Château Cheval Blanc, Premier Grand Cru Classé, St Emilion 1995

Bottle Size: 75cl

Region: France: Bordeaux Right Bank

Colour: Red

Style: Still

Grape Variety: Bordeaux Blend Red

(a 53/47 blend of cabernet franc and merlot; 13% alcohol; yield of 45 h/h): Bright red. Pure aromas of strawberry, flowers, soy sauce, espresso and minerals. Then clean and straightforward on the palate, with nicely balanced flavors similar to the aromas. Finishes very long and smooth. A very good Cheval Blanc, bigger than the 1996 but perhaps a touch less delineated; choosing between the two amounts to a case of different strokes for different folks. This was a warm year: temperatures during the 1995 growing season were on average 1.5°C higher than the previously recorded annual averages, with a very hot July and August, and the harvest took place early, between September 15 and 28. In fact, only the 1989 and 1990 harvests began earlier. Tasted October 2011, Vinous 93+ Points Ian D'Agata