2005 Cheval Blanc Bordeaux Blend

Bordeaux Blend - 750ML
Reg: $1,295.00
$1,095.00
This product is
out of stock
Most orders placed M-F by 3pm (PT) ship same day.
Orders placed on a weekend or holiday will ship the next business day.
Shipping Info

Free storage available
Wine Storage

REVIEWS

JD 100 WA 100 TWI 100 JA 99 JS 98 JL 98 NM 98 DC 97 WE 97 WS 97 W&S 96
JD 100

jebdunnuck.com, April 2024

An absolute legend of a wine, the 2005 Château Cheval Blanc is up there with the greatest wines ever made. Based on 51% Merlot and 49% Cabernet Franc raised all in new oak, this stunning effort clocks in as 13.9% alcohol...
WA 100

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, June 2015

The 2005 from Cheval Blanc is a quintessentially elegant, beautiful, deep bluish/ruby-colored wine from St.-Emilion, with raspberry, blueberry, and floral notes, impressive density, great precision, freshness and purity...
TWI 100

The Wine Independent, September 2023

A blend of 51% Merlot and 49% Cabernet Franc, the 2005 Cheval Blanc has a deep garnet color. The nose is still so incredibly youthful, soaring out of the glass with notes of juicy black plums, Morello cherries...
JA 99

janeanson.com, June 2022

Almost equal proportions of Cabernet and Merlot, summing up how balanced the 2005 vintage was. Rosehip, rose petal, ripe raspberry fruits. Now beginning to open up, even inching towards tertiary with its wisps of...
JS 98

jamessuckling.com, October 2015

Always a fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, nuts and spices. It's full-bodied with beautifully dense tannins reminiscent of cashmere. A long, long finish rounds out this beautiful wine. It would be better to...
JL 98

TheWineCellarInsider.com, February 2017

Served double blind, there was no doubting the quality here. The show nose, with its floral, black plum, earth, herb, dark cherry and tobacco scents was easy to find. But today, much of the palate is held in reserve, and...
NM 98

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, February 2015

The Château Cheval Blanc 2005 has an intense bouquet, one that is more complex than Ausone with a slight marine influence infusing the blackberry and raspberry fruit, hints of wilted violet and cassis surfacing with time...
DC 97

Decanter, November 2019

Subtle, complex, alluring aromatics. The palate is exceptionally smooth, ripe and intense with blackcurrant fruit, full and fleshy, lifted with freshness and with very fine tannin running through. Glorious! A very dry...
WE 97

Wine Enthusiast, June 2008

Plump, padded and comfortable is the initial impression. But this is also finely structured and dense, with tannins that are sweet, flavors of dark chocolate to go with the roundness and the enticing Cabernet Franc...
WS 97

Wine Spectator, March 2008

This is really gorgeous on the nose with blackberry mineral light vanilla bean and milk chocolate. Full-bodied with ultrafine tannins and a long caressing finish. This is racy and very beautiful. The tannins coat the...
W&S 96

Wine & Spirits, October 2008

The aristocracy of St-Emilion coasts on nonchalant power, with the grandeur you would expect from this site on the edge of Pomerol's sacred plateau. Part voluptuous, part lean, this has a layering of flavor that could...

WINE DETAILS

Color & Type Red
Varietal Bordeaux Blend
Country France
Region Bordeaux
Sub-region Saint Emilion
Vintage 2005
Size 750ML
Percent alcohol 14%
Closure Cork

Chateau Cheval Blanc is a Premier Grand Cru Classe “A” estate located near Pomerol, but within the commune of Saint-Emilion. Its 39 hectares are divided into forty-five plots. While most of the appellation's other famous estates have limestone soil, Cheval Blanc's soil is alluvial, with roughly equal proportions of gravel and clay.

The vineyard has an original combination of grape varieties: 49% Cabernet Franc, 47% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. Each plot has its own specific profile and, to a certain extent, are treated like separate vineyards because of differences in the age of the vines, grape variety, soil type, surface area, type of rootstock, etc. The combination of these many facets accounts for Cheval Blanc’s great complexity.

Archives show that vines have been grown at Cheval Blanc at least as far back as the 15th century, but the most prestigious part of Cheval Blanc's history can be dated from 1832 when the core plot of the present-day estate was purchased by Jean-Jacques Ducasse, President of the Libourne Trade Tribunal. Over the next twenty years, the purchase of plots belonging to Chateau Figeac led to the vineyard as we know it today.

The impressive 6,000 square-meter cellar adjacent to the chateau, designed by Christian de Portzamparc and inaugurated in June 2011, houses a state-of-the-art winemaking facility and features two enormous waves of white concrete that rise magnificently out of the ground. There is a garden of wild grasses atop an artificial hill, whose gracious curves are overlooked by the chateau. The wine cellar holds fifty-two concrete vats in six rows.

Formerly known as vin de Figeac, this wine was first sold under the name Cheval Blanc in 1852. The first gold medal won by Cheval Blanc came at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris and that distinction appears on the label.

Each vineyard plot is vinified separately. At the start of fermentation, the juice is gently pumped over three times daily. As fermentation proceeds, pump-over frequency decreases and is eventually stopped when the desired level of extraction has been reached.

The young wine is aged 16 to 18 months in new French oak barrels. Six to seven different coopers are used to ensure complexity and harmony. During this period, the wine is racked by hand five to seven times. Blending takes place after the first three months.

Introducing the 2005 Cheval Blanc, a Bordeaux Blend that hails from the prestigious Saint Emilion sub-region in Bordeaux, France. This red wine is a true gem, known for its exceptional quality and elegance.

The wine exhibits a deep, captivating red color that immediately catches the eye. Upon closer inspection, the wine reveals itself with a complex and alluring bouquet. The nose is filled with enticing aromas of blackberry, mineral notes, light vanilla bean, and a hint of milk chocolate. It is a truly intoxicating experience for the senses.

On the palate, the 2005 Cheval Blanc is full-bodied and exquisitely balanced. The ultrafine tannins coat the palate, leaving a lasting impression. This wine is a perfect example of the artistry and craftsmanship that Cheval Blanc is renowned for. It is racy and beautiful, with a long, caressing finish that lingers on the taste buds.

The wine has received rave reviews from esteemed critics and publications. Wine Spectator awarded it an impressive score of 97 points, describing it as "gorgeous" and praising its long-term aging potential. Neal Martin's Wine Journal also gave it a stellar score of 98 points, highlighting its intense bouquet and beautifully balanced palate.

Wine Enthusiast praised the wine's plump and padded structure, noting its considerable aging potential and attractive fruit flavors. Wine & Spirits described it as the "aristocracy of St-Emilion," with a layering of flavors that could fill a writer's notebook.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate awarded the 2005 Cheval Blanc a perfect score of 100 points, calling it a "quintessentially elegant" wine with impressive density, precision, and purity. James Suckling also praised its fabulous nose of black fruit, dark chocolate, and spices, noting its beautifully dense tannins.

This exceptional wine has also garnered high praise from Jeb Dunnuck, Jeff Leve, Decanter, and Jane Anson, further solidifying its status as a true masterpiece.

The 2005 Cheval Blanc is a wine that demands attention and admiration. It is a wine for the ages, one that will continue to evolve and delight for many years to come. Indulge in a glass now to experience its splendor, or cellar it for further development. Either way, you will be treated to an exceptional wine that showcases the very best of Bordeaux.