2010 Chateau Cheval Blanc St.-Emilion Grand Cru 750 ml

Is the 2010 Chateau Cheval Blanc the greatest wine ever bottled? 

It’s without a doubt one of Bordeaux’s finest ever. The product of one of the most renowned châteaux on Earth and one of the region’s most flawless vintages, it has achieved a staggering consensus, earning FIVE 100-point scores from the world’s greatest critics.

Walking the hallowed terroir of Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” Château Cheval Blanc and witnessing manager Pierre Lurton’s unrelenting commitment to perfection is awe-inspiring. The winery is lined with graceful custom-made vats, one for each vineyard block.

The barrel cellar is not only exquisite, but small, compared to the First Growths of Pauillac and Margaux—Cheval Blanc produces a mere 6,000 cases of grand vin, compared to up to 17,500 cases of Château Lafite. Considering Cheval Blanc’s worldwide reputation it comes as a surprise to know how little Cheval Blanc there actually is to go around.

The 2010 Cheval Blanc’s Merlot and Cabernet Franc grapes hail from three main soils on the Cheval Blanc property: fine-textured clay—similar to Petrus—and both fine and large gravel. There isn't much gravel in Saint-Émilion, a soil more common in the Left Bank.It is the reason for the higher portion of Cabernet Franc than other Saint-Émilion properties. Gravel retains more heat, allowing Cabernet Franc to ripen reliably every year. Most of the rest of the appellation sits on limestone, clay, or sandy loam. 

So, while the precious soils at Cheval Blanc don’t vary from year to year, the vintages do. And 2010 was a legendary vintage—one of the driest on record, with cool evenings in September that facilitated an easy, relaxed pick.