Château Cheval Blanc 1988 (1 IMP)

Château Cheval Blanc 1988

St. Emilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé (A)

u. vts, bin-soiled and slightly torn label, scuffed capsule, signs of old seepage

38 hl/hectare made. Vintage took place from 1-10 October. This was the first year the second wine, Petit Cheval, was made. Glorious spicy nose. Intense cloves. Immensely aromatic. Pepper and plums. Flavour of Russian leather, a Cheval Blanc characteristic. This is really showing now, at 22 years old. Then, in 2011, an explosive nose, more in bottle than in magnum, at this stage. Almost Burgundian. Russian leather again. Coffee bean and woodsmoke. So ample, so multi-dimensional. Such a marvellous thick texture. So rich and sweet. Great, black fruit length. This, for me, is the "cat's whiskers"! Serena Sutcliffe, MW

1 imperial - 6 litres (cn)