Château Cheval Blanc 1984

Château Cheval Blanc

This was a cool year with a wet month of September and little Merlot due to coulure (shot berries) and millerandage (abnormal fruit set). 1984 was the most difficult vintage of the decade.

This was a cool year with a wet month of September and little Merlot due to coulure (shot berries) and millerandage (abnormal fruit set). 1984 was the most difficult vintage of the decade.

Weather conditions and vine’s growing cycle

Temperatures and rainfall

1984 was a challenging vintage, with alternating very wet and relatively dry months. April was dry with normal temperatures, as opposed to May, which was exceptionally cool and wet. Summer was cool and rather dry. It rained copiously in September and October.
The weather in 1984 was not propitious to making wine anywhere in Bordeaux.

1984 : 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. Moderate water stress occurred in August and lasted until mid-September. It rained during the harvest.

1984 WATER BALANCE

Growing season

After a catastrophic month of May with heavy rainfall and exceptionally cool temperatures, flowering in Merlot did not go well, and the vines were strongly hit by coulure and millerandage. Flowering in Cabernet Franc took place later, and was more successful. Thanks to beautiful summer weather, the remaining stages of vine growth and ripening prior to September and October went very well. The rain during those two months unfortunately prevented the grapes from reaching optimum ripeness.

Begin End
1984 harvest dates October, 2nd October, 12th
Average harvest dates: 1946-2014 September, 24th October, 8th

 

Features of the vintage

Ripening and yields

The harvest began on the 2th of October and finished on the 12th of that month. Yields were historically low: 17.8 hectolitres per hectare.

1984 yield    (hl/ha) Average yield (1946 to 2014)
17.8 33.9

 

Blending

Degree of alcohol 12
Total acidity (g H2 S04/L) 3.63
Volatile acidity (g H2 SO4/L) 0.49
pH
Total SO2 (mg/L) 96
Reducing sugar content (g/L) 1.6
IPT (DO280)

 

Tasting

Considered the most difficult vintage of the decade, 1984 constitutes a pleasant surprise. It has good body, but is strongly marked by the near total absence of Merlot, which suffered greatly from the heavy rain in May. The fairly deep brick-red colour shows that the wine is old. However, the discreet, elegant nose also displays certain freshness – a reflection of the huge proportion of Cabernet Franc in the blend. The wine is moderately well-structured on the palate and shows some astringency on the aftertaste. 1984 Cheval Blanc is a little dry due to the absence of Merlot, but remains surprisingly good for the vintage. However, it has aged fairly quickly.
Tastings
15/04/2010

Considered the most difficult vintage of the decade, 1984 constitutes a pleasant surprise. It has good body, but is strongly marked by the near total absence of Merlot, which suffered greatly from the heavy rain in May.

The fairly deep brick-red colour shows that the wine is old.

However, the discreet, elegant nose also displays certain freshness – a reflection of the huge proportion of Cabernet Franc in the blend.

The wine is moderately well-structured on the palate and shows some astringency on the aftertaste.

1984 Cheval Blanc is a little dry due to the absence of Merlot, but remains surprisingly good for the vintage. However, it has aged fairly quickly.