Château Cheval Blanc is an estate in Saint-Émilion, originally part of the Figeac estate.  It became a separate vineyard in 1832.  Initially, the wines were sold under the Figeac label, but the estate acquired its own identity in the 1850s, under the name Cheval Blanc.  The name is believed to derive from a village of the same name which existed here in the 16th century.  It was also in the 1850s that Cheval Blanc began to blend Merlot and Cabernet Franc, establishing the style that defines modern Saint-Émilion wines.  Today the estate, along Château d'Yquem, is owned by LVMH and managed by Pierre Lurton.

The modern estate is comprised of 39 hectares, divided into 45 plots, each vinified separately.  The vineyards are planted to 52% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The estate is blessed with both clay and gravel soils.  Many estates in Saint-Émilion have one but not the other (Cheval Blanc is on the border with Pomerol).  There are three main soil types – fine-textured with clay, more coarsely textured with gravel, and large gravel with sand – making up a complex patchwork.   

Annual production of the grand vin is only around 6000 cases, a very low amount compared to most left bank Cru Classé estates.  The second wine is Le Petit Cheval, with around 2500 cases produced.  The impressive vat room, designed by architect Christian de Portzamparc, allows for precise vinification by individual parcels.

Formerly a 1er Grand Cru Classé (A) Saint-Émilion, in July 2021, Cheval Blanc (along with Angelus), announced its intention to withdraw from the St-Emilion classification in 2022.