Cheval Blanc - Saint-Emilion 2022

Alexandre Ma

100

byAlexandre Mathe3/10/2025

Expected yet beyond imagination, I never anticipated that in the searing heat of the 2022 vintage, I would encounter the legendary Château Cheval Blanc I had been eagerly awaiting. This vintage presents the finest expression of Cabernet Franc, epitomizing the peak of Bordeaux’s elegance. While tasting each grape variety during En Primeur, the Merlot was dense and structured, the Cabernet Franc revealed its distinguished rich texture. When the two powerful energies collided, they unbelievely created a miraculous balance of harmony and gentleness, akin to the delicate dance of Taiji, with strength and softness flowing in perfect and natural union. The fragrance of huckleberry and black goji berries, set against a backdrop of graphite and pencil shavings, imbues the wine with a deep intensity, while the finish leaves a soft, reserved violet note. In an era where Bordeaux is facing increasing competition, this wine serves as a testament to the unshakable prestige of Bordeaux’s greatness.

Wine Advocate

98

byWilliam Kelleythe3/7/2025

The 2022 Château Cheval Blanc has turned out beautifully in bottle, bursting from the glass with aromas of minty mulberries, licorice and rose petals mingled with hints of pipe tobacco and baking chocolate. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it's layered and unctuous, with sweet, powdery tannins and a broad, enveloping profile, concluding with a long, fragrant finish. Flamboyant but controlled, this blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon spent only 12 months in barrique. There's no Petit Cheval this year, as what little wasn't deemed up to the level of the grand vin was sold off in bulk.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

99

byJane Ansonthe3/7/2025

Expressive aromatic profile, generous structure. The Cabernet Franc pulls its weight in terms of tension and freshness, infusing the luscious fruits with mint, roses and peony. Showcasing the opulent side of Cheval Blanc while retaining a finesse and classic uplift, pulses of electricity, as ever careful construction and just a ton of utter pleasure, harvest 29 August to 20 September, earliest ever, 3.8ph, 28hl/h yield. No Petit Cheval, and first year since stepping back from the classification.

The Wine Cellar Insider

100

byJeff Levethe3/4/2025

Cheval Blanc, Château

Jeb DUNNUCK

100

byJeb Dunnuckthe2/28/2025

The 2022 Château Cheval Blanc is based on 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, brought up all in new oak, and this is the second year where no Petite Cheval was produced. (2015 was the last.) Its deep purple color is followed by a riveting Cheval Blanc that has fabulous aromatics of blackcurrants, spice, flowers, spicy wood, and white truffle. These carry to a medium to full-bodied, remarkably pure, elegant, seamless 2022 that has a layered, rounded mouthfeel, absolutely riveting purity, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It brings to mind a more refined, elegant version of the 2010 and is every bit its equal. Hitting 14% alcohol with a healthy pH of 3.83, it warrants a solid decade of bottle age and will have 40-50+ years of overall prime drinking.

Yvesbeck.wine

100

byYves Beckthe2/25/2025

53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, 1% Cabernet Sauvignon Pas de second vin en 2022. Il en résulte donc 78 % de premier vin, tandis que 22 % sont partis en vrac. Beaucoup de finesse, d'élégance, avec un bel accord entre tous les éléments présents, et il y en a beaucoup ! Que ce soient des baies noires, du bois de réglisse, des épices, une touche de fruits rouges, des nuances de pivoine et, en arrière-plan, des notes de garrigues et d'élevage, la complexité est à son comble. En bouche, le vin affiche d'entrée de la densité, du charme et du tempérament. Il se révèle de manière linéaire, sans accrocs, avec moult détails et de la vigueur. Les tannins ainsi qu'une fine austérité consolident la fin de bouche et assurent une fraîcheur et une énergie improbables. Ces dernières apparaissent en fin de bouche et offrent un grand potentiel. Ceux qui voudront le boire plutôt jeune éprouveront beaucoup de plaisir, mais pas autant que ceux qui sauront patienter. C'est pour ma part, avec le 2009, un des plus grands Cheval Blanc des 20 dernières années. Que de définition, de précision et de persistance. 2030-2060 100/100

