Château Cheval Blanc 1947 'Vandermeulen'

Having a 1947 Cheval Blanc served out of an impeccably stored magnum twice in three months during the summer of 1994, and on another occasion, from an extraordinary jerobaum, made me once again realise what a great job I have. The only recent Bordeaux vintage that comes even remotely close to the richness, texture, and viscosity of so many of these right bank 1947s is 1982. What can I say about this mammoth wine that is more like port than dry red table wine? The 1947 Cheval Blanc exhibits such a thick texture it could double as motor oil. The huge nose of fruitcake, chocolate, leather, coffee, and Asian spices is mind-boggling. The unctuous texture and richness of sweet fruit are amazing. Consider the fact that this wine is, technically, appallingly deficient in acidity and excessively high in alcohol. Moreover, its volatile acidity levels would be considered intolerable by modern day oenologists. Yet how can they explain that after 47 years the wine is still remarkably fresh, phenomenally concentrated, and profoundly complex? It has to make you wonder about the direction of modern day winemaking. Except for one dismal, murky, troubled, volatile double-magnum, this wine has been either perfect or nearly perfect every time I have had it 100/100 Points Robert Parker

When you enter the legendary world of Château Cheval Blanc 1947, you are not simply embarking on a tasting journey - you are embarking on an archaeological expedition into the recent cultural history of wine. The 1947 vintage is considered the most famous Cheval Blanc of the 20th centuryand is a true chameleon: a wine that is surrounded by an almost mythical aura and yet tells a colourful and often contradictory storyin its various versions, especially the Vandermeulen bottlingin focus here.

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🏛️ The monument and its variation: an introduction

The reference work "Vintage Wine" by the legendary Michael Broadbent describes the Cheval Blanc 1947 as a monument. As the research on your topic of choice shows, the ratings of the 1947 Cheval Blanc are divided: while some critics rate the Vandermeulen bottling at 85 points, others describe a perfect, unrivalled Parker experience that ranksat the highest point of the rating scale of 100 points. This enormous range is no coincidence - in fact, it is the key to understanding this legend.

The 1947 vintage was produced under extreme, almost tropical conditions. The hot summer allowed the grapes to reach enormous sugar ripeness, resultingin an unusually high alcohol content of up to 14.4 %. The cellar technology of the time without temperature control led to another trademark: a noticeable volatile acidity, which, together with a residual sugar content, gave the wine an almost port-like character. This rule-breaking style is what makes the 1947 Cheval Blanc so legendary.

⚖️ Vandermeulen vs. Château bottling: the big difference

The decisive nuance in the history of this wine is the bottling by the Belgian wine merchant Vandermeulen in Ostend. The Château bottling from the winery itself is considered powerful, concentrated and dense, whereas the Vandermeulen bottling - when well preserved - often tends to be slightly sweeter and shows more maturity. At its peak, with perfect bottles from impeccable origins, it can offer exactly what Robert Parker awards the highest honours: an incredibly dense wine reminiscent of motor oil with an aroma spectrum that leaves nothing to be desired.

🤥 The shadow of the fakes

But there is a darker side to this chapter. The sheer legend of the wine has made it a target for counterfeiters. Sources such as Tastingbook point out that almost 75% of the bottles of 1947 Cheval Blanc (Vandermeulen) in circulation could be fakes, and it is precisely this risk that explains the huge discrepancy in the ratings (85 vs. 100 points). A counterfeit bottle is often revealed by a cork that is too young without embossing, shows no signs of age and no longer fits into the bottle. Inconsistencies in the capsule or the vintage particularity of the bottle, which was not common in later bottlings, can also provide clues.

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👃 An olfactory journey through time

Looking at the wealth of notes available and filtering the authentic impressions from the dubious ones, a multi-layered picture emerges. The most important aromas that caress the nose in an intact bottle can be outlined as follows:

• Primary & Secondary Aromas: The aromatic profile is characterised by an irresistible blend of fruitcake, dark chocolate and fine leather. The seductive flavours of coffee and exotic Asian spices lend the bouquet an unmistakable depth. Intense notes of plum and black cherry dominate , reminiscent of liqueur, with a heavy, intense mintnote. Sometimes nuances of truffle, ink and even a surprising earthiness of forest floor are added.

• Secondary & tertiary flavours: A perfect example reveals an incredible complexity after opening: notes of mocha,salt crust,soy sauce,minerality and even the unusual nuance of bitter oranges. Occasionally there may also be slight hints of camphor or medicinal flavours typical of ageing.

👅 On the palate: an impossible balance

The true character of this wine is revealed on the palate - a dance between seemingly incompatible elements. The texture is the first thing that amazes: viscous, oily, almost syrupy, the wine glides over the tongue. It has an almost unnatural density reminiscent of port. The flavours of the bouquet are reflected: ripe, sweet dark berries, mocha and chocolate dominate. However, what distinguishes it from a liqueur-like drink is the accompanying, often surprisingly fresh acidity, which lends the full body an elegant balance.

