| Over 3000 reviews |  4.80/5 |
 |
Wine and spirits masterpieces to your doorstep
Secure packaging and transport insurance
What wine lover hasn't heard of Château Cheval Blanc, one of Bordeaux's most unmissable and legendary wines? It was in 1832 that Domaine was purchased by Jean-Jacques Ducasse, president of the Libourne court, who contributed to its development.
He climbed the prestige ladder and, in 1878, won his first gold medal at the Paris Exposition Universelle. The excellence of Cheval Blanc wines would continue to be recognized the world over for decades to come.
In 1998, the estate was handed over to Bernard Arnault and Baron Albert Frère, both of whom breathed new life into Domaine, while respecting its history and heritage. Headed today by Pierre Lurton, the quest for perfect quality vintage after vintage remains the estate's credo. This is made possible in particular by the majestic winery inaugurated in 2011, which enables tailor-made vinifications to reveal the potential of each part of this illustrious terroir.
When the first edition of the Saint-Emilion classification was published in 1955, Château Cheval Blanc was immediately promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé "A". It retained this distinction until the 2021 vintage. At the beginning of 2022, Domaine chose to withdraw from the classification, the next edition of which was due to be made official in September of the same year. Thus, from the 2022 vintage, the label of... See more ...
The 2024 vintage is part of a complex and demanding climatic year. Steady rainfall since autumn 2023 recharged the soils over the long term, except during the months of July and August, which were marked by relative drought and moderate temperatures. In September, significant rainfall of up to 124 mm exacerbated light to moderate water stress on sandy and clay soils, while gravel terroirs only experienced a brief period of water stress in August.
The vine cycle was characterized by early budburst, which was quickly curbed by rain. Flowering, chaotic and exceptionally prolonged from the end of May to the end of June, lasted five weeks, a phenomenon Rare. This slowness led to a late, long and heterogeneous veraison, which was later than in previous vintages. Harvesting took place between September 18 and October 3, under rainy conditions that reflected the character of the vintage.
On the health front, persistent humidity, as in the previous year, favored strong pressure from mildew. The condition of the grapes deteriorated markedly in September, with large Merlot berries prone to shattering, particularly in the gravel terroirs, whereas the clay soils held up better. Heterogeneity within bunches and between vines complicated the harvest, requiring increased vigilance.
Grape selection was particularly rigorous in 2024. A significant proportion of the harvest, excluding the grand vin and Second vin, was carefully sorted by hand, supplemented by a densimetric bath to compensate for intra-bunch heterogeneity, bleeding and bulk picking. These operations concerned more than a third of the harvest. This strict selection allowed us to maintain a faithful parcel-by-parcel approach, integrating almost all parcels into the final blend. From an initial yield of 40 hL/ha, only 28 hL/ha were vinified, of which 66% will be bottled.
All in all, 2024 is a technically demanding vintage that confirms the relevance of our agronomic and oenological choices, both in the short and long term. Like the 2004 vintage, born in difficult conditions, this Cheval Blanc 2024 promises to express remarkable freshness, elegant balance and similar ageing potential, guaranteeing great success.
Find all the information about Bordeaux Primeurs on our dedicated page
► What is a Bordeaux En-primeur wine?
► What are the advantages of buying En-Primeurs?
► How does the Bordeaux En-Primeurs campaign work?
► When are Bordeaux En-Primeurs delivered?
► How to buy your Bordeaux En-Primeurs wines?
New for the 2025 En-Primeur: Enjoy a 3% extra FiD's bonus on your En-Primeur purchases. At the end of the campaign, we will credit 3% of the value of your 2025 EN-Primeur purchases to your FiD'S account. To be used within 12 months across the entire website.
