Château Cheval Blanc 2013/2014/2017/2020/2023

Château Cheval Blanc 2023 is one of the most acclaimed and coveted wines of the Bordeaux vintage, standing out for its extreme elegance, freshness and geometric precision compared with the powerful 2022.

The Wine Advocate
RP 100

Reviewed by: William Kelley

Tasted from bottle, the 2023 Château Cheval Blanc is one of the most impressive wines of the vintage, just as it was from barrel. It shows intense aromas of cherries and blackberries with notes of violets, rose petals and aniseed. On the palate it has great structure, a velvety texture and many layers of complexity, supported by a deep, enveloping core of vibrant fruit, ripe tannins and a long, expansive finish. A blend of 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, from 46 of the parcels that make up Cheval Blanc, reaching 13.8% alcohol.

One of Bordeaux's most complex terroirs, Cheval Blanc sits on the bed of an ancient river delta, with clay-rich soils in the lower areas, where small streams once ran, and gravel and sand elsewhere. This complexity shows not only in the wine but in how the estate is farmed and vinified, with careful use of cover crops suited to each soil type and parcel-by-parcel vinification.

The 2023 has turned out in bottle as successful as I'd hoped. Director Pierre-Olivier Clouet described the growing season as fairly normal in total rainfall, although June's storms created almost tropical conditions, greatly increasing disease pressure. He also noted that, despite the high temperatures, they weren't especially extreme compared with the past decade. Flowering was quick and successful, as elsewhere, and the Cabernets ripened gradually, leading to a long harvest from 6 September to 3 October.

Published: 9 April 2026.

Château Cheval Blanc 2023 – 99 points (James Suckling)

With 99 points from James Suckling, Château Cheval Blanc 2023 is a remarkable expression of the elegance and precision that define the estate's great wines. From the outset the critic highlights the striking presence of Cabernet on the nose, with intense notes of blackcurrant, wild blackberry, crushed stone, graphite and pencil lead.

On the palate it's broad and structured, supported by dense, firm tannins that, despite their consistency, keep a refined, polished, vibrant texture. The tension and energy running through it give an impressive sense of balance and depth.

According to Pierre-Olivier Clouet, Château Cheval Blanc's technical director, this vintage is a faithful reference to the estate's historic style. James Suckling reinforces the idea by comparing this 2023 to the legendary 1983 Cheval Blanc, one of the château's great recent landmarks.

The blend is 52% Merlot, 46% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, at 13.8% alcohol, which contributes to the wine's harmony and precision.

For Suckling, Cheval Blanc 2023 ranks among the greatest wines of Bordeaux's Right Bank, standing out for its freshness, tension and classicism. He even prefers this vintage to many 2022s, precisely for its greater purity of expression and natural balance.