Cheval Blanc 1971

Magnum served blind initially alongside Monte Bello 1971. Wonderfully sweet, round and florally aromatic with a beautifully smooth texture. A brilliant wine, even if not a blockbuster, and one that I was given blind by owner Jacques Hébrard when I visited the château while researching The Great Wine Book in 1981. I'm delighted to be able to add a tasting note on it to our database - even if it is arguably more enthusiastic than explicatory. Still going strong. (Drink between 1990-2025)

The 1971 Cheval Blanc is simply a beautiful example of the vintage that remains at its absolute apogee of drinkability and offers up glorious complexity on both the nose and palate. The deep, pure and very vibrant bouquet delivers a superb aromatic constellation of cherries, pomegranate, spiced meats, menthol, tobacco, a touch of nutskin, a complex base of soil tones, cedar and a bit of orange peel in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and velvety on the attack, with a superb core, outstanding transparency, tangy acids, melted tannins and superb focus and grip on the very, very long and perfectly balanced finish. This is unequivocally one of the wines of the vintage in 1971! (Drink between 2017-2040)