Chateau Cheval Blanc 2006
- Producer Grand Cru Classe Bordeaux
- Country France
- Region Bordeaux
- Appellation Saint-Emilion
- UPC 3 660 255 002 494
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Item# 1693-06
Wine Advocate
97pt
Wine Spectator
95pt
Tasting notes
Beautiful ruby-red colour fringed with mauve tints. A wine with a very good intensity of colour. Heady and clean with black fruit flavours dominating. On the palate, the wine is plump and concentrated with a great deal of softness . This signals a balance between concentration and elegance. The finish is lengthy and its freshness prolonged.
Vintage
After a mild and moderately rainy winter, the beginning of the vegetation cycle was very wet, with 173 mm of rain in May, two and a half times the normal amount, and very warm. From mid-June through to the end of July a period of relative dryness set in, while the temperature and rainfall for August were close to normal. There was some rain at the beginning of September followed by an exceptional period of very cool, dry weather from mid-September to mid-October which meant that the harvest was carried
out in excellent conditions.
The unsettled weather at the beginning of June resulted in listless flowering, and therefore low yields. At mid-veraison (colour change) there was a fairly long gap between the Merlot (8th August) and the Cabernet franc (14th August).This difference in development continued until picking, and resulted in a staggered harvest. The grapes were picked from 30th September until 17th October, with several interruptions as we waited to harvest each parcel at optimal ripeness. A small crop, an exceptional latter part of the season and impeccably healthy vines produced grapes which were uniquely balanced, very precisely Flavoured, and rich in sugars and anthocyans.
While the quality of the Merlots was very good, rich and complex, the Cabernet Franc was exceptional. In addition, a great homogeneity of the potential quality of the entire crop was noted. The synergy between the two varieties was evident.
The unsettled weather at the beginning of June resulted in listless flowering, and therefore low yields. At mid-veraison (colour change) there was a fairly long gap between the Merlot (8th August) and the Cabernet franc (14th August).This difference in development continued until picking, and resulted in a staggered harvest. The grapes were picked from 30th September until 17th October, with several interruptions as we waited to harvest each parcel at optimal ripeness. A small crop, an exceptional latter part of the season and impeccably healthy vines produced grapes which were uniquely balanced, very precisely Flavoured, and rich in sugars and anthocyans.
While the quality of the Merlots was very good, rich and complex, the Cabernet Franc was exceptional. In addition, a great homogeneity of the potential quality of the entire crop was noted. The synergy between the two varieties was evident.
