1996 Château Cheval Blanc - Saint-Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classé A - 1 Bottle (0.75L)

Drinking window 2008-2022 ST: 93/100 - JR: 18/20 - WS: 91/100 Iconic Cheval Blanc from my personal collection always kept in pristine conditions. Tiny scratch on label (uper right corner) see pics. Very good 1996 vintage for Bordeaux right bank wines. Ready to drink or lay up. The 1996 is strongly marked by Cabernet Franc and features good concentration as well as great aromatic complexity. It is gaining much substance with age . RIPENING AND YIELDS Despite the heavy rains in August, the weight of the berries was not particularly great. In fact, Cabernet Franc grapes were more concentrated than usual. The quality of Merlot was uneven, but first-class fruit was picked on the 23rd and 24th of September. Cabernet Franc was harvested from the 28th of September to the 4th of October. Quality was excellent. The grapes had average sugar levels, but were rich in phenolic compounds. They showed fairly strong acidity, with marked malic acid. AGEING After a temperature controlled first fermentation in stainless steel vessels, the wine was put into century old oak vats for the malolactic fermentation and for clarification. Next, it spent 8 years in American oak casks being hand racked by candlelight a total of fifteen times. The wine was bottled in July 1994 TASTING NOTES This vintage produced superb Cabernet Franc as well as some fine lots of Merlot. In fact, Cabernet Franc makes up most of the final blend, so the wine unsurprisingly reflects that variety’s characteristics to a great extent. The deep, brilliant, ruby-red colour has a brownish-red rim showing the wine’s age. Although the bouquet seems rather closed at first, it opens up when swirled in the glass to reveal complex aromas of blackcurrant, fruit in brandy, vanilla, and understated oak. The nose gains in complexity and intensity over time, but the fruit always prevails. The wine starts out powerful, vinous, and elegant on the palate. This vintage has a great deal of freshness and is rich and dense on the middle palate. The tannin is luscious, but fine-grained. The fruity flavours go into quite a long aftertaste that remains fresh. 1996 Cheval Blanc shows good concentration and fine aromatic complexity that has developed well over time. The wine has been delightful for the past several years and is now starting to show its age, although it still appears to have further potential. 93 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar Bright red. Fresh floral, white pepper, raspberry and strawberry aromas on the captivating nose, lifted by minerals and Oriental spices Very fresh, balanced and pure on the palate, with bright red berry, floral and delicately smoky plum flavors. Very cabernet franc, and very Cheval Blanc! The lively, harmonious acids keep this wine light on its feet and really extend the flavors on the back half. The long finish features a subtly spicy kick and smooth tannins. A touch more density and it would have scored even higher. The harvest took place between September 28 and October 4. October 2011. Jancis Robinson Very classic vintage, with 55-60% Cabernet Franc - a Cabernet Franc year. 1996 is a left bank year whereas 1995 was a right bank year. Mid crimson with minimal ageing at the rim. Looks quite thick and rich to judge from the viscosity. Much more obviously Cheval on the nose than the 1999. Intense and lovely fragrance and good potential for development. Very successful bridge between ancient and modern styles. This looked exceptionally good on the day. This was the surprise of this tasting - the best bottle to date. 18/20 points December 2007. Shipping: EU ONLY in certified protective card box