Petit cheval blanc 2016

Le Petit Cheval Blanc

This great vintage of Petit Cheval reveals the complexity of the wine. One should easily find white fruits and floral notes that intertwine mineral. The crunchy and juicy mouth develops a beautiful fullness in the mid-palate that demonstrates the long maturation in wood tanks.

This great vintage of Petit Cheval reveals the complexity of the wine. One should easily find white fruits and floral notes that intertwine mineral. The crunchy and juicy mouth develops a beautiful fullness in the mid-palate that demonstrates the long maturation in wood tanks.

Weather conditions and vine’s growing cycle

Temperatures and rainfall

The first months of the year were mild and very wet. Temperatures were close to normal over the months of April to June with still very significant rainfall. A very dry and sunny weather settled from the last days of June and remained until the end of the harvest. The July 1st – October 15th period was exceptionally dry. The months of July, August and September recorded the highest number of hours of sunshine in 15 years. Temperatures remained close to normal in July. August was hot, but with relatively cool nights. The harvest took place in a dry and sunny weather.

2016 : TEMPERATURES AND RAINFALL COMPARED WITH NORMAL VALUES IN SAINT-EMILION

Water balance

A very contrasting water regime was observed in 2016 between the beginning and the end of the season. The first six months of the year were very wet (695 mm, significantly more than the whole of 2015). As a result, at the end of June the soils were still close to their holding capacity. On the other hand, from July 1st until the end of the harvest, the weather was exceptionally dry. This water regime is ideal for white vineyards because the water supply is moderately limiting and particularly favorable to quality.

2016 Water balance

Growing season

Phenological stages
Bud break 27/03/2016
Flowering 07/06/2016
Veraison 01/07/2016
Harvest 09/09/2016

After a very uniform bud break at the end of March, the spring turned out to be extremely rainy. Fortunately, the hot and dry summer months ensured a perfect evolution of the grapes. The harvest took place in beautiful conditions and the health of the berries was perfect. A light leave-pulling on the morning sun side allows to homogenize the maturity and to attenuate the sometimes-varietal aspect of Sauvignon to leave room to floral, fruity and mineral juices.

The richness of the juices impresses us from the beginning because the power and the freshness balance perfectly. At the pace of replanting and grafting over, the vineyard continues to grow, and the 2016 vintage comes from 6 parcels (or 3.9 ha) among the 13 (6.6 ha) that make up the estate.

Yield
Sauvignon Blanc 29,5 hL/ha

Features of the vintage

Ripening and yields

Bottling data
Date of the bottling 18th May 2018
Quantities 9564 bottles & 120 magnums
Production 79 Hl
Analyses
Degree of alcohol 14°
Total acidity 3,72 g/L
Volatile acidity 0,45 g/L
pH 3,22

Cellar work

At the end of the pressing, the gently racked musts are fermented in new oak, in demi-muids and wooden vats (14 and 26 hL). After fermentation, lees stirring, first daily, is reduced until reaching one lees stirring per week at Christmas. The wines, blended in February, continue their ageing for 18 months. They are then racked in tanks, for a final blending, stabilization, fining and clarification stage to be bottled on May 18, 2018.

Blend : 100 % sauvignon blanc

Tasting

The color of this Petit Cheval Blanc 2016, crystalline with yellow-green highlights, characterizes the young age of this wine. From the first nose, minerality dominates with its notes of flint, match tip, hit pebble. After aeration, the wine expresses its complexity with fresh citrus notes such as lemon or bergamot. The fresh bush characters like sage or rosemary mingle with notes of fresh flowers such as acacia, lilac or vine flower. The frank and direct attack shows all the nervousness of this wine. The mid- palate is large and crisp. Volume and sweetness balance perfectly with fresh and straight acidity. The aromatic return expresses the complexity of this wine with a fruity white flesh (peach, pear). Its long and rich finish stretches with lovely bitters.
Tastings
25/01/2019

The color of this Petit Cheval Blanc 2016, crystalline with yellow-green highlights, characterizes the young age of this wine. From the first nose, minerality dominates with its notes of flint, match tip, hit pebble. After aeration, the wine expresses its complexity with fresh citrus notes such as lemon or bergamot. The fresh bush characters like sage or rosemary mingle with notes of fresh flowers such as acacia, lilac or vine flower.

The frank and direct attack shows all the nervousness of this wine. The mid- palate is large and crisp. Volume and sweetness balance perfectly with fresh and straight acidity. The aromatic return expresses the complexity of this wine with a fruity white flesh (peach, pear). Its long and rich finish stretches with lovely bitters.