The tannin is still fully present in a good example, often described as "chewy", but of great nobility. The finish is extremely long, with a pronounced aftertaste of coffee grounds and a hint of bitterness that emphasises the depth of the wine. One critic aptly described the mouthfeel as a contradictory but wonderful paradox: an old wine-like viscosity paired with a sensational, almost unreal ease of drinking flow.

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📝 The notes of the wine luminaries in comparison

The following table summarises the most important reviews that have been tested for authenticity and shows impressively how the perception of this multi-faceted wine varies even among experts:

🍽️ The perfect accompaniment

A wine of such power and exoticism requires an equally sophisticated culinary accompaniment:

• Poultry & game: roast pigeon, young duck, guinea fowl or a tender veal escalope.

• Cheese: Mature, creamy Brillat-Savarin or nutty, matured Mimolette hard cheese.

• Temperature: Serve at around 16-17 degrees Celsius.

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🎁 & 💎 The current drinking window and a calculated risk

The open windows of time are slowly closing. While some sources indicate a drinking window until 2035, most experts advise consumption in the next few years due to the decline already observed in some bottles. Waiting is a risk.

The prices for this rare drop are breathtaking and fluctuate greatly:

• Standard bottle (750 ml): depending on its condition, a Vandermeulen bottle is priced at around €4,750, while a Château bottling can quickly cost over €13,900.

• Magnum bottle (1.5 litres): A magnum bottle was sold at auction for a remarkable $40,000.

• The Imperial bottle (6 litres): One of the last six-litre bottles achieved the breathtaking price of £192,000 (approx. $304,375) at Christie's in Geneva .

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💎 Conclusion: A monumental legend between pleasure and danger

The Château Cheval Blanc 1947 - Vandermeulen bottlingis much more than just a wine. It is a fascinating contemporary document that celebrates the thin line between masterful creation and happy accident. It is the embodiment of an unruly genius that breaks all the rules and yet survives for decades.

Nevertheless, acquiring a bottle is an adventure. The temptation to chase after this myth is great, but so is the risk of falling for a fake. This emphasises an important lesson: the origin and storage of a bottle are even more crucial with this model than with any other wine.

To open a perfect example of this wine is to experience one of the world's greatest wines. To experience disappointment is the risk you have to take in this hunt for a legend.

One of the 47 wine legends is Cheval Blanc. This wine has been fully drinkable since the early 1950s and has been causing a stir ever since with its lush, port-like character. Unfortunately, there are now not only too many over-travelled bottles and masses of counterfeits. Cheval Blanc is also beginning to weaken in all bottles that have not been stored in ONE cellar for a long time. My best bottles were a 1992 Vandermeulen bottling - incredibly deep, powerful colour, more reminiscent of an 82 than a 45-year-old wine. Thick, fleshy, reminiscent of port, very long and another class better than the already top-rated 47 Margaux 100/100 - and a perfect chateau bottling at our century tasting in 1993. After that came numerous magnums, for which I simply lack the faith, except for one in 1997 at a large tasting for the 50th birthday of a wine friend, restrained nose, like my VDM's porty on the palate, very strong colour, dense, concentrated, not the class of earlier Cheval 47s, but certainly more honest - 96/100. Even in the otherwise very reliable Vandermeulen versions, Cheval Blanc is no longer always what it used to be. So before you run after a myth for a lot of money in vain: Only buy Cheval Blanc in really very good condition from impeccable origins. How nice when the exception proves the rule, as was the case in 2006 at the big Cheval Blanc tasting at the Stromburg. a perfect Vandermeulen bottling that showed no weakness whatsoever. This was an incredible wine giant, perfectly matured and on point with pure coffee, infinite, silky elegance, powerful aromas and incredible length on the palate. No matter what superlatives you use to describe it, words can hardly do justice to this grandiose experience. Of course, easily 100/100, I would never have thought that I would be able to experience 47 Cheval Blanc in this form again. And then in 2007, a perfect chateau bottling went one better. It has been in Müller's cellar for over 25 years. Still an impenetrable killer colour. The finest port wine on the nose, some mint, tea, herbs, fullness, a crazy nose game, also on the palate porty without end, very sweet, unbelievably intense, powerful, never ending on the palate. It is difficult to find the right words to describe this monument. But in the form in which this chateau bottling presented itself here, this is one of, if not the highlight in the life of a wine drinker - 100/100 without ifs and buts. Then, in summer 2007, a Belgian retailer bottling that cannot be identified more closely. It could not compete with the chateau bottling that I had enjoyed 4 months earlier at Jörg Müller. This was a complete, great wine, but it was very Medoc-like and lacked the porty richness and hedonistic decadence of the Chateau bottling - 96/100. In autumn 2007, at a large tasting, there was unfortunately an obviously faked magnum and two rather dubious Vandermeulen bottles. Most recently in 2008 at René Gabriel's large Cheval tasting, an authentic, immortally beautiful bottle, 100/100 with no ifs or buts (source: wineterminator.com Dr Becker).