From a miserable Bordeaux vintage a bottle picked up at auction in the name of curiosity. Fill was good, when cutting the capsule there was a lot of mould on the cork and I was worried. However cork almost came out in one piece and the wine which showed its age visually was surprisingly fresh. Lean and a bit green yes giving away the wet and cold growing season. But then it had a lovely freshness, pine in the nose and the palate was surprisingly elegant with truffles. Overall the bottle finished rather quickly between two which is a testament to a rather decent wine that kept for almost half a century. So well done Cheval Blanc!
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Thank you to a most generous and gracious host for a pulling a magnum of this birth year wine. Reconditioned and recorked at the chateau. Light ruby, separated into a clear rim. Very Burgundian on the nose. Almost all tertiary scents of forest, light barnyard, black tea, leather with just a hunk of plum fruit and jasmine to bring this back from the edge of death! Light in the mouth and not that long but still balanced, no tannins left but still some life left in it. Held up well in the glass. My first 1972 and probably wine of the vintage?
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Reconditioned at the chateau in 2010. I served this by hiding the vintage, despite it being my birthyear... because it is from one of the worst vintages of the 20th century (in the Left Bank)! While a medium bodied wine, it was in absolute terms an excellent wine. One often hears experienced winemakers explaining how, in the long run, terroir prevails... Well this was a shining example. Well done Cheval Blanc!
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What can one reasonably except of a 1972 Bordeaux, even if it is from one of its best terroirs, Cheval Blanc? Well, surprisingly, the answer is "a lot of fun"! Granted this was a special bottle, that was bought via Ficofi from the the chateau in 2011 having never left the cellars and been reconditioned in 2010. The bottle so perfect, it looked like a fake! It was a light to medium bodied wine, and what struck me most was its perfect balance. It's become less difficult to make a good wine in a difficult vintage nowadays as we know, but to do that 40 years ago was no small feat. Terroir, terroir, terroir. Looking forward to tasting the magnums!
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4/3/2023 - burlingtonm wrote: 84 Points
Vertical from 1966 to 2014 at Wine Watch: past its best which was probably never very good with a little life but not much!
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12/20/2020 - BenBlu Likes this wine: 91 Points
From a miserable Bordeaux vintage a bottle picked up at auction in the name of curiosity. Fill was good, when cutting the capsule there was a lot of mould on the cork and I was worried. However cork almost came out in one piece and the wine which showed its age visually was surprisingly fresh. Lean and a bit green yes giving away the wet and cold growing season. But then it had a lovely freshness, pine in the nose and the palate was surprisingly elegant with truffles. Overall the bottle finished rather quickly between two which is a testament to a rather decent wine that kept for almost half a century. So well done Cheval Blanc!
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11/12/2016 - dchain Likes this wine: 92 Points
Thank you to a most generous and gracious host for a pulling a magnum of this birth year wine. Reconditioned and recorked at the chateau. Light ruby, separated into a clear rim. Very Burgundian on the nose. Almost all tertiary scents of forest, light barnyard, black tea, leather with just a hunk of plum fruit and jasmine to bring this back from the edge of death! Light in the mouth and not that long but still balanced, no tannins left but still some life left in it. Held up well in the glass. My first 1972 and probably wine of the vintage?
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6/11/2016 - steinersing wrote: 93 Points
from mag - Ficofi - very impressive for the vintage. Subtle tobacco notes, all in balance - a great aged Bordeaux.
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5/7/2016 - Dubie wrote: 94 Points
Reconditioned at the chateau in 2010. I served this by hiding the vintage, despite it being my birthyear... because it is from one of the worst vintages of the 20th century (in the Left Bank)! While a medium bodied wine, it was in absolute terms an excellent wine. One often hears experienced winemakers explaining how, in the long run, terroir prevails... Well this was a shining example. Well done Cheval Blanc!
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6/25/2015 - fcxj wrote: 90 Points
Ficofi, magnum
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3/15/2014 - Mathijs81 wrote: 90 Points
Was somewhat concerned ( low level - into neck - bottle ).
Cork came out in two pieces, but still in good condition.
Nose ... smelled like "an old wine".
Flavour ... way past its days, but I do enjoy old wines.
However, we tasted a mint condition 1974 Cheval Blanc against it and that vintage over classed the 1972 vintage.
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1/14/2014 - Dubie wrote: 93 Points
Better than the 750ml we had tried several months prior. More open, as confident, and silkier.
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6/22/2013 - Dubie wrote: 92 Points
What can one reasonably except of a 1972 Bordeaux, even if it is from one of its best terroirs, Cheval Blanc? Well, surprisingly, the answer is "a lot of fun"! Granted this was a special bottle, that was bought via Ficofi from the the chateau in 2011 having never left the cellars and been reconditioned in 2010. The bottle so perfect, it looked like a fake! It was a light to medium bodied wine, and what struck me most was its perfect balance. It's become less difficult to make a good wine in a difficult vintage nowadays as we know, but to do that 40 years ago was no small feat. Terroir, terroir, terroir. Looking forward to tasting the magnums!
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