Winemaker Notes
The nose is elegant and temperate, with yellow-fleshed fruit, citrus, zest and beeswax notes. Airing the wine, brioche, butter and pastry notes also emerge. Flowers are also prevalent, white flowers and lime blossom. The very fresh nose is also characterized by the generosity of this sunny vintage. The palate is round and supple. The acidity, less pronounced in this vintage, combines with a bitterness that stretches and lengthens the wine. The wood, though very discreet, adds volume and complexity to the texture on the palate.
Blend: 71 % Sauvignon Blanc, 29 % Sémillon
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Château Cheval Blanc Le Petit Cheval Blanc comes from vines just across the road from the château and is 70% Sauvignon and 30% Semillon brought up in a mix of demi-muids and foudre for 20 months. Green citrus, crushed mint, and citrus rind define the aromatics, and it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a vibrant, layered, yet racy mouthfeel, beautiful balance, and a great finish.
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Wine Spectator
A pure version, with a mix of sel gris, quinine and Key lime notes leading the way, backed by subtle accents of lemon curd, salted butter and honeysuckle. The long, refined finish shows a flash of wet stone. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
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Vinous
The 2022 Le Petit Cheval Blanc has a little more Sémillon this vintage and aged in larger barrels ( and Stockinger ) for 20-22 months, longer than many other dry white Bordeaux wines. It has a fresh and quite understated bouquet with light apple blossom notes, fresh pear scents and hints of lanolin in the background. The palate is well balanced with a crisp, sapid entry and a taut line of acidity. The Sémillon shapes this white Saint-Émilion toward the finish with hints of green olive and stem ginger.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
One of the most important wine regions of the world, Bordeaux is a powerhouse producer of wines of all colors, sweetness levels, and price points. Separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a coastal pine forest, this relatively flat region has a mild maritime climate, marked by cool wet winters and warm summers. Annual weather differences create significant vintage variations, making Bordeaux an exciting French wine region to follow.
The Gironde estuary, a defining feature of Bordeaux, separates most of the region into the Left Bank and the Right Bank. Farther inland, where the Gironde splits into the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, the bucolic, rolling hills of the area in between, called Entre-Deux-Mers, is a source of great quality, approachable reds and whites.
The Left Bank, dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, contains the Médoc, Graves, and Sauternes, as well as the region’s most famous chateaux. Merlot is important here as the perfect blending grape for Cabernet Sauvignon adding plush fruit and softening Cabernet's sometimes hefty tannins. Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec may also be used in the Left Bank Bordeaux wine blends.
Merlot is the principal Bordeaux wine variety of the Right Bank; Cabernet Franc adds structure and complexity to Merlot, creating wines that are concentrated, supple, and more imminently ready for drinking, compared with their Left Bank counterparts. Key appellations of the Right Bank include St. Emilion and Pomerol.
Dry and sweet Bordeaux white wines are produced throughout the region from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and sometimes Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris. Some of the finest dry whites can be found in the Graves sub-appellation of Pessac-Léognan, while Sauternes is undisputedly the gold standard for sweet wines. Small amounts of rosé and sparkling Bordeaux wines are made in the region as well.