Château Cheval Blanc, St-Émilion, 1er Grand Cru Classé A, Bordeaux, France 2013

53% Cabernet Franc. Ruby red. Quite intense aromatically - summer fruit cocktail. Fine, smooth texture. Good mid-palate fruit. Tannins caressing. Elegant wine with focused finish. Less depth but true to style.

This has always been a modest wine, conscious of the risks of over-extracting and trying to find a weight of fruit that simply wasn't present in the vintage. There are delicate raspberry aromas of considerable charm and an immediately accessible palate, fluid and upfront, with delicacy and flair rather than structure or depth. It's well balanced, quite long, but not for much more cellaring.