Beautiful aromas of bark, dried mushroom, berry and tile follow through to a full body with richness of fruit, creamy and ripe tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs two or three years to come around.

The 2018 Petit Cheval is a rich, heady wine. The natural intensity of the year comes through loud and clear in the wine's super-ripe profile and voluptuous feel. Black cherry, tobacco, new leather, licorice and menthol saturate the palate. When I tasted it from barrel I thought the Petit Cheval would drink well upon release, but I suggested cellaring for a few years. There's a lot here.

A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2018 Le Petit Cheval rocks up with open-knit notes of crushed black raspberries, plum preserves and mulberries, plus hints of wild mushrooms, pencil lead, mossy tree bark and cloves. The medium to full-bodied palate is plush, juicy and pretty much ready for business, featuring plenty of earth and black fruit layers, finishing long with a spicy kick. Ten percent of the total production this year went into this second label of Cheval Blanc. I'd give it just another year or two in bottle to fan its tail out a little more and then drink it over the next 15-18 years.

The second wine of Chateau Cheval Blanc, this is rich and structured in its own right. It offers powerful tannins as well as ripe, smoky fruitiness. Blackberry flavors vie with structured richness, always keeping a center of freshness.

Nicely focused, with a mix of red and black currant coulis notes laced with savory details and a fine chalky thread. There is tight-grained cedar on the finish, with lingering perfume as well. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2030.