Weighing in at 14.8% alcohol, the 2017 Red Wine Ciel du Cheval blends equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc from this outstanding site on Red Mountain. On the nose, it develops creosote tones alongside red florals, wintergreen, cigar ash and suggestions of Asian spices that all take shape in the glass. The palate is seamless and soft, delivering rich red and dark fruit flavors alongside black licorice and a hint of menthol. Glorious to consume now, the 2017 Ciel du Cheval could easily be a 20-year wine.
95 points, Owen Bargreen, Vinous (Mar 2022)
Dark ruby in color, the 2017 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard is dark-fruited with juicy black plum, blackberry essence and dark cherry with hints of currants and cassis. Soft aromas of red flowers and pencil shavings waft with a dusty tension. Medium to full-bodied, the wine shows precision with an elegant frame and sturdy tannins, ending with a long-lingering, mineral finish with high-tone red fruits of dark, dusty cherry skin and red plum skin. This will drink fantastically for the next decade, but it won't do you wrong if you open a bottle tomorrow. Bravo!
94 points, Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate (Oct 2020)
Ratcheting up the intensity, the 2017 Ciel Du Cheval offers a vibrant, exotic bouquet of flowers, orange blossom, tobacco, and assorted red and black fruits. It’s beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and has a perfumed, lifted, complex style that’s going to evolve for 15 years or more.
93+ points, Jeb Dunnuck, (Apr 2020)
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