The 2022 Château Cheval Blanc is considered one of the greatest wines ever produced by this legendary Right Bank estate. Made from 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine combines extraordinary concentration with remarkable freshness, elegance, and precision. Notably, no Petit Cheval was produced, allowing virtually the entire production to focus on the Grand Vin.
Professional Ratings
| Critic |
Rating |
| Decanter |
100 Points |
| Jeb Dunnuck |
100 Points |
| James Suckling |
99 Points |
| Wine Spectator |
99 Points |
| Wine Advocate |
98 Points |
Tasting Profile
Aromatics
- Cassis and blackcurrant
- Mulberry and blackberry
- Violet and rose petals
- Graphite and pencil lead
- Licorice
- White truffle and exotic spice
Palate
- Full-bodied yet weightless
- Extraordinary purity and finesse
- Silky, velvety tannins
- Layers of red, blue, and black fruits
- Remarkable freshness and precision
Finish
- Exceptionally long and seamless
- Floral, mineral, and saline notes
- Built for 40–50+ years of aging
Critics have described the wine as one of the stars of the vintage, praising its "brightness and weightlessness" and its combination of opulence, finesse, and tension.
Sommelier Presentation Note
2022 Château Cheval Blanc, Saint-Émilion
A profound expression of Bordeaux's legendary 2022 vintage, offering aromas of cassis, mulberry, violets, rose petals, graphite, and exotic spice. Powerful yet effortlessly elegant, the palate reveals extraordinary depth, velvety tannins, and remarkable precision, culminating in a seamless finish of exceptional length and purity.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown 99 Points
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2022 Cheval Blanc needs a lot of shaking to wake up scents of fresh plums, blackberries, and violets, leading to hints of cedar chest, pencil lead, and forest floor. The medium-bodied palate is so, so elegant and refined, with soft, silt-like tannins and seamless freshness supporting the mineral-laced black fruit layers, finishing long and perfumed. Will require some patience but will be a real head-turner!
James Suckling 99 Points
Extremely perfumed, showing red roses and violets as well as hints of flower stems. A touch of sandalwood. This turns to blue fruits with such pure grape character, like smelling must. Savory, light brine and black olives. The palate is tight and refined before taking off at the end. The perfectly integrated tannins melt into the wine, giving it fascinating tension and intensity. 53% merlot, 46% cabernet franc and 1% cabernet sauvignon. Drink after 2028
Wine Enthusiast 98 Points
97-99 Barrel sample. The wine is very fine, elegant and impressive. It has depth and concentration, being very floral and offering great black fruits alongside the firm tannins. There is a lovely line of succulent fruit and acidity. Almost accessible now, it is really set for long-term aging.
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider 99 Points
Garnet with purple accents in the color. The wine offers blackberries, black cherries, violets, chocolate, saffron, smoke, licorice, and orange rind nuances in the perfume. The palate is even more expressive. Regardless of what you have heard or expect, this is a gentle Cheval Blanc. The wine starts off slowly, and builds on the palate in intensity, slowly, but steadily. The wine manages to be as refined as it is concentrated, remaining perfectly balanced. The experience is seamless. The purity in the fruit is striking. The finish sees the 60 second mark and without a care in the world, keeps on going leaving you with layers of silky, sexy, sensuous fruits that linger long after the wine has left the glass. The wine is made from 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon. 13.9% ABV, 3.8 pH. The harvest took place August 29 - September 6 for the Merlot. The Cabernet Franc September 12 - September 20. Yields were only 27 hectoliters per hectare. Please note that no second wine was produced in 2022. Make no mistake, this is one of the great vintages of Cheval Blanc, and that is really saying something. Drink from 2027-2065. 98-100 Pts.
Wine Maniacs 98 Points
No second wine this year. Refined juicy tannins, showing more of the Cabernet Franc character. Firm and lean mid palate, with great vibrancy. Considering the high pH of 3.86, the wine shows a great level of freshness. No press wine used.
