Château Cheval Blanc is a 39 hectares large property in Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux. Bernard Arnault of LVMH is the owner. The vineyards of the château are cultivated following close to organic principles but aren’t certified as such. The winery has been classified as First Growth Supérieur (1955) and Premier Grand Cru Classé A (2012).

Château Cheval Blanc crafts three wines: Cheval Blanc Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Le Petit Cheval Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, and the 3rd wine Le Petit Cheval Blanc. The 3rd wine is produced in small quantities and is not sold commercially.

The wines crafted at Château Cheval Blanc are aromatic and layered with floral and smoky edges.

The Cheval Blanc Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 2019, 2016, 2015, 2010, 2009, 2005, 1998, and 1947 scored 100; 2000 and 1948 scored 99; 2018 scored 98+. Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2018 scored 95, 2016 scored 94+, and 2015 scored 94 by the Wine Advocate.

Robert Parker’s tasting notes on the Cheval Blanc Saint-Émilion Grand Cru 1947: “What can I say about this mammoth wine that is more like port than dry red table wine? The 1947 Cheval Blanc exhibits such a thick texture it could double as motor oil. The huge nose of fruitcake, chocolate, leather, coffee, and Asian spices is mind-boggling. The unctuous texture and richness of sweet fruit are amazing. Consider the fact that this wine is, technically, appallingly deficient in acidity and excessively high in alcohol. Moreover, its volatile acidity levels would be considered intolerable by modern day oenologists. Yet how can they explain that after 47 years the wine is still remarkably fresh, phenomenally concentrated, and profoundly complex? It has to make you wonder about the direction of modern day winemaking. Except for one dismal, murky, troubled, volatile double-magnum, this wine has been either perfect or nearly perfect every time I have had it. But beware, there are numerous fraudulent bottles, particularly magnums, of 1947 Cheval Blanc in the marketplace.

Having a 1947 Cheval Blanc served out of an impeccably stored magnum three times over the last three years made me once again realize what a great job I have. The only recent Bordeaux vintages that come even remotely close to the richness, texture, and viscosity of so many of these right bank 1947s are 1982 and 1990.

Last tasted 10/94.”

Robert Parker’s tasting notes on Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2018: “Cheval Blanc's relatively new white wine, the 2018 Le Petit Cheval Blanc, is a blend of 74 percent Sauvignon Blanc and 26 percent Sémillon. This is the first vintage that the Sémillon plantings have come online to make the blend. Profound notions of ripe pineapple, passion fruit and white peaches explode from the glass, followed by fragrant notes of lemongrass, lime blossoms and yuzu zest with a waft of sea spray. The palate is full-bodied with an alluring oiliness to the texture and layer upon layer of tropical fruits, citrus peel and minerals, marked by a refreshing line and finishing with loads of mineral sparks. Put aside all your preconceptions of "Bordeaux Blanc" and don't even try to compare it to Pessac-Leognan. This has its own gorgeous expression of these grapes, defying regional tradition. Give yourself over to the rich decadence of this flamboyant white that is at once without peers, but is also quintessentially Cheval Blanc.”

Château Cheval Blanc has been the property of Bernard Arnault of LVMH and Albert Frére since 1998. In 2009 Bernard Arnault’s part was transferred to LVMH. CEO of the estate is Pierre Lurton; the technical director is Pierre-Olivier Clouet. The external consultant is Cornelis van Leeuwen.

The 15th century is the earliest mention of Château Cheval Blanc wines. In 1832 Jean-Jacques Ducasse, president of the court of Libourne, bought the property. For the next twenty years, he purchased parcels from Château Figeac, developing the Cheval Blanc estate. Since then, its size of 39 hectares has remained unchanged. In the mid-1860s, Jean Laussac-Fourcaud replanted part of the property, making half of Merlot and half of Cabernet Franc.

The earliest awards for the Château Cheval Blanc wines include the Universal Exhibition in London (1862), the Universal Exhibition in Paris (1878), and the Universal Exhibition in Antwerp (1886).

After Jean Laussac-Fourcaud’s death in 1888, his widow and son took over the management. His son, Albert Fourcaud-Laussac, installed wooden vats, which were used until 1966.

In 1954 Château Cheval Blanc obtained the classification of Premier Grand Cru Classé A.

Bernard Arnault and Baron Albert Frère became owners of Château Cheval Blanc in 1998.

The cellar, designed by Christian de Portzamparc, has been in place since June 2011. This building is a historic landscape listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The other holdings of the LVMH group include Château Quinault l’Enclos, Château La Tour du Pin (Saint-Émilion), and Château d'Yquem (Sauternes).

The 39 hectares of Château Cheval Blanc are split between the production of the 1st (75 percent) and the 2nd (25 percent) wine. The split depends on the vintage. The vineyards are farmed following close to organic principles but haven’t been certified as such yet.

The soils vary a lot. The majority is clay (around 40 percent), gravel (40 percent), and sand (20 percent). Overall, there are 44 plots, each of which may be used for the first wine in a good year.

The parcels are planted with Cabernet Franc (60 percent) and Merlot (40 percent) at a density of 6,000 vines per hectare. The vines are, on average, more than 40 years old.

In the cellar, there are 52 curved cement tanks of 20 to 110 hectolitres size. Ageing takes place in entirely new oak barrels.

The white wine is made separately in limited quantities. Le Petit Cheval Blanc is crafted in 20- and 30- hectolitre casks. The first few years were entirely Sauvignon Blanc, but from the 2018 vintage, a small amount of Sémillon is also included.

In 2006, the neighbouring Château La Tour du Pin-Figeac from the Moueix family became the property of Château Cheval Blanc. Its 8.1 hectares of vines (once also part of the Figeac estate) have been reworked and replanted since then, with a 1.3 hectares section going into Cheval Blanc. At the same time, the harvest from the remaining territory is used for the white wine Le Petit Cheval Blanc.