The 2023 Cheval Blanc, a Bordeaux blend produced in Saint Emilion, Bordeaux, France, has garnered exceptional reviews from professional critics. This wine, composed of 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, is described by many as a standout vintage.
James Suckling rates it 99 points, noting its strong Cabernet character with "blackcurrants, blackberries, crushed stone, graphite, and lead pencil." He praises its full-bodied nature and tight, chewy tannins, comparing it to the great 1983 vintage. Suckling highlights the remarks of winemaker Pierre-Olivier Clouet, who considers this wine a benchmark for Cheval Blanc.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awards it a perfect 100 points, calling it "one of the most profound wines of the vintage." William Kelley describes it as having a "strong sense of identity and seamless integration," with notes of mulberries, lilac, dark fruits, iris root, and violets. He emphasizes the wine’s medium to full-bodied nature and a gourmand core of vibrant fruit, concluding with a long, perfumed finish.
Vinous reviewer Neal Martin rates it 98 points, finding the 2023 Cheval Blanc initially "uncharacteristically backward" but eventually revealing "wonderful symmetry, outstanding mineralité, and ample tension." He notes its purity and modest grip on the finish, suggesting it will benefit from several years in the bottle.
Jane Anson also awards it 98 points, praising its "intensity and depth with nuance and a softly spoken character." She highlights its "precisely placed cocoa bean, liquorice root, tomato leaf, tannins, violet and peony florals and slate."
Decanter gives it 97 points, describing it as fresh and floral on the nose with "cool and crisp aromas" of purple flowers, berries, crayon, graphite, and liquorice. The palate has "grip and bite," with a balanced freshness and complexity.
Jeff Leve rates it 99 points, noting the strong impression of Cabernet Franc in the nose and the vibrant, silky, electric fruits on the palate. He suggests it might be even better than the 2022 vintage.
Jeb Dunnuck gives it 98 points, calling it a "classic, regal, aristocratic Cheval Blanc" with a gorgeous array of ripe black cherries, currants, leafy herbs, and spring flowers. He emphasizes its need for bottle age but considers it "absolutely gorgeous."
The Wine Independent also rates it 99 points, describing it as "magnificent" with a deep garnet-purple color and an atomic perfume of Morello cherries, wild blueberries, black raspberries, and ripe plums.
In summary, the 2023 Cheval Blanc is a highly acclaimed wine, praised for its complexity, balance, and potential for aging.