Cheval des Andes is a fusion between the renowned Saint-Emilion «Premier Grand Cru Classé A»: Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes, an Argentine winery specialized in Premium high altitude winemaking for more than two decades.
Such magical encounter results in a refined, subtle and complex “Grand Cru of the Andes” that combines the savoir-faire of the assemblage with French origin varieties planted in 1929 in the best high altitude terroirs of Mendoza: Las Compuertas, Luján de Cuyo.
Colour:
It has an attractive dark red colour with purplish tinges.
Aroma:
This wine stands out for its aromatic complexity, showing a floral and fresh outline with lavender, geranium, basil and mint notes. At the same time, ripe plum notes, minerals such as graphite, chocolate and anise tertiary aromas arise. A synthesis of the two previous harvests combining freshness and ripeness.
Palate:
Fine and lingering. Juiciness and fluency on the palate relate to an important Petit Verdot contribution to this blend. This is a balanced wine with elegant tannins and an aromatic finish, reminiscent of black cherries.
The 2014 Cheval des Andes is a different blend than previous years and contains a high percentage of Malbec and more Petit Verdot than Cabernet Sauvignon. This reflects the strict selection they had to do in a rainy year that was very challenging for Cabernet Sauvignon, especially in certain parts of the traditional vine-growing regions of Mendoza. The final breakdown of the blend is 83% Malbec, 9% Petit Verdot and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is from the first of a series of three wet vintages where they see lower temperatures as an advantage to get where they want to go. They are more after elegance, freshness and complexity rather than power. In this vintage, they only used 15% new oak for the elevage in order to preserve the fresh aromatic expression of Malbec, and the aging lasted 15 months. It’s incredibly fresh and floral, superbly balanced and very charming. This is the year with the most Malbec ever; it was an accident, but it was the kind of Malbec they like. They generally aim to have more Cabernet in the blend, but that wasn’t possible in this low-yielding vintage. The palate is very balanced and elegant, with very good freshness and some restraint, not alcoholic or sweet at all. They find a lot of similarities with 2014 in Bordeaux-classical, fresh, quite transparent and juicy but precise. This has to be the best Cheval des Andes I’ve tried so far. They tell me this is the first vintage that really follows the style they want to produce in Argentina, with balance, complexity and freshness, away from high alcohol, extraction, oak and excess. The style will be slightly different since there will be more Cabernet Sauvignon, and their final target might be around 50/50 Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. 31,116 bottles, 845 magnums and 50 jeroboams were filled in December 2015. - Robert Parker 97 Points
A rich and round-textured red with gentle tannins and a flavorful finish. Full-bodied, round and succulent. This is 84% malbec and the rest is cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Drink now. TOP 100 WINES OF THE ANDES - James Suckling 95 Points
(14.6% alcohol; just 15% new oak; 100% from estate vines, about three-quarters from the rockiest portion of the company’s Las Compuertas vineyard and the rest from Altamira): Bright ruby-red. Very fresh black and blue fruits, menthol, spices and licorice on the nose and palate, complicated by mint, minerals and medicinal herbs (the Cabernet Sauvignon is apparent here). Still a baby but already displays a Malbec juiciness and firm underlying structure. Suave in texture, offering noteworthy delicacy and clarity. Winemaker Lorenzo Pasquini cut back substantially on new oak in 2014 (he normally uses 30% to 50%) and used only French barrels. Not a large-scaled wine but refreshing, suave, complex and intense, with lovely cut. Finishes with excellent spicy length, round tannins and hints of licorice and black olive. - Vinous Media 93 Points
Powerful, inky and ripe-tasting, with muscular dark fruit flavors that feature plenty of smoky notes. Dark chocolate and cream details show on the long, plush finish. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2022. 1,300 cases imported. -KM - Wine Spectator Magazine 92 Points
