2011 Cheval Blanc, St-Emilion

SKU #1172064 95 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2011 Cheval Blanc is one of the more plump, opulent and sexy Cheval Blancs made over recent vintages, and its forwardness, lusciousness and complexity seemingly suggest this wine is on a fast evolutionary track. The wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple/plum color, a medium to full-bodied opulence, a sumptuous mid-palate (atypical for the vintage), and a lush, heady finish. It is a super, complex, evolved Cheval Blanc that can be drunk now or cellared for 15+ years. Bravo! (RP) (4/2014)

95 points Wine Enthusiast

**Cellar Selection** This is an opulent, dense wine, very perfumed while also structured. It is complex, full of rich fruit that pours through the wood and dark tannin. It just hints at a more exuberant future, flavored with the ripest fruits while still keeping freshness. Drink from 2020. (6/2014)

94 points James Suckling

A beautiful nose of ripe black fruits such blackberries, as well as cocoa, black truffle and mint. Full body with a solid core of very refined tannins that lasts for minutes. Very refined texture, especially for the vintage. 57% Cabernet Franc and 43% Merlot. Try after seven to eight years. (1/2014)

94 points Wine Spectator

Offers a loamy, dense feel, with the vintage's briary grip tumbled with dark plum, blackberry and black currant fruit. Anise and tobacco notes fill out the finish, which expands steadily with air, showing added range and echoes of bittersweet cocoa and tobacco. Seems to have a lot in reserve. Best from 2016 through 2030. (3/2014)

92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Bright red-ruby. Ripe, scented aromas of raspberry, strawberry, violet, licorice, cedar and wild herbs on the knockout nose. Wonderfully sappy and juicy but not thick, with intense, very pure red berry, white pepper, floral and cedar flavors showing terrific thrust and lift. Finishes dense and long, with repeating floral, white pepper and red berry nuances. Boasts a serious spine for cellaring, and the youthfully chewy tannins will need time. An essence of cabernet franc: when Cheval Blanc aces this variety, it's one of the most unique--and greatest--wines in the world. There just aren't too many wines anywhere (Lafleur excepted, perhaps) that can express the variety like Cheval does. Apparently the cabernet franc percentage was increased to 57%, up from the 52% I had been told was in the blend at the Primeurs.(ID) (8/2014)

Jancis Robinson

Deep dark cherry crimson. Delicately floral and fruity, so subtle but gently aromatic. A touch of oak sweetness and spice but very restrained. Very very fine grained, you can feel the tannins but they melt across the palate. There's intensity but it's so TENDER. It's dark-fruited rather than savoury. There's minerality in both taste and texture. Fabulous way to start a day's tasting. 19/20 points. (4/2012)