Château Cheval Blanc - Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 1999 11166fe81142afc18593181d6269c740

Wine Spectator

91 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/1/2010

Love the chocolate mousse and berry aromas here. This is opulent, yet reserved, and beautiful. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a delicious finish. Offering so much finesse and beauty, this is a polished and gorgeous Cheval.—'89/'99 Bordeaux blind retrospective (2009). Drink now.

Wine Advocate

88 / 100

byNeal Martinthe7/31/2009

Tasted at the 1999 horizontal at Bordeaux Index. Compared to Lafleur, this is a little simplistic on the nose, the Merlot in the driving seat with wild strawberry, raspberry, redcurrant but having said that, it does gain intensity with time. It is quite seductive but it lacks a little dimension. The palate is medium-bodied, cohesive, rounded in texture with a slight animally accent. Nice tension on the finish but it does lack the personality of Lafleur. Drink now-2016. Tasted June 2009.

Wine Advocate

93 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2002

The complex, explosively fragrant 1999 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 59% Merlot and 41% Cabernet Franc. It is already showing well, which is a good sign for a wine that traditionally is reserved early in life, but puts on weight and richness in the bottle. Stylistically, this wine is probably cut from the same mold as vintages such as 1985, 1966, and 1962. The color is a dense ruby with purple nuances. Once past the blockbuster bouquet of menthol, leather, black fruits, licorice, and mocha, the wine reveals medium body, extraordinary elegance, purity, and sweet, harmonious flavors with no hard edges. This is a seamless beauty of finesse, charm, and concentration. The 1999 is an exciting Cheval Blanc to drink relatively young. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2022.

Wine Spectator

89 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe3/31/2002

Wonderfully aromatic, with chocolate, berry and plum character. Medium-bodied, with firm yet fine tannins and a tight finish. A fine and elegant Cheval-Blanc. Drink now through 2004.

Wine Advocate

94-95 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2001

The immensely sexy, totally disarming 1999 (a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc) boasts a deep purple color in addition to gorgeous aromas of jammy black fruits, coffee, cedar, and minerals. As the wine sits in the glass, additional nuances of kirsch and orange marmalade become apparent. A seamless classic, with an unctuous texture, gorgeous levels of fruit, and no hard edges, this compelling Cheval Blanc will be gorgeous to drink young, yet will last for two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2020. Kudos to administrator Pierre Lurton for the efforts he has put forth over recent years.

Wine Advocate

92-94 / 100

byRobert Parkerthe4/30/2000

The 1999 may be the finest Cheval Blanc administrator Pierre Lurton has yet made. There will be approximately 10,000 cases of this 55% Merlot/45% Cabernet Franc blend, which represents 52% of the estate's total production. It was an extremely difficult vintage, especially the last half of September, but a severe crop thinning and selection process have resulted in an exotic Cheval Blanc. A dark ruby/purple color is accompanied by exotic, tropical-like notes of brandy-macerated tangerines, chocolate, kirsch, cassis, and vanilla. Sexy, with a medium-bodied unctuosity, as well as elements of sur-maturite, this low acid, accessible Cheval Blanc should be delicious young. If it puts on weight (as this estate's wines often do), it will merit an even higher score. Although Cheval Blanc is notoriously difficult to judge in its youth (because of the high percentage of Cabernet Franc which makes it taste significantly lighter than it ultimately turns out to be), the 1999 is an unquestionably impressive effort. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2016.