Château Cheval Blanc 1979

📝 Château Cheval Blanc 1979 - A comprehensive report

Château Cheval Blanc 1979 is a single-varietal Bordeaux red wine from the renowned Saint-Émilion vineyard that captures the unique character and elegance of this terroir like no other.

🍷 Wine and estate portrait

The estate at a glance

Château Cheval Blanc, which was acquired in 1832, covers around 39 hectares of vineyards. The vines are planted on a mixture of gravel and sandy soil over a clay subsoil, which is rare for Bordeaux - a terroir that gives the Cabernet Franc exceptional maturity.

Vineyard and vinification

As is typical for Cheval Blanc, Cabernet Franc (around 55-66%) dominates in 1979 , supplemented by Merlot (around 34-45%). A small proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon rounds off the cuvée. The wine matures for 18 months in new barrique barrels.

🌦️ The 1979 vintage in Bordeaux

The 1979 vintage faced major challenges:

• A cool, wet spring delayed growth

• Dry summer and autumn nevertheless allowed the grapes to ripen well

• Yields were high - which somewhat limited the concentration of the wine.

• Overall, an average vintage: the Merlots from the right bank benefited in particular.

👃 Tasting notes

🔍 Colour

Deep ruby red with a distinct orange rim - a sure sign of advanced maturity.

👃 Aroma

A complex, still inviting nose:

• Classic cedar and Havana tobacco

• Smoky notes, cherries (cherry liqueur)

• Honey and datesover time - a typical ageing note

• Light mint: the hallmark of Cabernet Franc

• Occasional green herbs, pipe tobacco, damp forest, truffle and leather notes

👅 Palate

The attack is soft and harmonious. The structure is precise and delicate - "like lace and shading" . The body is light to medium with ripe but already largely integrated tannins. The acidity keeps the wine fresh. The finish is short to medium with a spicy, slightly liquorice-like finish.

✨ Community tasting note: "Super light in body, but silky, so smooth, singing. A killer on the palate and a great time capsule of what once was."

📊 Critics' ratings at a glance

📅 Drinking maturity & storage potential

The Cheval Blanc 1979 was officially labelled for the drinking window 1990-2022 - this window is now closed. Parker himself noted in 1993: "A few years ago it was much more pleasant; now it lacks substance." The most recent tasting notes from 2023 and 2025 paint a mixed picture - some bottles still show elegance, others have already faded.

💡 Recommendation: Consume immediately. The wine no longer gains from further ageing, but increasingly loses fruit and structure.

💰 Price and availability

Current market prices

Prices vary greatly depending on the state of preservation and trading platform:

• US average price (excl. taxes): approx. 567 USD

• Europe:

  • approx. 385 € incl. VAT

  • approx. 495 - 670 USD depending on condition and bidding

Availability

The wine is onlyavailableon the secondary market(auction houses, specialised wine merchants). Most regular retailers no longer stock it and stocks are limited.

🍴 Drinking recommendation

Serving temperature: 16-18 °C

Decanting time:30 - 60 minutes is recommended - caution is advised as the wine is very sensitive to strong oxygen contact.

Food recommendations:

• Matured cheese (Comté, Gruyère, Parmesan)

• Mushroom dishes, especially with truffles

• Duck breast or veal in a light sauce

• Lamb chops

The wine is best drunk over the next 12-24 months - any bottle you can still find should be opened now.

🍷 Comparison with other Cheval Blanc vintages

Compared to the great vintages, the 1979 is like a "little brother " - charming and easy to drink, but without the complexity or ageing potential of the wines of the century.

🎯 Summary

Château Cheval Blanc 1979 is an elegant, lightweight Bordeaux with a classic right bank profile. It shows:

• Pronounced cedar and tobacco notes

• A delicate, precise mouthfeel

• Advanced maturity - most bottles have passed their peak

• Maximum enjoyment potential for the here and now

Conclusion: If you are lucky enough to get hold of a bottle in good condition, you should savour it immediately - with a good piece of mature cheese or a truffle pasta. It offers an authentic piece of Bordeaux history and a fascinating insight into the development of a Grand Cru Classé over four decades.