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.
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.
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.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.