Château Cheval Blanc 1958

Château Cheval Blanc

1958 was a warm and rather wet year. The vines still suffered from the effects of 1956. This Cheval Blanc was very elegant in its youth and still has a delicious, fruity taste profile.

1958 was a warm and rather wet year. The vines still suffered from the effects of 1956. This Cheval Blanc was very elegant in its youth and still has a delicious, fruity taste profile.

Weather conditions and vine’s growing cycle

Temperatures and rainfall

The growing season started in April (which was rather cool, but not very wet), followed by the very warm, rainy months of May, June, July, and August. September was quite warm (3.4°C above average) with nearly normal precipitation. On the whole, 1958 was warm and wet.

1958 : TEMPERATURES AND RAINFALL COMPARED WITH NORMAL VALUES IN SAINT-EMILION

Water balance

In order to grow well, the vine needs for water stress to set in slowly so the grapes to ripen well and become concentrated. Due to frequent showers, water stress did not set in, as desired.

1958 WATER BALANCE

Growing season

The harvest began on the 6th of October and ended on the 19th of that same month.  The quality was only just satisfactory, but the wine had a certain finesse. Only 26 hectolitres per hectare were produced, with an alcoholic degree of 11.5°.

Begin End
1958 harvest dates October, 6th October, 19th
Average harvest dates 1946-2014 September, 24th October, 8th

 

Features of the vintage

Ripening and yields

1985 yield    (hl/ha) Average yield: 1946 to 2014
26.5 33.9

 

 

Tasting

This vintage immediately offers a very intense fruit nose, accompanied by notes of fireplace smoke and pipe tobacco. Raspberry and blackcurrant put signature to this very Cabernet Franc typed nose. Indeed, two years only after the frost which particularly hit the Merlot vines of the domain, the blend of 1958 Cheval Blanc is mainly made of Cabernet franc. The palate is remarkable for its perfectly preserved tension and freshness. The extremely elegant mid—palate is fresh and continues until a very long finish.
Still suffering from the effects of the 1956 frost, the vineyard nevertheless managed to produce an elegant, very fruity, and tasty wine. Deep in colour, but showing its age, the wine has an elegant bouquet with hints of red fruit such as redcurrant. It is soft and silky on the palate, with intense, delicious fruit.
Tastings
20/07/2015

This vintage immediately offers a very intense fruit nose, accompanied by notes of fireplace smoke and pipe tobacco. Raspberry and blackcurrant put signature to this very Cabernet Franc typed nose. Indeed, two years only after the frost which particularly hit the Merlot vines of the domain, the blend of 1958 Cheval Blanc is mainly made of Cabernet franc.

The palate is remarkable for its perfectly preserved tension and freshness. The extremely elegant mid—palate is fresh and continues until a very long finish.

15/04/2010

Still suffering from the effects of the 1956 frost, the vineyard nevertheless managed to produce an elegant, very fruity, and tasty wine.

Deep in colour, but showing its age, the wine has an elegant bouquet with hints of red fruit such as redcurrant. It is soft and silky on the palate, with intense, delicious fruit.