March 1, 2024 - Popped, and sat/breathed in btl for ~3-hrs prior to serving (blind) in the last flight of the evening, alongside the '95 Lafite. The bouquet opened up nicely from the glass, with notes of smoke, tobacco, menthol & dust. There was still primary fruits (slightly darker spectrum) with a touch of secondary flavours seeping through. Texture was soft with great freshness/acidity. Would've preferred this even more with a tad more concentration/weight. Most had guessed this a left bank, drinking side-by-side the '95 Lafite (non-blinded). Personally, I thought the Lafite was an inch ahead...
September 16, 2023 - Drank in London
wow, always amazing
July 29, 2023 - Yes, please - I want another sip.
What a big surprise this Cheval Blanc 1996 showed in our blind "Summer of 96 Tasting event". Unlike many critics, who suggest to "dump" this wine asap, I believe it is just entering its second life. It was fresh, full of tasty fruity primary notes, balanced tertiary and yummy secondary notes with tannins and acidity tip the scales in perfection. I am not a Cab Franc and thus, a right bank fan (with some exceptions though;-)) but this one is surely making it to my bucket list.
Continue to join and need to persuade my buddy to uncork his last White Horse 1996.
July 16, 2023 - Definitely a leaner vintage of Cheval but not without its merits. Fairly structured still with crisp acidity matched by silky dark fruits and delicious flavors of bitter chocolate, violets, leathers and smoked earth. Medium-bodied and very terroir-driven with a fine crunchy complexity on the finish. I loved it tonight with hanger steak and while it's reached peak, it should continue to age well if the fruit hangs in there as the structure softens.
July 16, 2023 - Very ripe jammy nose. On the palate way too simple and lacking complexity. Disappointing.
February 25, 2023 - Chez Gr, decanted an hour, perfect cork and level, brown rimmed and showing significantly more mature than last bottle in 2021, attractive complex fruit with tertiary flavours, curiously more merlot in cab vintage than previous week's 95 showing herby CF edge, velvety and persistent, indeed, initially more attractive than Latour 96 though after an hour Latour had the edge and there was a sense of fade to the CB, plateau, but CB keeps well and often surprises so should be ok for 20+ years. Just about VF (18.5).
February 12, 2023 - Very good without being a "Wow". Perfect balance of black fruits and structure, very fine. Old saddle leather, some cake spice. Long complex. Drinking now. Will last for decades.
August 22, 2022 - Beautifully made wine from a mediocre vintage. A little past it’s peak, time to drink if you have some.
June 25, 2022 - Drank in London
Still quite young
January 2, 2022 - I had a mini vertical consisting vintage 1982, 1989, 1996 and 1998. The overall impression for the 4 vintages are well make and in fact a marvelous vintage with good ratings.
1982 had pronounced notes of mushroom, truffle, spices, earth, toast, cooked black fruits and berries. On the palate, the acidity is medium and tannin is also medium. It's very smooth on the mouthfeel and personally feel that its tired and will not improve. Should drink up now to enjoy maximum pleasure. Rated 2/4
1989 was the WOTN. It had the most pronounced nose with mushroom, truffle, cooked black and red fruits, toast. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin. Tannin is fully integrated. This was how I will want to drink for a just about right Bordeaux wine, still have fruits and with tertiary and secondary notes. Rated 1/4
1996 still feel tight to me. With medium nose intensity and with similar notes with 1998 but less concentrated. Notes of black fruits, spices, toast, vanilla. Medium+ acidity and tannin. To enjoy 1996, I suggest to decant or cellar. Or perhaps I got bottle variation, most of the 1996 that i drank are performing beautifully. Rated 4/4
1998 is of the best vintage for right bank. Pronounced nose with strong black fruits, cassis, black cherry, vanilla, pencil, toast. Still very fruit dominated. Medium+ acidity and tannin. Probably only starting on its drinking cycle, will only get better. Rated 3/4.