Château Cheval Blanc
First-tier Saint-Émilion estate (Premier Grand Cru Classé A), famed for a Cabernet Franc–led blend on a gravel-and-clay terroir.
About Château
Château Cheval Blanc traces its modern identity to 1832, when Château Figeac sold roughly 15 hectares to the Laussac-Fourcaud family, including part of the gravel ridge that runs toward Pomerol's Pétrus. Built up through the 19th century, the estate won medals at the London and Paris exhibitions of 1862 and 1867 that still appear on its label. It is one of Saint-Émilion's most celebrated properties, historically classified at the top tier of the appellation. The wine is distinctive in Bordeaux for its high proportion of Cabernet Franc blended with Merlot, expressing a terroir that mixes gravel, sand and clay. The estate stayed in family hands until 1998, when it was bought by Bernard Arnault of LVMH and Belgian businessman Albert Frère; LVMH acquired Arnault's share in 2009. Pierre Lurton has long directed the estate, which also produces a small quantity of a rare dry white.
Flagship wines
- Château Cheval Blanc
- Le Petit Cheval
Editorial notes
Premier Grand Cru Classé A in the historic Saint-Émilion classification. Famous for its unusually high Cabernet Franc component. Production reported by Wikipedia in cases; bottle figure is an approximation at 12 bottles/case.