2023 Cheval des Andes Bordeaux Blend Mendoza

Professional Reviews

Notes

Established in 1999, Cheval des Andes is a collaboration between Argentina’s Terrazas de los Andes and the legendary Château Cheval Blanc of Saint-Émilion. The estate serves as a living bridge to viticultural history, utilizing ungrafted Malbec vines planted in Mendoza’s high-altitude vineyards long before the phylloxera epidemic devastated Europe’s original rootstocks. By marrying the rigorous blending traditions of Bordeaux with the expressive, high-altitude terroir of the Andes, the estate produces a unique blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and occasionally Petit Verdot that captures the best of both the Old and New Worlds. Alongside its impeccable pedigree, Cheval des Andes also has exceptional aging potential. As the South American "Grand Cru" project of Cheval Blanc, it benefits from the same technical precision and philosophical approach to elegance found in Cheval Blanc. The 2022 vintage allowed for a remarkably slow ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon, which takes a more prominent role in the blend this year alongside the old-vine Malbec. The result is a wine of extraordinary tension and aromatic purity, characterized by a svelte, streamlined texture and silky tannins. With its vibrant acidity and serious concentration, the 2022 is noted for being one of the most elegant and precise releases in the estate’s history, offering a bright, energetic profile that is built to age gracefully over the years to come.