2010 Cheval Blanc
By Chateau Cheval Blanc
The 2010 Cheval Blanc from Chateau Cheval Blanc, Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux
Embarking upon the 2010 Cheval Blanc from Chateau Cheval Blanc is to undertake a voyage into a veritable sanctuary of viticultural excellency. This particular Saint-Émilion triumph aligns itself with the zeniths of Bordeaux's rich tapestry of fine vintages. Having devoted four decades to the scrutiny and celebration of such endeavours, one finds this vintage not simply maintaining the distinguished reputation of its forebears but transcending it.
A Testament to Terroir: The Pinnacle of Investing in Excellence
The epoch-defining conditions of 2010 dissected a new dimension within Saint-Émilion’s terroir, ultimately sculpting a masterpiece. With the integration of both Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this vintage presents a concert of complexities that appeals to enthusiasts and investors alike.
Distinguishing Characteristics of 2010 Vintage
It is in the gentle embrace of the 2010 season that the hallmark nobility of the wine shines most resplendently. Nature dealt a benevolent hand with ideal climatic circumstances – moderate temperatures followed by a dry, warm summer ensuring an impeccable phenolic ripening. The resultant vintage reveals extraordinary structure, depth, and elegance that arguably eclipse those admirable qualities typical of Saint-Émilion's finest produce.
The nose is an opera of olfactory harmony – black truffle accompanied by fresh forest floor and a side-note of tobacco entraps the hedonistic connoisseur. The palate continues this sensual dance with impeccably layered tannins that support the deep pool of dark fruit essence which cascades to an enduring finish, standing in testimony to both its immediate impact and long-term ageing potential.
Suffice to say, the 2010 vintage from Chateau Cheval Blanc remains one of those rarities wherein nature’s largesse has been aptly captured by human skill. To invest in this wine is to secure a piece of vinicultural history, assured to reward both connoisseur and collector as it gracefully matures in reposeful majesty.
Connoisseur’s Summary: A Celestial Investment Choice
The merits of adding the 2010 Cheval Blanc to a discerning portfolio remains unambiguous – it is an artefact embodying both intrinsic quality and appreciative propensity. As it waltzes through its second decade, this exceptional Saint-Émilion offering demonstrates the harmonious coalescence between acumen in viticulture and serendipitous seasons – truly a cornerstone acquisition for any investor's cellar.
Market price (USD)
$10,630.00
12x75cl
Highest score
100
POP score
435.5
Scores and tasting notes
The aromas here are crazy with flowers, mushroom, forest floor, and fruit. It seems like I am walking through a row of the vines in Cheval Blanc when I have my nose in the glass. It's full-bodied, with fabulous layers of ultra-fine tannins and milk chocolate, raspberries, and a phenomenal finish. Truly one of the greatest Chevals ever. Better than 2009. Try in 2020.
James Suckling - jamessuckling.com, November 14th 2013
Deep garnet in color and made of 54% Cabernet Franc and 46% Merlot, the nose of the 2010 Cheval Blanc is a bit subdued to begin, measuredly opening out to reveal achingly provocative notions of molten chocolate, preserved Morello cherries, baked blackberries, boysenberries and blueberry compote with wafts of underbrush, cigar box, cumin seed and sandalwood. Full-bodied, the palate is a full-on atomic bomb waiting to go off, with very tightly coiled, slowly maturing black fruits eking out glimpses of a vast array of nuances. Still very youthful, it finishes with an incredibly persistent, jaw-dropping display of earth and mineral fireworks. I’d leave this one for another 5 years and drink it over the next 50.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - The Wine Advocate, 5 March 2020
Tasted at the property, the Cheval Blanc 2010 has a wonderful bouquet with pixelated clarity: blackberry, briary, crushed stone and a touch of cigar box – it is stately and almost aloof in style. The palate is medium-bodied with superb balance and focus. The tannins are fully ripe, but it maintains the austere style of the vintage. Hints of bay leaf, black pepper and a touch of black truffle inform the dry, but powerful finish. This will need 10 years to really show its pedigree, but it will grow up to by a sublime Cheval Blanc. Tasted November 2012.
Neal Martin - Wine Journal Mar 2013
The 2010 Cheval Blanc contains 13.8% alcohol, which is very high for this estate, and has an unusually high percentage of Cabernet Franc in the final blend (56% versus 44% Merlot). Yields were tiny, adding to the richness and intensity already instilled by the drought of summer and resulting tiny berries. In the style of some of the great Cheval Blancs of the late 1940s, this wine is rich, opulent, full-bodied, and at the risk of sounding like a broken record, as saturated purple in color as any Cheval Blanc I have seen. Mulberries, black currants, fresh minerals, and floral notes jump from the glass of this full-bodied, dense wine. With its tannins, good acidity and surprisingly modest pH, this should be an exceptionally long-lived wine, more backward and delineated than the fatter, more opulent 2009. Drink it over the next 30+ years.
Robert Parker Jr - Wine Advocate #194 May 2011