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1981 Chateau Cheval Blanc
- Saint-Emilion, France
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- Avg Price (ex-tax)
- $ 599 / 750ml
- Red - Savory and Classic
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Prior to the 2022 vintage, this wine was classed as Premier Grand Cru Classe A.
Critic tasting note: "Light, and definitely not at the level it was almost a decade ago when I last tasted it, but, that being said, it was still a treat. Popped and poured, its nose of tobacco leaf, truffle, fresh herbs, mint, dried flowers, and bright red plums showed with no effort. Medium-bodied, soft, and refined on the palate, the elegantly textured wine requires consumption before it continues its slow fade. 90 Points" - 90/100, Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
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Highlights
- From Saint-Emilion, France
- Avg. Price (ex-tax) $ 599 / 750ml
- Red Wine – Savory and Classic
- Bordeaux Blend Red
- Pairs well with Beef and Venison
Winery
Château Cheval Blanc is a highly lauded wine estate in the Saint-Émilion region of northeast Bordeaux. It is certainly the most famous Cabernet Franc-based wine in the world, albeit often alongside very similar levels of Merl...
Details
- Region or Appellation
- Classification
- Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A
- Drinking Window
- 1990-2028
- Alcohol ABV
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13%
- Residual Sugar g/L
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1.3 g/L
- Sweetness
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Dry
- Acidity TA
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3.23 g/L
- Blend
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Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon
- Maturation
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Oaked
- Oak Type
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French
- Winemaker
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Gaston Vaissiere
- Management
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Pierre Lurton
- Ownership
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Laussac-Fourcaud family
- Harvest date
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1st October -9th October.
- Closure Type
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Cork
- Vintage Notes
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The start of the growing season was wet, with many showers in May. Summer was dry, but cool, except for the month of August, which was warmer than average. 1981 produced a small crop: just 25 hectolitres per hectare. This was a late-ripening year due to cool summer temperatures. The harvest began at the beginning of October. A beautiful Indian summer with average temperatures and little rain enabled the grapes to reach proper maturity.
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- Producer Tasting Notes
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Like the 1980, the 1981 has undergone a rapid evolution but remains fruity at tasting. The dress is an evolved color, but intense. The nose is seductive and elegant. It seduces with its fresh aromas of red fruits tinged with eucalyptus. The attack in the mouth is supple, evolving towards undergrowth notes while exhaling freshness. Beautiful fruit aromas such as plum and roasting notes are noticeable. The structure is moderately precise, the tannins remain present and the finish on the prune and the very ripe red fruit is highlighted by a slight hardness. The 1981 vintage is a fresh and balanced vintage but of rapid evolution. You have to drink it right now. 15th April 2010.
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About the Wine
Suggested Dishes to Pair With This Wine
- Lamb kreatopita Starter Course
- Meat in filo pastry
- Contains: lamb mince
- Greek
- Galloway bone-in-ribeye Main Course
- Flavourful and lean beef from traditional Scottish breed
- Western
- Galician bone-in-ribeye Main Course
- Intense, creamy beef cooked with with red wine
- Western
- Steak and kidney pie Main Course
- Contains: beef steak, lamb kidneys, puff pastry
- British
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User Ratings
(5)Compare vintages
Vintage quality: Good
Current condition: Likely past it
The 1981 vintage for Bordeaux was reasonably good but stopped short of excellent.
The growing season began with a stock standard winter and spring, but conditions were often overcast. However, despite the grey days both budburst and flowering were a success. Early summer...
Price History
Availability Over Time
Search Rank Over Time
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