Château Cheval Blanc, Le Petit Cheval, 2020

"The 2020 Le Petit Cheval is stunning. Rich, deep and expansive, the Petit Cheval is outrageously good. In fact, it could easily be mistaken for a Cheval Blanc from anything less than a great vintage. The aromatics are alluring and the balance is sublime; all that really identifies this as a second wine is a bit of mid-palate depth. Sweet floral and spice accents extend the effortless, gracious finish."

"This second wine shows so many of the rich, dense qualities of the top wine. Bold black fruits are sustained by serious tannins and a dry core. It will age well. Drink from 2026."

"Retasted in June 2021, just a few months after my initial En Primeur tasting. Powerful, rich fruit structure, barreling right through the mid palate, displaying density and grip. Layers of bitter chocolate, cocoa bean, liquorice, blackberry and a more delicate floral fragrance that hovers over the whole. Not exuberant at this stage, will take its time to open, but huge potential. 12% of overall production because the dry summer was tough on the young vines on gravel (withe and 17% not bottled under the estate name). 3.7pH."