Château Cheval Blanc 1962

Château Cheval Blanc 1962

🍇 Introduction: A shadow in the splendour of a vintage of the century

Château Cheval Blanc 1962 is a wine that, despite its fascinating complexity, always had to stand in the overpowering shadow of the legendary 1961 vintage. After harsh winters, the 1962 vegetation cycle got off to a late start before a warm, dry autumn made up for the delay with a ripe harvest. The 1962 Cheval Blanc turns out to be incredibly differentiated- a wine that critics have sometimes described as an "absolute delight", sometimes as "disappointing". Its secrets only reveal themselves in the glass.

👃 Wine description & flavours

Visually, the wine has a deep ruby red colour, which can lighten to a brownish orange-garnet depending on the bottle - a clear sign of its maturity.

On the nose, it offers a broad spectrum of tertiary aromas: from truffle, leather and tobacco to dried herbs and liquorice to exotic notes such as hay, Dominican tobacco and a fine candy sweetness . However, some bottles also exude animal or slightly volatile notes, which underlines the diversity of this vintage.

On the palate, the wine is medium-bodied and elegant, but not opulent.The acidity is soft and gives the wine vibrancy, while the tannins are largely reduced. The fruit is delicate and red-berry flavoured, often with notes of cherry, mulberry and plum . The finish is of medium length, with a complex aftertaste reminiscent of pastry, deerskin and cold black tea.

📝 Tasting notes from the critics

The wine polarises strongly - depending on the origin of the bottle:

• Robert Parker (December 2002): 'The 1962 Cheval Blanc has lasted longer than many, but is now in decline. The colour shows considerable amber; the wine seems somewhat loose and disjointed on the palate. Still, it has complex notes of herbs, earth, liquorice, truffle and some sweet fruit that linger."

• John Gilman (November 2003): "An absolute delight - a classic vintage of perfectly ripe and perfectly balanced Cheval. The bouquet offers a complex melange of mulberries, red cherries, coffee, mint, roasted nuts, cigar ash and cedar wood. Medium-bodied, deep and resolved on the palate, with a juicy fruit richness, excellent focus and a smooth, elegant finish."

• Falstaff (2003): The vintage was awarded 90 points by Falstaff.

• Vinous (March 2015): Awarded the wine 92 points.

• Michael Broadbent: The well-known critic rated the 1962 Cheval Blanc as a four-star vintage. He described it as austere at the beginning, but with a beautiful, if slender and slightly short, development in the 1970s. In a more recent tasting, he found it "medium-sweet, with nice flavour and good balance".

• Tastingbook (algorithm): Awards 94 points and recommends drinking the wine now until 2035.

🍽️ Food recommendation

The 1962 Cheval Blanc harmonises perfectly with roasted poultrysuch as chicken, turkey or guinea fowl, as the delicate texture and earthy aromas blend perfectly with the subtle flavours of these dishes.

🎁 Drinking window & price

The 1962 Cheval Blanc should ideally not be kept any longer, but enjoyed in the near future. The drinking window from 2019 to 2025 emphasises that the wine is now at the zenith of its maturity or already in slight decline.

The price varies greatly depending on the condition and origin. A normal 750 ml bottle is often traded between 300 and 750 US dollars. However, prices can be significantly higher at auctions, with one bottle selling for USD 1,250 in July 2019 .

💎 Conclusion: A journey into the past

Château Cheval Blanc 1962is not a wine for lovers of opulent, powerful Bordeaux. It is a wine of nuances and contradictions that brings the magic of a bygone era to life. Its variability in the bottle makes it an exciting experience. This wine is a piece of living history that is patiently waiting to be discovered and appreciated by a true connoisseur in a quiet moment.

📊 Overview of the reviews