Cheval Blanc 1978 Case (1.5Lx6)

93 WA / 93 VM / 19 JR

This bottle was also showing beautifully (or was I just glad to get a drink after all that football?) It seemed so sweet and lush at first even if after a while the fruit started to fade a little. Wonderful jewel freshness. Reverberant on the palate. This really showed that in 1978 if the grapes were grown on a great terroir then there was enough stuffing, even if everyone had to wait so long for them to ripen.-Jancis Robinson

(12.8% alcohol; 28 h/h): Bright red. The captivating nose of red berries, minerals and grilled nuts is complicated by a delicate leafiness and a spicy tobacco note. Then sweet, bright and focused in the mouth, with flavors of red berries, tobacco, cedar and underbrush. Finishes very long and spicy, with a slight tannic kick at the back, but still manages to come across as refined and suave. This Cheval Blanc has always exhibited (especially in its youth), a firmer, more austere personality than most vintages. The 1978 growing season was characterized by slightly lower-than-average temperatures in the summer and fall. It was dry right through the very late harvest, which took place between October 9 and 18. There was a late start to the growth cycle and lots of mildew in the spring. This was one of the best bottles of 1978 Cheval Blanc I have ever tried.-Ian D'Agata, Vinous Media

An underrated vintage for this estate that has aged with grace, the 1978 Cheval Blanc exhibits a deep bouquet of vine smoke, dark berries, incense, black truffle, loamy soil, mint and wilted rose petals. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and lively, it's an elegant, seamless middleweight framed by largely melted tannins.-William Kelley, The Wine Advocate