x
  • Country ranking ?

    892
  • Producer ranking ?

    40
  • Decanting time

    2h
  • When to drink

    now to 2035
  • Food Pairing

    chargrilled steak

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The final blend for the 2012 Cheval Blanc was 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc. Despite the use of 100% new oak, there is not a hint of vanillin, toast or espresso notes in the aromatic bouquet, which is filled with scents of black currants, sweet cherries, lavender, forest floor and a hint of underbrush. Concentrated with a surprisingly lofty alcohol level of 13.9% as well as a tannin level that equals their 2010 (a wine bestowed a three-dig...

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The Story

Whether by design or by pure chance, there are in the world exceptional places. Cheval Blanc is one of these. Combining a unique soil with a symbiotic mix of grape varieties, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, Cheval Blanc produces a wine, which has the rare quality of being good at any age. It is without doubt one of the most consistent wines in the world. Cheval Blanc's unique identity is due to its varied soils, early-ripening microclimate, the per...

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Wine Information

2012 was dry and rather warm with a superb Indian summer. 2012 Château Cheval Blanc is a truly beautiful wine already showing astonishing complexity and great aromatic precision2012 is unquestionably a very good vintage at Cheval Blanc.

The month of April was cool and very wet. May and June were more mild, but it continued to rain until the 15th of July.  Thereafter, a long period of beautiful, very dry weather set in.  Just 30 mm of rain...

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Vintage 2012

The 2012 Bordeaux vintage report.

The 2012 Bordeaux vintage is a year for vineyard management and workers. Call it a winemakers vintage, or change your tune and call it vineyard managers vintage. Either descriptor works perfectly. Wineries with the financial capacity to take the necessary measures in the vineyards during the season, coupled with the willingness to severely downgrade unripe grapes, will produce the best wines. Even then, it ...

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Latest Pro-tasting notes

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Written Notes

A step up over the 2011, the 2012 Cheval Blanc offers a similar medium to full-bodied, elegant style yet has slightly more freshness and purity. Smoked black fruits, cassis, tobacco leaf, and sappy flower notes all emerge from this thrillingly textured, balanced, focused 2012. It opens up with time in the glass, has ripe, sweet tannins, and it’s another one of those wines that offers pleasure today yet will cruise for decades. The final blend is the usual 54% Merlot and 46% Cabernet Franc. Readers should be happy to have bottles in their cellars.
Rating: 96+

  • 96p
Deep ruby. Fruity, layered and some vanilla nose. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, quite silky, lovely fruit, long and nuanced. 92-94
  • 94p
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Information

Origin

St. Emilion, Bordeaux

Vintage Quality

Above Average

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Below Average

Fake factory

None

Inside Information

RIPENING AND YIELDS

The beginning of the growing season was difficult due to uneven bud break and flowering, as well as a strong attack of mildew.  However, any worries were dissipated by the return of beautiful weather starting in mid-July. Vegetative growth came to a halt in early August in most plots, creating good conditions for ripening. The light showers in late September and early October did not endanger to crop's excellent potential, which remained fine until the end of the harvest.   
The berries were close to normal in weight and yields were slightly less than average.  The grapes had a balanced constitution with good sugar levels, but not to excess, as well as a high phenolic compound content.  Both Cabernet Franc and Merlot were very successful.
2012 is unquestionably a very good vintage at Cheval Blanc.

Traditional fining with egg white was done in order to settle particles in suspension in barrel. Two egg whites per barrel were used. These were later eliminated by filtration.

 

 

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