Chateau Cheval Blanc   Cheval Blanc

2001 Cheval Blanc

By Chateau Cheval Blanc

2001 Cheval Blanc from Chateau Cheval Blanc, Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux

The heralded turn of the millennium presented connoisseurs with a portfolio of majestic vintages, yet the 2001 Cheval Blanc from Chateau Cheval Blanc articulates a precise narrative of excellence within Saint-Emilion. Embracing the dawn of the 21st century, this Bordeaux blend resonates with seasoned investors and collectors as a confluence of hallowed terroir and adept craftsmanship.

 

Chronicle of Climatic Mastery

The vintage's journey commenced amidst a moderate winter, segueing into a benign spring. June experienced a timely guise of warmth, ensuring optimal flowering. The summer's steadfast heat propelled the grapes forwards but it was September's punctuation of cool nights that sculpted the vintage's soul - a balance between ripeness and poised acidity. Thus, in its composition, this 2001 juggles merlot’s profound fruit with cabernet franc’s chiselled frame.

 

A Vintage Embraced by Patience

Upon uncorking, the 2001 Cheval Blanc unfurls layers matured through two decades: blackcurrants, plums, and hints of graphite align with truffles and a wisp of cigar box - a tapestry woven by time. The palate is greeted with an integration that only vestiges of such patience can deliver, revealing tertiary notes clad in silken tannins with a finish as enduring as it is complex.

Indeed, the 2001 vintage from Chateau Cheval Blanc is one for the sagacious investor, its narrative interwoven with the chronicles of seasons passed. Its evolution from a respectable lineage affirms what many had envisaged at harvest: this was to mature into an articulate expression of Saint-Emilion's finest compositions.

 

Culmination and Consideration

For those with an eye towards augmenting their portfolio with wines bearing historical significance and maturation potential, consider the 2001 Cheval Blanc among your acquisitions. Within its cellar-sojourned heritage lies an investment brimming with character; one where subtlety and structure dance harmoniously - potent yet polished. It stands as a landmark testament to the union of nature's gift and human artifice, resonating profoundly with those seeking finesse in their collection.

Decanting this elixir, nearly two decades on from its birth year, one uncovers not merely a wine but an emblematic vignette of Saint-Emilion; for in each glass resides a piece of history - ripe for venerating now or nestling away for further chapters to unfold in its storied journey.

Current market price

$9,110.00

12x75cl

Highest score

93

POP score

420

Scores and tasting notes

93

Tasted blind at Bordeaux Index's 10-Year On horizontal. This is a little pinched on the nose with touches of leather and bacon fat alongside sweet red-berried fruit. Good definition and poise. The palate is medium-bodied with cedar and tobacco-laced red fruits, finely balanced, though showing just a little austerity towards the grippy, dry finish. The aftertaste of dried orange rind and dried blood is very agreeable. Tasted March 2011.

Neal Martin - Wine Journal May 2011

93

I was surprised by how soft, opulent, even voluptuous the 2001 Cheval Blanc performed out of bottle as this estate’s wines tend to shut down when young. Its deep ruby/purple color was accompanied by sweet aromas of cranberries, black currants, menthol, Asian spices, and underbrush. This seductive blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc reveals a lush sweetness, medium body, and ripe, well-integrated tannin. A racy effort filled with personality, it should be at its finest between 2007-2018.

Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 29 June 2004

Vintage performance