Château Cheval Blanc
After two very difficult years, 1970 was a good vintage in Bordeaux, especially on the Left Bank.
The wine is polished, and well-balanced, with plenty of freshness and a fine tannic texture.
After two very difficult years, 1970 was a good vintage in Bordeaux, especially on the Left Bank.
The wine is polished, and well-balanced, with plenty of freshness and a fine tannic texture.
Weather conditions and vine’s growing cycle
Temperatures and rainfall
The weather was regular and with no excesses in 1970. Summer temperatures were close to seasonal averages. Rainy months (June and August) alternated with dry ones (July and September), and the harvest took place under a clear blue sky.
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. The water balance shows that water stress was fairly important this year.
Growing season
The harvest was a little early in 1970, starting on the 24nd of September and lasting until the 6th of October. Yields were above average (40 hectolitres per hectare).
| Begin | End | |
| 1970 harvest dates | September, 24th | October, 6th |
| Average harvest dates: 1946-2014 | September, 24th | October, 8th |
Features of the vintage
Ripening and yields
| 1970 yield (hl/ha) | Average yield (1946 to 2014) | |
| 39.9 | 33.9 | |
Blending
| Degree of alcohol | 12 |
|---|---|
| Total acidity (g H2 S04/L) | 3.04 |
| Volatile acidity (g H2 SO4/L) | 0.58 |
| pH | 3.65 |
| Free SO2 (mg/L) | 5 |
| Reducing sugar content (g/L) | 1.77 |
| IPT (DO280) | 48 |
Tasting
Nose is fresh, menthols and liquoriced. Red fruits dominate the bouquet with cedar and tobacco notes. One can also notice fresh blackberry notes and after opening the wine up appears mocha and cocoa notes. The wine starts out tight and acidulous.
On the middle-palate, the freshness is remarkable showing both a straight and compact wine. Until the very end of the taste, this vintage reveals all its slender aspect.After two very difficult years, 1970 Cheval Blanc is an excellent vintage.
The intense colour shows bricking in keeping with its age.
The complex bouquet, which seems slightly closed to begin with, opens up considerably in the glass, revealing amazing ripeness and depth, and is still assertive. Hints of forest floor, roast grape seeds, tea, and lime blossom appear after swirling in the glass.
The wine starts out smooth and well-structured on the palate, with tertiary aspects such as forest floor nuances due to long ageing. The quality of tannin on the middle palate shows just how serious a wine this is. The long fresh aftertaste reveals incomparable softness typical of a great Cheval Blanc.
Although this wine is presently at its peak, it is still quite fresh in well-stored bottles. Furthermore, due the fact that vats were not blend prior to bottling, there is some bottle variation in this vintage.Nose is fresh, menthols and liquoriced. Red fruits dominate the bouquet with cedar and tobacco notes. One can also notice fresh blackberry notes and after opening the wine up appears mocha and cocoa notes. The wine starts out tight and acidulous.
On the middle-palate, the freshness is remarkable showing both a straight and compact wine. Until the very end of the taste, this vintage reveals all its slender aspect.
After two very difficult years, 1970 Cheval Blanc is an excellent vintage.
The intense colour shows bricking in keeping with its age.
The complex bouquet, which seems slightly closed to begin with, opens up considerably in the glass, revealing amazing ripeness and depth, and is still assertive. Hints of forest floor, roast grape seeds, tea, and lime blossom appear after swirling in the glass.
The wine starts out smooth and well-structured on the palate, with tertiary aspects such as forest floor nuances due to long ageing. The quality of tannin on the middle palate shows just how serious a wine this is. The long fresh aftertaste reveals incomparable softness typical of a great Cheval Blanc.
Although this wine is presently at its peak, it is still quite fresh in well-stored bottles. Furthermore, due the fact that vats were not blend prior to bottling, there is some bottle variation in this vintage.