Château Cheval Blanc produces the most famous Cabernet Franc wine in the world and is without a doubt the leading estate in St Emilion. Vines have been grown here since the 15th century but the most prestigious part of Cheval Blanc's history can be said to date from 1832, when Jean-Jacques Ducasse, President of the Libourne Trade Tribunal, purchased the core of the present-day estate. Over the next twenty years, the purchase of plots belonging to Château Figeac led to the creation of the 39 hectare vineyard as we know it today.

The marriage of Jean-Jacques' daughter, Henriette, with Jean Laussac-Fourcaud, a Libourne wine merchant, opened a new chapter in the history of Cheval Blanc that would define and consolidate the identity of this unique property. Her husband, aware of Cheval Blanc's outstanding potential and helped by an extraordinary intuition, replanted part of the estate in the 1860s with a totally atypical proportion of grape varieties: half Merlot (the king of the Right Bank) and half Cabernet Franc.

Formerly known as vin de Figeac, the wine was first sold under the name Cheval Blanc in 1852 and so began a prestigious career. By the 1880s Cheval Blanc was considered to be on a par with the first growths of the Médoc and in 1954 was one of only four estates that was given the highest possible distinction in the first classification of St Emilion: Premier Grand Cru Classé “A”.

In 1998 Bernard Arnault (owner of LVMH) and Baron Albert Frère purchased Cheval Blanc. They asked Pierre Lurton to manage the property for them. Cheval Blanc is turned resolutely towards the future. An impressive new cellar was completed In 2011 which is both futuristic and in keeping with the surrounding historic landscape listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today Pierre Lurton now manages their other estates, Chateau d’Yquem, Chateau La Tour du Pin and Quinault l’Enclos.

Bordeaux, dans le sud-ouest de la France, n'a besoin de guère d'introduction en tant que l'une des régions vinicoles les plus célèbres, prestigieuses et prolifiques du monde. La majorité des vins de Bordeaux (près de 90 pour cent du volume de production) sont les assemblages rouges secs, mi-corsés et corsés de Bordeaux qui ont établi sa réputation.

Les plus beaux (et les plus chers) de ces vins proviennent des grands châteaux du Haut-Médoc et des appellations de la Rive Droite Saint-Émilion et Pomerol. Le premier se concentre (au plus haut niveau) sur le Cabernet Sauvignon, la deuxième paire sur le Merlot.

Les rouges légendaires sont complétés par des vins blancs de haute qualité à base de Sémillon et de Sauvignon Blanc. Ceux-ci vont des blancs secs pour rivaliser avec les meilleurs de la région de Bourgogne (Pessac-Léognan est particulièrement réputé) aux nectars sucrés et botrytisés de Sauternes.

Bordeaux is the largest fine wine appellation in France, encompassing the entire wine region around the city of Bordeaux in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of southwestern France. The appellation has been producing wine since the medieval period and was formally established as an AOC designation in 1936. The region extends across both banks of the Gironde estuary and its tributary rivers, with distinct sub-appellations including the Left Bank areas of Pauillac, Margaux, and Saint-Julien, and the Right Bank regions of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion.

The Bordeaux region's cool maritime climate is moderated by Atlantic influence and proximity to the ocean, while well-drained gravel soils on the Left Bank and clay-rich soils on the Right Bank create distinct growing conditions across the appellation. The permitted red varieties—Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec—form the basis of traditional Bordeaux blends, where winemakers balance these grapes to suit their specific terroir. White wines from the region are produced from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle, typically in dry styles, sometimes with oak aging.

Bordeaux wines are characterized by their structure and aging potential, with Left Bank wines typically emphasizing Cabernet Sauvignon's firm tannins and dark fruit, while Right Bank wines often lead with the softness and plumpness of Merlot. The quality range within the appellation is broad, from everyday drinking wines to the grand crus classés that command international attention. Typical red Bordeaux displays cassis, plum, cedar, and tobacco notes, with whites offering citrus and stone fruit, depending on the blend composition and producer style.