98

Antonio Galloni

Vinous

The 2023 Cheval Blanc is stellar, just as it was en primeur. Lithe and elegant, the 2023 is super impressive right out of the gate. It possesses superb textural density yet remains so elegant, so precise. Exotic floral and spice notes weave through a core of red/purplish fruit. Hints of lavender, rose petal and menthol follow, adding myriad layers of dimension. The 2023 is wonderfully vivid, even in the early going. It's a magnificent young Cheval Blanc that will provide many decades of exceptional drinking. Yields were 39 hectoliters per hectare, the highest since 2004. 03/2026

97

Neal Martin

Vinous

The 2023 Cheval Blanc, which was bottled on June 8, the highest production due to the yield (39 hl/ha), a high percentage of vines in production and the selection of Petit Cheval. As usual, technical director Pierre-Olivier Clouet reminded me that there is no vin de presse. It has a delectable bouquet with exquisite delineation: blackberry, raspberry, crushed stone and very light pencil-box scents. Typical Cheval Blanc. The palate is medium-bodied with svelte tannins, wonderful balance and purity, silky smooth yet there is tangible grip and backbone. Just a judicious dab of cracked black pepper on the finish. One of the best Right Bank wines of the vintage. Effortless. 02/2026

100

William Kelley

Robert Parker/Wine Advocate

From bottle, the 2023 Château Cheval Blanc is one of the most compelling wines of the vintage, just as it was from cask. Bursting with aromas of cherries and mulberries mingled with notions of violets, rose petal and anise, it's full-bodied, velvety and layered, with a deep and enveloping core of vibrant fruit, ripe tannins and a long, expansive finish. It's a blend of 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, drawing on fully 46 of the blocks that make up Cheval Blanc, and it attained 13.8% alcohol. 04/2026

96-98

Jeb Dunnuck

Jeb Dunnuck

The Grand Vin 2023 Château Cheval Blanc is based on 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon and, as always, is resting in 100% new French oak. It's deep ruby/plum-hued and offers a gorgeous array of ripe black cherries, currants, leafy herbs, spring flowers, and spicy oak. This carries to a medium to full-bodied Cheval with gorgeous mid-palate depth, ripe, building, yet polished tannins, and a certainly salty, mineral character on the finish. This is a classic, regal, aristocratic Cheval Blanc that will need bottle age, but it’s absolutely gorgeous. It's the finest wine I tasted on the Right Bank. 05/2024

98

Jean-Marc Quarin

Jean-Marc Quarin

Couleur noire et pourpre. Nez intense et magique, le plus beau de toute cette campagne Primeur 2023. Touches de framboise, de vanille, de réglisse, de goudron. Il est celui sur lequel j'ai passé 10 mn, complexe, beau et rare. Minutieusement gras dès l'entrée en bouche, avec une texture de rêve et une qualité du déroulé où tout glisse et avance lentement pour devenir peu à peu profond dans la persistance, envahi par la saveur d'une très grande longueur complexe. Une fois de plus au sommet. Assemblage : 52 % merlot, 46 % cabernet franc, 2 % cabernet sauvignon. Degré d'alcool : 13°8 - pH : 3,8. Rendement : 40 hl/ha. Sélection : 75 % de la production. 04/2024

98-99

James Suckling

James Suckling

This is so cabernet, with blackcurrants, blackberries, crushed stone, graphite and lead pencil. Full-bodied with tight, chewy tannins that remain fine yet energetic. Winemaker Pierre-Olivier Clouet says this wine is a benchmark for Cheval Blanc. Reminds me of the great 1983. 13.8% alcohol. 52% merlot, 46% cabernet franc and 2% cabernet sauvignon. 04/2024