Château Cheval Blanc

What is the origin of the name Cheval blanc?

In 1553, King Henri IV, riding his white horse, is said to have passed through an inn, which, following this royal visit, took the name of Auberge du Cheval Blanc, giving this same name to the locality... But some will tell you that this is just a legend! Official documents attest that the place already bore this name 7 years before Henri IV's visit... Nevertheless, the legend endures and it's understandable to want to surround this jewel of the Bordeaux region with a great myth...

The Château Cheval Blanc estate is located in the Gironde region of Bordeaux, in Saint-Emilion. Ancient texts attest to the fact that vines were already cultivated here in the 15th century on a modest farm, renamed "Au Cheval Blanc" in the 17th century. In the 19th century, the Fourcaud-Laussac family took over ownership of the estate. Cheval Banc was awarded its first bronze medal at the London Universal Exhibition in 1862. The image of this medal is still affixed to every bottle of Cheval Blanc. Award after award, the estate's château was built. It wasn't until 1998 that the Fourcaud-Laussac family sold their prestigious estate.

Chateau Cheval Blanc terroir and grape varieties

The estate covers 39 hectares divided into 45 parcels bathed by an oceanic climate. The terroir is composed of clay, sand, gravel and Quaternary alluvium in the subsoil. Cheval Blanc is unique in that it combines gravelly and clayey soils in almost equal proportions. Its originality also extends to the grape varieties, 52% of which are Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.

In fact, these proportions have hardly changed in over a century! Each parcel has its own characteristics, giving rise to wines that are fine and aromatic on the gravelly soils, and more powerful with velvety tannins on the clay soils. The Château Cheval Blanc estate uses traditional winemaking methods.

Chateau Cheval Blanc wine characteristics

The Château Cheval Blanc estate produces red wines in the AOC Saint-Emilion grand cru appellation. The "Cheval Blanc" is the estate's top-of-the-range flagship product. In 2015, Château Cheval Blanc unveiled its latest addition: "Petit Cheval", its first white wine. Château Cheval Blanc wines are best served at a temperature of between 15 and 17 degrees Celsius.

What dish to serve with a bottle of Château Cheval Blanc for a successful wine pairing?

They can accompany you from starter to dessert. On the other hand, to avoid spoiling your tasting experience, it's not advisable to consider it as an accompaniment to certain foods such as tomatoes, cucumbers, peas, peppers, dry charcuterie, eggs, goat's cheeses or blue cheeses. Likewise, it's best to avoid serving it with dishes that feature strong sauces (lemon, dill, fennel, etc.). As for dessert, the ideal is a low-sugar fruit-based dessert.