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.

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.