Vinous

98

byNeal Martinthe2/12/2025

Three-quarters of the Merlot in the 2022 Cheval Blanc was Merlot picked in August—when no grape had ever been picked in that month before. It aged for just 13 months since the balance, texture and freshness were all exactly where they should be and there were concerns about the pH and potential spoilage if it spent a second winter in oak. The 2022 has an incredibly intense nose, yet it effortlessly maintains the delineation that most Right Bank estates can only dream about. Hints of blackcurrant, blueberry, violet, Earl Grey and an underlying mineralité come through with time. The palate is medium-bodied, perfectly balanced, pure and well defined with filigree tannins and hints of pencil shavings infusing the shimmering black fruit. A deft touch of black pepper on the aftertaste completes one of the standout wines in recent years. Tasted in September 2024 and then in January 2025 because I...err...forgot that I had already visited!

Jamessuckling.com

99

byJames Sucklingthe2/3/2025

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.

Vinous

99

byAntonio Gallonithe1/28/2025

The 2022 Cheval Blanc is quite unusual in that it was made from 46 out of the 47 parcels that make up the estate, the highest proportion of blocks ever used in the Grand Vin. There is also no Petit Cheval. One block was sold in bulk, and everything else went into the Grand Vin. That's basically it. In tasting, the 2022 is a wine of sublime elegance, and yet there's a certain strictness in its vertical build that keeps things buttoned up. Time in the glass starts to release the Cabernet Franc aromatics, but this remains incredibly dense. It barely budged over the two days I followed it. All the 2022 needs is time. The only question is how much.

Wine Spectator

99

byJames Molesworththe12/9/2024

Loganberry, boysenberry and blackberry compote notes give the core an almost outsized feel, but there's restraint and focus, as touches of warm loam, licorice root and smoldering tobacco keep this well-grounded. There's cut and drive too, even though this is dense and slow-moving, with alder smoke, Turkish coffee and bittersweet cocoa checking in. Then a lilting black tea and violet backdrop emerges at the very end, adding grace and sensuality. A marvelous expression of a distinctive vintage. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2028 through 2050. From France.—J.M.

Wine Maniacs

97-98

byLin Liuthe5/30/2023

Decanter.com

98

byGeorgina Hindlethe5/25/2023

An extremely gorgeous 2022 taking the best from the vintage in terms of power, concentration and structure and presenting it with elegance, purity and a kind of quiet confidence that Cheval does so well. Crushed stones, salt, blue fruits and soft perfumed aromas on the nose. Smooth texture, so fine, silky, supple and agile, this has such an alluring energy from the first sip. Tannins are velvety soft providing a gentle grip with a powdery, chalky graphite, liquorice and fresh mint touch. This feels calm and controlled with the power coming slowly and subtly in the undercurrent of lush ripe fruit. Intensity is matched by accessibility with a combination of high acidity and appealing sweetness with layers of nuance and detail. So complete - nothing is missing here, but it's more about what it's not saying than what it is. A great wine that has potential for upscore in bottle. Potential 100 point wine. A yield of 27hl/ha, due to size of the berries. 3.86pH. 72IPT. No Petit Cheval this year, a total of 78% grand vin production.

Alexandre Ma

99-100

byAlexandre Mathe5/17/2023

As expected yet unexpected, this is the Cheval-Blanc I have been anticipating, but never would have expected to encounter in the extreme vintage like 2022. The rich and compact Merlot combines with the robust Cabernet Franc, creating a miraculous harmony and tenderness, akin to the Chinese concept of Tai Chi balance. The fragrance of bayberry and black goji, accompanied by the graphite and pencil lead, exudes a refined charm without the need for excessive violet aromas. In the face of the world's challenges to Bordeaux wine, this wine proves that Bordeaux's glory is still unshakable and will continue to write unknown legend in its unique way.

