Serena Sutcliffe: Vintage September 22–October 9. 37hl/ha. 12% ABV. Entirely made in wooden vats, so great attention had to be paid, in very hot weather, to avoid soaring fermentation temperatures and the possibility of volatile acidity. Emile Peynaud was called in to advise—the start of a long relationship with Cheval Blanc—and the result is a stupendous wine. The malolactic fermentations were done entirely in barrel, and they only worked with new wood. Hugely rich. Stunning. So sweet and so multidimensional. Joyously sweet at the end. Perfect breed and delicacy. What a heavenly wine. (There were separate sources for the two bottles used at the event, and I tasted the one from Bipin Desai’s cellar.)