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Le Petit Cheval 2000

RegionBordeaux
Subregion France > Bordeaux > Right Bank > St Emilion
ColourRed
TypeStill
Grape VarietyCabernet Franc/Merlot

View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Cheval Blanc

Label

Tasting Notes

A standout 2nd wine in the 2000 vintage, and a fraction of the price that you will pay for the main estate wine of Cheval Blanc, even if still something of an investment. I almost suggested the 2010 Petit Cheval, also an incredible wine, but the 2000 is just at such a lovely moment to drink right now, full of creamy black fruits, mint leaf and tannins that have softened up enough to make it a no-brainer. 100% new oak.

94
Jane Anson, JaneAnson.com, July 2021

The fully mature 2000 Le Petit Cheval reveals some herbal notes interwoven with sweet red currants. Medium-bodied with lots of spice and menthol, the wine tails off in the mouth. It needs to be drunk up.

87
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (189), June 2010
90
Robert Parker, Bordeaux Book (4), December 2003

For those not lucky or rich enough to purchase the 2000 Cheval Blanc, there is an alternative ... the 2000 Le Petit Cheval. This offering has often been an afterthought, but the 2000 possesses some of its bigger sibling's character. A blend of equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc (40% of the production made it into this wine), it does not have the mass or depth of the Cheval, but this exceptional effort offers sweet, concentrated, plush flavors, wonderful opulence, and lovely density. This beauty will be drinkable upon release, and will last for 12-15 years. Believe it or not, the 2000 Le Petit Cheval is better than some vintages of Cheval Blanc have been over the last two decades.

90
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (146), April 2003
90/92
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate (134), April 2001
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.