Up there, high above the list of the greatest wines Agent Noir has ever had (and some great wines he has) is the 1970 Cheval Blanc for his 40th birthday at Disneyland, with family watching fireworks. The fireworks he recalls most clearly were the ones in his olfaction, palate, and imagination rather than the night sky.

That bottle was profound.

But so is every other bottle of Cheval Blanc. Including the 1961 Miles was downing out of Styrofoam at a burger joint in the closing scenes of Sideways. Then there’s the 1947, “one of the greatest wines of all time” according to Michael Broadbent, that “knocked Lafite and Margaux out of court.”

ANY vintage of Cheval Blanc is mythical really. Where, when, and with whom you have it matters.

Allow Antonio Galloni’s Vinous to elaborate: “Château Cheval Blanc is quite simply one of the most famous wines in the world, the object of desire of collectors, wine lovers and investors everywhere… It may be argued that Cheval Blanc is many different things to many different people: a huge status symbol, the source of the world’s single greatest red wine ever made (many experts consider the Cheval Blanc 1947 to be just that), a movie star (remember Sideways?), or a beautiful property with a very pretty name. Above all, it’s just a great wine…”

Which leaves us only a few things to add. We are proud to offer you this DECADE OLD vintage with great provenance directly imported from the Château, at the BEST PRICE in the entire USA. Why?

Because we thank you for being an Operative, YOU are so worth it, Happy Holidays!

97 Points – Tim Atkin MW

“Maybe it’s partly to do with the shiny, new, hi-tech cellar at his disposal, but Pierre Lurton has crafted one of the wines of the vintage in 2011. A little closed at the moment, but with attractive clove and orange peel on the nose, svelte tannins, sweet, classy oak and a spicy, Cabernet Franc-influenced finish. The freshness of the Cabernet Franc (and its comparative drought resistance) is crucial here. 15+ years.”

96 Points – Jeb Dunnuck

*“A vintage that’s being drunk with abandon in France these days, the 2011 Chateau Cheval Blanc showed beautifully, and the firm tannins that define this vintage are nowhere to be found here. Sweet black fruits, spice, incense, and exotic flowers define the bouquet and it has classic Cheval Blanc complexity. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, with sweet tannins and a great finish, it’s a beautiful Saint-Emilion to drink over the coming 2-3 decades.

95 Points – Robert Parker

“The 2011 Cheval Blanc is one of the more plump, opulent and sexy Cheval Blancs made over recent vintages, and its forwardness, lusciousness and complexity seemingly suggest this wine is on a fast evolutionary track. The wine exhibits a dense ruby/purple/plum color, a medium to full-bodied opulence, a sumptuous mid-palate (atypical for the vintage), and a lush, heady finish. It is a super, complex, evolved Cheval Blanc that can be drunk now or cellared for 15+ years. Bravo! Drink 2018-2033.”