This is very fresh and clean. Full bodied and juicy, with loads of fruit starting with strawberry jam and ending with baskets of fresh fruits. This is exotic and crisp, a truly fabulous 2003 with incredible finesse.

Menthol, tobacco and incense aromas give way to warm plum, blackberry and black cherry compote flavors. Loam and cedar notes ride through the finish, with the supple fruit lingering. Admirably seductive for the vintage.—Blind '01/'03/'05 Bordeaux retrospective (December 2017). JM

Quality 883 | Brand 995 | Economics 957 | buzz brand
Quality: Predicted life of 15 years, one of the longest drinking windows in its peer group, which averages 10 years Brand: Strong restaurant presence, featuring on 40 of the world's top wine lists, including Garibaldi Economics: More traded at auction than its peers, its top 5 vintages having seen 2,982 75cl equivalent bottles traded in the past year Production: Lower yields than its peer group average of 33 hl/ha

- www.wine-lister.com June 2017

The 2003 Cheval Blanc, a blend of 56% Cabernet Franc and 44% Merlot, reveals an exquisite bouquet of mulberries, forest floor, new saddle leather, spice box and spring flowers. The first-growth quality aromatics are followed by a complex medium-bodied wine with more density than anticipated. The wine seems fully mature although there is an unexpected freshness and underlying depth of fruit. This beauty should continue to drink well for another 7-8 years. One of the principal theories of the bizarre, historically hot and dry summer of 2003 is that grapes planted in gravelly and sandy soils were the least successful. If that was true 100% of the time, Cheval Blanc would have made a horrible wine. In fact, both the grand vin and second wine at Cheval Blanc did well in this vintage. It was the earliest harvest in over 110 years at this estate, and the resulting wine is a beauty.

The 2003 Cheval Blanc, a blend of 56% Cabernet Franc and 44% Merlot, reveals an exquisite bouquet of mulberries, forest floor, new saddle leather, spice box and spring flowers. The first-growth quality aromatics are followed by a complex medium-bodied wine with more density than anticipated. The wine seems fully mature although there is an unexpected freshness and underlying depth of fruit. This beauty should continue to drink well for another 7-8 years.

Robert Parker (Wine Advocate #214 Aug 2014)

Tasted at Bordeaux Index’s “10-Year On” tasting in London. The Cheval Blanc 2003 has an attractive bouquet with expressive Cabernet Franc – cooked meat, undergrowth, mint and cloves. It offers clarity if not the sophistication of a top Cheval Blanc. The palate is medium-bodied with an understated, supple entry of raspberry, dried herbs, cedar and graphite – indeed, quite Left Bank in style for Cheval. It is nicely composed, refined with a sedate low acid finish that fans out nicely. Fine. Tasted March 2013.

– eRobertParker.com, May 2013

Good full, deep red. Sexy aromas of mocha, tobacco and milk chocolate, with a suggestion of roasted nuts. Suave, fine-grained and sappy, with lovely vinosity in the context of this heatwave vintage. Redcurrant and milk chocolate flavors linger impressively on the finish, which shows noteworthy energy and length, with sweet tannins. With its high percentage of 55% cabernet franc, this was very closed at the beginning, notes Berrouet, but is now "more human." But today I don't find enough complexity to merit an even higher score.

Pretty pale. Warm and lightly spicy nose. Is this the famous cashmere tannins vintage? The tannins are indeed well managed but there just doesn’t seem to be enough on the mid palate here. A bit jagged. Definitely need to wait for this to mellow but it doesn’t seem a triumph at this stage. (JR)