It would be easier to detail where Merlot is not grown than vice-versa, as it is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. Depending on the terroir, the style can vary quite a bit. Generally, Merlot is fleshy and more fruit driven and with less aggressive tannins than its oft more austere blending partner, Cabernet Sauvignon, which also makes it more accessible in its youth. The quality and character can vary from crowd pleasing sweet plummy fruit to extraordinary complex velvety texture of a great right bank Bordeaux.
Cabernet Franc
Ca-ber-NAY FRANK
Cabernet Franc is grown all over the world, but the best expressions are generally found in France, specifically in the Loire, South West, and Bordeaux as a key part of many blends. Medium bodied and more aromatic than Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc’s aromas can have an herbaceous tinge depending on the ripeness level.
Cheval Blanc planted vines as far back as the 15th century and was recognized as early as the 1880s for being on par with the quality of the Left Bank Bordeaux estates. However, it was not until 1954 that it achieved its own First Growth status in Saint-Émilion.
Cheval Blanc is a patchwork of 39 hectares broken down into 45 plots that are distinct because of their various soils, vine age, and grape varietals, consisting of 52% cabernet franc, 43% merlot, and 5% cabernet sauvignon. The wines are made in a state-of-the-art, architecturally award-winning cellar featuring two waves of white concrete that rise out of the ground. Their top is covered in a garden that is flanked with perches overlooking the vineyards.
Cheval Blanc is the product of rigorous farming, attention to detail, and advanced winemaking techniques to yield wines that, at their best, are the perfect combination of power and finesse. Degrees of texture and nuance vary depending on the vintage, the mix of grapes included in the blend, and their respective terroir.