Vinous

98-100

byNeal Martinthe5/17/2023

The 2022 Cheval Blanc is a lucid, deep purple color. With profound intensity on the nose, this Cheval offers blackcurrant, blue fruit, iris petals, crushed stone and incense aromas. It is blessed with breathtaking delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with seamless tannins. There is palpable verticality in this Cheval, almost "correct" and "strict", yet endowed with stunning depth and complexity. The Cabernets are clearly in the driving seat here and lend it Left Bank allure. Consequently, while it is not the most flamboyant Cheval Blanc I have tasted at this stage, it constitutes a wine for those serious about their Bordeaux. It will give the same satisfaction as when you finish reading a literary masterpiece.

The Vintage Journal

99-100

byAndrew Caillard MWthe5/17/2023

Medium deep colour. Intense dark plum, smoky bacon, camomile, violet. pot pourri aromas with sesame notes. Richly concentrated dark plum, smoky bacon, roasted chestnut flavours, superb mid-palate density and fine slinky tannins. Builds up cedary and minerally. Marvellous complexity, volume and mineral length. One of the top wines of the vintage. 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc 1% Cabernet Sauvignon

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

98-100

byJane Ansonthe5/16/2023

Kicks off with an explosive nose of freshly crushed red roses, liqourice root and smoked sandalwood. The exuberance of the vintage means that this is a Cheval that feels more approachable at this stage than many years, but no less complex. Blueberry, raspberry and cassis fruits, along with ink, soot, baked earth, incense and saffran, closing to mouthwatering lime and mandarin zest that add juice and length on the finish. Just a great wine from director Pierre Olivier Clouet and the team. 100% new oak barrels for ageing. Harvest began on August 29 (earliest ever, with 80% of Merlot bought in by the end of August), then Cabernet Franc in by September 20. 3.86ph. No Petit Cheval this year, but just 78% of production in the 1st wine. And this is the first year where Cheval Blanc is just a simple, lowly AOC St Emilion, after its withdrawal from the classification. Potential 100.

matthewjukes.com

19,5

byMatthew Jukesthe5/15/2023

The Wine Independent

98-100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/15/2023

The 2022 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and it has a deep garnet-purple color. It erupts from the glass with an intense perfume of violets, rose oil, and licorice, leading to a vibrant, fruity core of juicy blueberries, fresh blackberries, redcurrant preserves, and raspberry coulis, plus a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, the palate begins fragrant and opulent, textures and flavors melting in the mouth like Turkish Delight, leading to a generous core of juicy black, blue, and red berry layers, supported by super-fine, silt-like tannins, finishing very long, minerally and refreshing. So graceful, so singular, so Cheval.

Yvesbeck.wine

99-100

byYves Beckthe5/10/2023

Imaginez l'entrée en scène d'une célébrité. Tout le monde l'attend, tous les regards sont fixés sur lui. Tout le monde sait ce qu'il a à faire et, surtout lui. Donc une célébrité qui n'a plus vraiment quelque chose à prouver, mais quelques-uns l’attendent quand-même au contour. Et que fait Cheval Blanc ? Il adopte une attitude sereine, élégante, pas exubérante. Notez que l’on connaît ce côté là, mais Cheval 2022 se met en scène avec assurance, avec subtilité, avec brio car il sait qu'il a plus d'une corde à son arc. Il ne cherche donc pas l'éclat (et ne l'a d'ailleurs jamais cherché). En bouche, le défi consiste à reproduire, respectivement à assumer les annonces tellement prometteuses du bouquet. Que nenni, le palais assume complètement et en rajoute même. Respectivement, il canalise la puissance, il dompte les tannins qui sont veloutés (quand-même) et il fait usage de la vivacité, de la dynamique et du tempérament de l'énergie conférée par les tannins et la structure acide. Un Cheval Blanc de haute voltige, qui cumule finesse, sucrosité, sapidité et puissance. Légèrement saline, la finale souligne la fraîcheur.

