Le Petit Cheval 2016

Well-built, refreshing, with a floral finish and a smooth yet dense texture.

Restrained in style, with a mix of damson plum, cassis and açaí berry aromas and flavors that open slowly, carried by light loam, tobacco and incense notes. A sanguine hint at the end adds pretty lift. Best from 2021 through 2031.

This is the second wine of Château Cheval Blanc, mainly made from Merlot but with some of the estate's signature Cabernet Franc in the blend. It is richly structured, but with a velvetiness that conveys an opulent character. Drink the wine relatively soon, from 2022.

Just 8% Petit Cheval in 2016, but they have made it count. This is deep, rich and delicious, with aromatics of violet and rose petal. A silky, seductive Petit Cheval that I would be thrilled to own. Up there with many first wines in 2016.

This is so polished with extra-fine tannins. Love the licorice and raspberries and the complex, stony aromas and flavors. It builds slowly on the palate and then continues for minutes. A wonderful second wine of Cheval Blanc. Try from 2023.

38% Cabernet Franc, remainder Merlot. Tasted blind. Shaded rather dull ruby. Light aromatic impact but well integrated. Sweet and simple. Nothing to object to; nothing to get exciting about. (JR)

The 2016 Petit Cheval is gorgeous. Soft and silky, with polished tannins, the Petit Cheval is a wine of pure and total grace. Sweet red cherry fruit, tobacco, cedar, licorice and leather are all gently pushed forward. Soft contours and an air of refinement add to the wine's sheer appeal.

A precise vintage for Le Petit Cheval, the wine is fresh, vibrant, lively and clean, with an academic character. Its perfumed and structured. The wine was made from a blend of 62% Merlot and 38% Cabernet Franc. Only 7% of the harvest made it into the second wine this year.

Dark ruby with purple reflections and a delicate lightening at the rim. Aromas of fine dark berry fruit and black cherry, with delicate hints of spice and orange. The palate is taut, with ripe red berry fruit, very well integrated tannins, lively acidity structure and a hint of chocolate on the finish, joined by red cherries and minerality.

Fine nose, discreet spiciness, aniseed, sweet red berries and macerated cherries. Fresh and medium bodied with soft tannin, spicy and generous in a discreet and elegant style with a long velvety finish. Almost Burgundian texture.

The second wine of the estate is the 2016 Le Petit Cheval, a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc in 2016. As you’d expect with this estate, it’s incredibly elegant and has a perfumed, complex style in its blackberry and black cherry fruits, forest floor, and cedary spice. This medium-bodied, seamless, downright pretty wine is ideal for drinking over the coming 15-20 years or more.

Kunz Fassprobe 17: (62% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc, 7% of the production goes into the second wine) A velvety, fruity, fragrant bouquet: strawberries, blueberries, mocha, red currant, vanilla, pralines. A silky, finely textured palate with good fruit, a velvety structure, fine tannins, intense aromas, and a long, fresh finish.

(62% Merlot, 38% Cabernet Franc, 7% of the production goes into the second wine) A velvety, fruity, fragrant bouquet of strawberries, blueberries, mocha, Red Currant, vanilla and pralines. A silky, finely knit palate with good fruit, a velvety structure, fine tannins, intense aromatics and a long, fresh finish. 17/20 2022 - 2034

Chosen for my 67 Pall Mall advent calendar this year (day 7), and another great example of how the 2nd wines of 2016 are starting to taste absolutely perfect right now, strongly suggest seeking this out. Bluberry, blackberry, cumin, sage, graphite, incense, freshly cut herbs, precise and powerful, and totally luscious.

Le Petit Cheval 2016 has a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc and is medium to deep garnet in color, with a touch of purple. It is a little closed at this stage, offering subtle notes of redcurrant jelly, juicy black plums, and wild blueberries, plus suggestions of tar and smoked meats. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegantly played with vibrant black, red and blue fruit layers and subtle savory accents, supported by fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and energetic. It’s so bright and graceful!

Garnet-red with violet highlights. What a nose, and what intensity. Strongly marked by floral notes, this Petit Cheval (with a small production of only 10,000 bottles) is impressive. Notes of blackcurrant, licorice wood and mint. The attack is juicy and slightly creamy. The wine is indulgent and approachable, with elegant tannins—slightly mellow—and a juicy structure. Overall, it is balanced and inviting, while reminding you it has very respectable potential. It may just get drunk before then… which is fine too.

Logo on the cork: A in a circle (Amorim) Bright red color, medium intensity. An intense, refined, fruity nose—subtle, pure, and noble—with a touch of violet and raspberry. Ultra-precise on the attack, wonderfully aromatic all the way across the palate, with nuances of flowers, raspberry, and licorice. The wine carries through to a long finish, complex and subtle, supported by finely grained tannins. Its profile evokes the very best of Burgundy. Remarkable savory character. Worth noting: it holds up very well with air contact.