September 17, 2025
Decanters favourite Le Petit Cheval Blanc to date
2023 Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2023
-12% discount to 2022
“It has everything you want from this cuvée which has found its rhythm. Tasted in a vertical going back to 2018 and this is the most impressive." - Decanter
Le Petit Cheval Blanc is one of Bordeaux’s most thrilling white wines, crafted by Chateau Cheval Blanc to showcase precision and elegance. First released in 2014, it blends Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of Semillon, sourced from vineyards on gravel and clay soils in Saint-Émilion. The result is a wine of crystalline freshness and complexity, marked by citrus zest, white flowers and mineral drive. With finesse and ageing potential, it offers a rare glimpse of Cheval Blanc’s white expression.
The 2023 Le Petit Cheval Blanc is a striking vintage, uniting crystalline citrus purity with layered complexity. Aromas of lemon zest, grapefruit and orange lead into green apple, elderflower and acacia. On the palate, it balances precision and texture, with piercing acidity lifting notes of confit lemon, pecan, grapefruit and subtle spice. Savoury, sappy nuances from Semillon add depth, while early harvesting and meticulous winemaking deliver clarity and structure. This vintage confirms its status as one of Bordeaux’s finest whites.
Released at €100 In Bond per bottle and coming in beautiful cases of 3x75cl OWC, the 2023 has already drawn high praise from critics. With Decanter calling it their favourite vintage in a vertical tasting, this is a release that no serious Bordeaux collection should overlook.
Le Petit Cheval Blanc 2023
€100* In Bond per bottle
97 Points | Decanter, Georgina Hindle
Freshly zested lemon with grapefruit and orange aromas - so pronounced and really quite crystalline on the nose. At the back some green apple and white floral elderflower and acacia notes too. Clean and focussed, lovely precision and clarity to the flavours with such a strikingly poised texture. This has grip and zing but also just a touch of buttery, softness that adds weight to the body. Threads of nuttiness and wood enter giving accents and spiced edges. Piercing acidity adds lift and joins the layers of confit lemon, baked vanilla pecans, bitter grapefruit and soft cinnamon spice. Gorgeously complex and the flavour lasts for ages. It has everything you want from this cuvée which has found its rhythm. Tasted in a vertical going back to 2018 and this is the most impressive. Director Pierre-Olivier Clouet and cellarmaster Carole André.
96 Points | Jane Anson
Pale green gold, this is savoury and sappy, with a wave of white peach and nectarine pit. Structure and longevity, focus and clarity, this wine is now seriously finding its feet and setting itself apart. Early harvest, precision winemaking, the Sémillon comes through on the texture with the dominant flavours of tea leaf, chamomile, citrus, greengage and lime speaking to the Sauvignon Blanc. Pierre-Olivier Clouet director.
*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.