2015 Chateau Cheval Blanc (750ml)

Merlot from Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France

B-21 Top Recommendation
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A thrilling selection of perfectly rated St. Emilion Bordeaux, these elegant 100 pt. vintages of the legendary Cheval Blanc seamlessly layer opulent, concentrated fruit with silky smooth tannins promising a rich and storied evolution for decades to come, earning their place among the world’s most celebrated and collectible red wines with a pedigree James Suckling describes as “mindboggling” at a best on the market price.

Boasting an exceptionally complex terroir with a patchwork of different soils, Cheval Blanc’s vineyards blend Pomerol’s typical clay with the gravel common to St. Emilion, each of its 45 plots vinified separately and then aged for 3 months in barrel before the final blend is assembled and aged for 16 to 18 months in 100% new French oak. A blend of 65% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, Antonio Galloni describes the seductive 100 pt. 2020 Cheval Blanc as “a wine of mind-blowing balance” calling it “one of the truly great wines of the vintage,” that “will no doubt deliver unbridled enjoyment when it's ready” according to Decanter’s Georgina Hindle. Called “one of the unequivocally great wines of the vintage” by the Wine Advocate’s William Kelley, the sensational 100 pt. 2019 Cheval Blanc boasts 58% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Franc, and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon with a “remarkably lush and fine-grained texture” according to the Wine Spectator’s James Molesworth while Inside Bordeaux’s Jane Anson describes the magnificent 2018 100 pt. Cheval Blanc as “exceptionally good and extremely elegant,” a blend of 54% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 6% Cabernet Sauvignon. Described as a “masterpiece” by Antonio Galloni of Vinous, the opulent 100 pt. 2016 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 58% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, revealing a “beautifully ripe texture, finishing long and earthy” according to the Wine Independent’s Lisa Perrotti-Brown and the rich and refined 100 pt. 2009 Cheval Blanc boasts a “rare mix of elegance and power” according to Jeb Dunnuck with “flawless balance,” the blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc entering its window of drinkability after over a decade of pristine cellaring.

Summing up Cheval Blanc’s reputation as one of the longest-lived Bordeaux, Antonio Galloni of Vinous declared “There is simply nothing like a great Cheval Blanc in all of Bordeaux” – these 100 pt. gems promising to prove that point in a big way with some seriously enjoyable drinking over the next decades for those fortunate to stash some away.

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Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is still incredibly primary at this very youthful stage. With coaxing, it unfurls to reveal beguiling notions of ripe black cherries, mulberries, licorice, baking spices and smoked meats with touches of incense and potpourri plus wafts of cast iron pan and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, very rich, very firm/taut and with very ripe, fine-grained tannins, it allows a glimpse at its incredible depth of flavors with a very long multi-layered finish. Wow.

100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate (Issue # 238 - Aug 2018)

Made with 45% Cabernet Franc, this great wine offers a beautiful, rich and perfumed character. It was an exceptional vintage for the estate, which incorporated fruit from parcels of the vineyard that would normally be used for the chateau's second wine into this blend. It is packed with black-fruit flavors and broad tannins, with a background of juicy acidity and a firm structure. Drink from 2027.

100 points, Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast (Apr 2018)

Totally seamless in the glass, with no beginning and no end, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is simply extraordinary. It's hard to describe the 2015, because all of its elements are so perfectly in place. Beautifully delineated aromatics make a strong opening statement. Vibrant and wonderfully nuanced on the palate, the wine exudes energy and vitality through to the persistent, silky finish. Many other 2015s speak with more assertiveness and volume, but Cheval Blanc is more understsated. In 2015, Cheval Blanc created quite a stir in announcing that a whopping 91% of their crop would be bottled as Grand Vin. There will be no Petit Cheval, while the rest of the wine was sold internally.

99 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Feb 2018)

Phenomenal aromas of cherries, flowers, blackberries and sandalwood. Pure fruit. Full-bodied, dense and polished with incredible tannin quality like the finest, densest silk ball. In perfect proportions. Compact. Seamless and endless. Gorgeous to taste now but give it six or seven years to understand it better.

99 points, James Suckling (Feb 2018)

One of the wines of this stellar vintage is undeniably the 2015 Cheval Blanc from Pierre Lurton, and it’s going to be interesting to compare this beauty up against the 2005, 2009 and 2010 over the coming three to four decades. Made from a mix of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels, it’s a wine compared to the 1998 by Lurton, which is a perfect wine today. The 2015s deep purple color is followed by a sensational perfume of violets, spring flowers, Asian spices, and graphite and the wine has an incredible core of raspberry and currant fruit. With full-bodied richness, thrilling purity of fruit, ultra-fine tannin, and a beautiful finish, hide bottle for 5-6 years, count yourself lucky, and enjoy over the following three decades or more. It’s also worth noting that this is the first vintage since 1988 where this estate has opted to not produce their second wine, the Petit Cheval.

98 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Nov 2017)

A lovely sanguine hint leads off, followed by racy, elegant juniper, tobacco, red currant and damson plum notes that move in unison. Broadens and deepens, adding notes of currant preserves, warm ganache and smoldering tobacco, with a swath of loamy structure. Yet even as the bass line increases in volume through the finish, this maintains purity and poise. Should deliver some stunning aromatics at peak, which will take awhile to achieve. Best from 2025 through 2045. 8,250 cases made.

98 points, James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Mar 2018)

Alcohol By Volume: 14.5%

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$799.88

Compare At: $849.99

This item is a pre-order estimated to arrive 5/31/2024. 4 bottles available.

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