Château Cheval Blanc 2002 is the grand vin from this Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A estate on Bordeaux’s Right Bank, known for a distinctive emphasis on Cabernet Franc alongside Merlot. In a vintage that didn’t produce uniformly lavish Right Bank wines, the 2002 stands out as a clearly successful, classically proportioned Cheval Blanc, built more on perfume, balance, and length than outright mass.
Aromatically, reviewers describe a wine that shows both ripeness and savory complexity. Robert Parker (Wine Advocate) noted “smoky, earthy” character with “sweet red and black currant, fig, and menthol notes,” calling it “dark ruby/plum-hued” and “beautifully made,” with “undeniable elegance as well as nobility.” Wine Spectator’s James Suckling delivered one of the wine’s strongest notices at 92 points—an excellent review for the vintage—highlighting “fantastic aromas of black licorice and sweet tobacco” that move toward “raspberries,” and praising “lovely silky tannins and a long caressing finish,” adding: “Multilayered. A beauty.”
On the palate, the through-line is refinement. Parker emphasized “sweet tannin” and “medium body,” while Wine Spectator framed it as “full-bodied” yet notably silky and layered—an indication of breadth without heaviness. Neal Martin (Vinous) scored it 91 points and found it “balanced” with “a sprinkling of black pepper” and “commendable length,” observing that “the Cabernets are more expressive than the Merlot” and that it “leans towards the Left Bank on the nose.” He also characterized it as “a little austere for Cheval Blanc,” suggesting a more reserved expression than the estate’s most opulent years.
There are a few concrete production details in the notes: Wine Spectator reports “3330 cases made,” and Parker cites low yields of “27 hectoliters per hectare” in 2002. For drinking, Parker anticipated maturity from 2008–2018, while Martin recommends drinking “now and over the next decade.”
