and 65% Cabernet Franc, half clay & half gravel soils, yield 27hl/ha, aged 12 months in new French oak barrels

Le Petit Cheval is the "second wine" of Premier Grand Cru Classé St Emilion, Chateau Cheval Blanc.

Producer Tasting Note:

This wine corresponds perfectly to the style of a "second wine": classic, balanced, and very tasty. The colour is a deep, attractive ruby-red. The nose is bursting with red fruit aromas. The wine starts out quite rich on the palate, going on to show great balance, freshness, and minerality. The tannic texture is very fine and there is a beautiful long aftertaste. This second wine is enjoyable to drink as of now, but still has a long way to go (April 2010)

This is a classic vintage showing considerable freshness and great balance. The growing season was slow, but finished up in glory thanks to an extraordinary Indian summer that accounted for impeccable grapes.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"...this has a seductive, almost sandy bouquet inflecting the vibrant red-berried fruit with fine definition. The palate is quite tannic thanks to the Cabernet Franc, a little disjointed at the moment with touches of cedar, tar and dried herbs. It comes across as masculine and savoury finish. Give this a couple of years to fully integrate."

90/100 points, Neal Martin, WINE ADVOCATE, January 2011

"Dark ruby garnet, violet reflections. The nose initially has intense herbal spices, laurel bushes and maquis, red berries, underlined with heart cherries. Medium complexity, freshly structured, subtle nougat note, well-integrated tannins, delicately reminiscent of dark chocolate, clearly characterized by Cabernet Franc, a bit closed at the moment."

90/100 points, FALSTAFF, March 2012