Bettane & Desseauve

99

by Bettane & Desseauvethe5/10/2023

Sur les 43 parcelles en production, 41 font du grand vin, autant dire que ce 2022 est servi par la diversité de ses sols. Un vin au charme absolu du début à la fin de bouche, porté par une texture de cachemire et des merlots aériens qui permettent au vin de voguer vers les sommets du millésime.

Jeb DUNNUCK

96-98

byJeb Dunnuckthe5/10/2023

I was able to taste the 2022 Château Cheval Blanc in its individual components as well as a final blend, which is incredibly insightful when trying to understand a young barrel sample. The final blend is 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon (which is similar to the 2010), and as always, it's resting in new barrels. A deep, concentrated, structured Cheval Blanc, it has beautiful cassis, violets, flowers, and chocolate-driven aromatics. These carry to a full-bodied, concentrated, structured 2022 that stays tight, focused, and firm on the palate, with very little in the way of baby fat, yet the tannins are fine and polished. With a stacked mid-palate and a great finish, this masculine, structured, dense, powerful 2022 is going to need a decade or more of bottle age, but it should be brilliant. 96-98+

Vinous

98-100

byAntonio Gallonithe5/9/2023

The 2022 Cheval Blanc is shaping up to be one of the wines of the vintage. Deep, seamless and striking in its beauty, the 2022 possesses pedigree to burn. Readers will find a sumptuous wine, but there’s plenty of tannin lurking beneath all of that intensity. In fact, the 2022 is the most tannic Cheval since 2010. The aromatics are surprisingly vibrant for a wine from a warm, dry year. The wine's energy is palpable. The 100% new oak is not all perceptible, which is another sign of top-notch balance. Time in the glass brings out a whole range of exotic Franc notes, followed by blood orange, red fruit, mind and dried herb touches. The 2022 includes 17% press wine (compared to the 11% or so that is typical), but as I have noted in my comments elsewhere in this report, the press lots were of high quality in 2022 because the winemaking was gentle. Once again, Cheval Blanc represents a pinnacle of excellence. Readers should note there is no Petit Cheval in 2022. Drinking window : 2032-2062

The Wine Independent

98-100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe5/7/2023

The 2022 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon and it has a deep garnet-purple color. It erupts from the glass with an intense perfume of violets, rose oil, and licorice, leading to a vibrant, fruity core of juicy blueberries, fresh blackberries, redcurrant preserves, and raspberry coulis, plus a waft of cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, the palate begins fragrant and opulent, textures and flavors melting in the mouth like Turkish Delight, leading to a generous core of juicy black, blue, and red berry layers, supported by super-fine, silt-like tannins, finishing very long, minerally and refreshing. So graceful, so singular, so Cheval.

The Wine Cellar Insider

98-100

byJeff Levethe5/5/2023

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.

Wine Advocate

97-99

byWilliam Kelleythe5/2/2023

One of the stars of the vintage is the striking 2022 Cheval Blanc, a blend of 53% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon that bursts from the glass with aromas of mulberries, cherries and wild berries mingled with mint, orange zest, pencil lead, vine smoke and exotic spices. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and layered, it's rich and gourmand, with beautifully refined tannins, lively acids and a long, saline, pungently perfumed finish. Harvest began on 29 August, with all the Merlot picked before the month was out, and the result is a wine that is as vibrant as it is lavish. 97 - 99+

Jamessuckling.com

99-100

byJames Sucklingthe4/19/2023

This is a wine that soars to new heights with its brightness and weightlessness. The balance of serene fruit that’s perfectly ripe. Full-bodied yet tight and polished where it seems delicate and compressed, with berry, chocolate and walnut character. The finish is endless and poised. Wine of the vintage? 53% merlot, 46% cabernet franc and 1% cabernet sauvignon.