Château Petit Cheval 1994
The 1994 Château Petit Cheval is a red wine from Saint-Émilion, crafted by Château Cheval Blanc in Bordeaux. This cuvée blends 66% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, and 1% Malbec, giving Cabernet Franc the majority share in the blend. Petit Cheval is the estate's second wine, created in 1988; it does not come from a single parcel, but from a rigorous selection of grapes from the Cheval Blanc vineyard. The estate typically composes it from about a quarter of the selected harvest.
La bouteille proposée
- Size
- Bottle (75cl)
- Packaging
- Original Wooden Case of 12
- Label Condition
- Perfect
- Fill Level
- Perfect
- Capsule Condition
- Perfect
Identité du vin
- Couleur
- Red
- Pays
- France
- Région
- Bordeaux
- Appellation
- Saint Emilion
- Producteur / Domaine
- Château Cheval Blanc
- Cuvée
- Petit Cheval
- Millésime
- 1994
Cépage et assemblage
- Grape Variety
- 66% Cabernet Franc, 33% Merlot, 1% Malbec
Château Cheval Blanc
Château Cheval Blanc is a wine estate situated in Saint-Émilion, on the border with Pomerol. Its 39-hectare vineyard lies on a mosaic of gravel and clay and is mainly planted with Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The estate, which took on its current form in the 19th century, has been owned by the Arnault and Frère families since 1998.
- Owner
- Familles Arnault et Frère
- Maître de chais
- Carole André
- Surface (ha)
- 39.00 ha
- Production (average bottles per vintage)
- environ 100 000 bouteilles/an
Histoire du domaine
Historical documents attest to the presence of vines on the Cheval Blanc estate as early as the 15th century. The history of the estate in its modern form began in 1832, when Jean-Jacques Ducasse acquired the heart of the property. Over the following two decades, the purchase of plots – notably from Château Figeac – enabled the creation of a vineyard whose 39-hectare layout has remained largely unchanged. His daughter Henriette married the Libourne wine merchant Jean Laussac-Fourcaud, who set about modernising the estate. The wine was marketed under the name Cheval Blanc from 1852 onwards. In the mid-1860s, Jean Laussac-Fourcaud replanted part of the vineyards with what was then an unusual proportion of Merlot and Cabernet Franc; this process was completed in 1871. On his death in 1888, the estate passed to his widow and then to their son Albert Fourcaud-Laussac, before remaining in the family for over a century. In 1998, Bernard Arnault and Baron Albert Frère acquired Château Cheval Blanc. Pierre-Olivier Clouet, the château’s director, retained technical management, whilst Carole André served as cellar master.
Petit Cheval
Petit Cheval is the second red wine of Château Cheval Blanc, produced for the first time with the 1988 vintage. Coming from the same terroir and the same grape varieties as the grand vin, it results from a selection without any specifically dedicated plot. It constitutes a more accessible interpretation of Cheval Blanc, generally opening up more quickly.
- Cuvée creation year
- 1988
- Style of the cuvée
- A supple, charming and accessible wine, marked by elegance and finesse, while retaining the typicity of Cheval Blanc.
- Position within the range
- Second red wine of Château Cheval Blanc and a more accessible introduction to the style of the grand vin.
Histoire de la cuvée
Born with the 1988 vintage, Petit Cheval is presented by the estate as one of the "seconds vins de premiers". Its gradual recognition has allowed it, according to Château Cheval Blanc, to acquire the status of a great wine in its own right.
