Château Cheval Blanc
This was a warm, but not a dry year, with generous yields. The wines are delicious and opened up quite early although they continue to provide a great deal of pleasure.
This was a warm, but not a dry year, with generous yields. The wines are delicious and opened up quite early although they continue to provide a great deal of pleasure.
Weather conditions and vine’s growing cycle
Temperatures and rainfall
The winter of 1999 was mild, with just about average rainfall. This was also a warm year, making for early phenolic maturity. Summer precipitation was close to average, and showers were spread out evenly. September was warm and wet.
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. On the whole, rainfall was fairly regular this year. However, the high temperatures caused significant evaporation, despite the lack of any one extremely dry period. Moderately strong water stress set in starting in early September.
Growing season
The 1999 growing season was largely in keeping with average weather conditions since 1996. Mid-véraison occurred on the 2rd of August for Merlot and the 8th of August for Cabernet Franc. There was little discrepancy between different plots of the same grape variety. Véraison took place very quickly, presaging homogeneous ripening. Vegetative growth stopped late in the season. Merlot was picked between the 14th and 21st of September, and mostly before rain on the 19th of September. It was Cabernet Franc’s turn from the 22nd to the 28th of September.
| Phenological stage | Merlot 1999 |
Average 1994-2014 | Cabernet franc 1999 |
Average 1994-2014 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bud break | March, 28th | March, 28th | April, 1st | April, 2nd |
| Flowering | May, 29th | May, 30th | May, 31st | June, 1st |
| Véraison | August, 2nd | August, 2nd | August, 8th | August, 8th |
| Beginning of the Harvest | September, 14th | September, 19th | September, 22nd | September, 27th |
| End of the Harvest | September, 21st | September, 27th | September, 28th | October, 5th |
| Number of days between… | ||||
| Bud break and Flowering | 63 days | 63 days | 61 days | 60 days |
| Flowering and Véraison | 66 days | 64 days | 70 days | 68 days |
| Véraison and Harvest | 44 days | 48 days | 46 days | 50 days |
The grapes were in remarkably good condition despite the rain during the harvest. In fact, the Merlot looked in better shape than any vintage since 1989. Cabernet Franc grapes were also fine, but the ones picked at the tail end of the harvest were not totally satisfactory, so careful sorting was necessary.
Features of the vintage
Ripening and yields
Despite a fairly wet summer, the potential was very good. The concentration of phenolic compounds was high, especially in light of the astonishingly light weight of the berries when one considers the minimal water stress during summer. The balance between sugar and acidity in Merlot was very interesting. Some of the Cabernet Franc was not entirely ripe, with relatively low sugar levels, but showed no trace of herbaceousness.
Yields were largely above average.
| 1999 yields (hl/ha) | Average from 1996 to 2014 | |
| Merlot | 53.0 | 38.9 |
| Cabernet franc | 51.4 | 34.2 |
Cellar work
With 8% of the wine bled off fermentation vats 1999 Petit Cheval contains no press wine.
Blending
1999 shows a beautiful synergy between concentrated, but slightly austere Merlot and elegant, very aromatic Cabernet Franc, which represents the highest proportion of the blending (61%).
| Degree of alcohol | 12.5 |
|---|---|
| Total acidity (g H2 S04/L) | 3.25 |
| Volatile acidity (g H2 SO4/L) | 0.46 |
| pH | 3.46 |
| Total SO2 (mg/L) | 78 |
| Reducing sugar content (g/L) | 1.0 |
| IPT (DO280) | – |
Tasting
This vintage of Petit Cheval is a great pleasure to drink.
It has a deep cherry-red colour and is just starting to brick on the rim.
The nose features aromas of red fruit and stone fruit, as well as menthol and spice (clove) nuances. The oak is quite understated.
The wine starts out very vinous and fresh on the palate. It has a firm tannic texture and a wide range of flavours, especially red fruit.
This wine is presently at its peak, although it can still be kept for several years.This vintage of Petit Cheval is a great pleasure to drink.
It has a deep cherry-red colour and is just starting to brick on the rim.
The nose features aromas of red fruit and stone fruit, as well as menthol and spice (clove) nuances. The oak is quite understated.
The wine starts out very vinous and fresh on the palate. It has a firm tannic texture and a wide range of flavours, especially red fruit.
This wine is presently at its peak, although it can still be kept for several years.