Concentrated, sleek and pure, offering a range of red and black fruits, a flash of blueberry, dark tobacco and earth notes, and a long, refined finish. Perfumy hints lurk in the background, and should emerge steadily with time. Tasted non-blind. —J.M.

The second wine of one of this year’s star performers, Cheval Blanc. The 75% Cabernet Franc makes this a really vibrant, characterful wine with a bright nose of black fruits and blueberry lifted by menthol and night flowers. Delightful weight, intensity and vibrancy, it’s juicy with a touch of fresh greenness. Overall a great effort.

[75M/25CF] Fresh and scented nose; refined, elegant and pure with a very fine tannin, long and sweet, fresh and graceful to taste; spicy, scented, gently mouthcoating, a subtle, delicate, fragrant beauty with a lovely, almost Burgundian style of aftertaste. Delicious. Will drink from very early on. 2016-25+ [M.Schuster, Bordeaux Mar/Apr 2013]

The Le Petit Cheval is a blend of 25% Merlot and 75% Cabernet Franc, it has an understated bouquet that is quite ripe with hints of iodine developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with quite “thick” tannins, the Cabernet Franc offering a grainy texture, noticeable brine and tobacco accents developing towards the structured, quite linear finish. Though a second wine, I suspect this will deserve two or three years bottle age. Tasted April 2013.

A wine with delicious fruit and fine tannins. Medium-to-full body, with lovely fine tannins. Long, long finish. Very juicy and delicious now. 75% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot.

Drink 2018-2028 75% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot. Pure Cabernet Franc nose with great graphite freshness. Lighter and silkier than Quinault. Soft tannins, delicate, fresh and long. Scented. Late harvest and late-ripening conditions. Just-ripe fruit perfect for Cheval Blanc style. Moreish and mouthwatering finish. Very long given this fresh delicacy. pH 3.8. (JH)