2020 Cheval des Andes (1.5L)

Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina

B-21 Top Recommendation
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“The Argentinean expression of Cheval Blanc.”

Luis Gutierrez, Wine Advocate

When the winemaking expertise of the legendary First Growth Cheval Blanc is applied to grapes grown in top Argentinian terroir, collectors of exceptional Bordeaux style blends reap the rewards, the elegant and powerful 98 pt. 2020 Cheval des Andes revealing fresh, luxurious dark fruit hinting of flinty minerality with seamless, layered tannins and a polished, long-lived finish, a blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon counted among “the top wines from South America'' according to critic Jane Anson and delivering superb value for collectors and lovers of the world’s best red wines.

Surrounded by stunning views of the rugged Andes Mountains, Cheval des Andes reflects the exacting standards of Cheval Blanc’s pioneering estate manager Pierre Lurton and its parent company LVMH, its stunning, equestrian-themed lounge and tasting bar overlooking the estate’s one time polo field now planted with vines. Inspired by the discovery of the Las Compuertas parcel of ungrafted Malbec planted in Mendoza in 1929, Bordeaux-born Lurton collaborated with Argentina’s Terrazas de los Andes to produce a blend of the old vine Malbec with Cabernet Sauvignon, reconnecting Chateau Cheval Blanc with the history of Saint Emilion where the once abundant Malbec was devastated by phylloxera. Sourced from two organically farmed estate vineyards spanning 50 hectares, Las Compuertas lies in Lujan de Cuyo on gentle slopes at an altitude of 1,070 meters above sea level, its cool microclimate and deep silty-loam soils also optimal for growing and ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, while Altamira in the Valle de Uco was planted with Malbec in 1945 at an altitude of 1,100 meters, each vineyard divided into subplots and the grapes harvested and transported separately in refrigerated trucks to preserve freshness in the warmer 2020 vintage. Fermented parcel by parcel by winemaker Gerald Gabillet, formerly of Chateau Angelus, the richly concentrated 2020 Cheval des Andes is a blend of equal amounts of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Petit Verdot, aged in a mix of 50% new French oak barrels and larger foudres for up to 18 months and revealing “rich, polished tannins that deliver a juicy, balanced mouthfeel” according to Joaquin Hidalgo of Vinous with a decade or more of evolution ahead.

Reflecting its reputation as the “Grand Cru of Argentina” and summed up as “great stuff” by Inside Bordeaux’s Jane Anson, the enticing and pedigreed 98 pt. 2020 Cheval des Andes is a pure and powerful expression of high-altitude Malbec with the structure and intensity of Cabernet Sauvignon, equally appealing for fans of Argentinian Malbec and collectors of “the very best and most sought-after New World reds” according to critic Tim Atkin and promising to deliver years of pleasurable drinking at an unbeatable value.

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The 2020 Cheval des Andes was harvested from the last of February for the first time ever. It was Gabillet's second vintage at Cheval des Andes, and that year, he had to start without waiting for Pierre Olivier Clouet and Pierre Lurton from Cheval Blanc; when they arrived, they had finished picking the Malbec, which surprisingly was fresher in Las Compuertas (because of the higher percentage of clay?) than in Altamira (where the vines suffered more stress), saving the freshness. They now harvest using cold trucks (for the first time), and they also started earlier in the morning (six in the morning, impossible earlier in Mendoza...), which he reckons was very good for the precision of the wine. They used 40% 225-liter barrels, 40% 400-liter oak barrels and 20% 2,500-liter foudres, half of them new and with an élevage of 15 months on average, depending on the lots and varieties from 12 to 18 months. The final blend was 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, which makes a comeback as it was not used since 2016. The key was to finish the fermentation of the Petit Verdot without skins, and that way, they have been able to use it in the blends of 2021, 2022 and 2023 in small but increasing percentages. This is slightly riper than 2019, with a little more alcohol (14.5%) and with very good structural tannins but saving the freshness, and it has the spicy side from the Petit Verdot (Gabillet talks about white pepper). The wine has the ultra sleek and polished texture and the elegance and the balance that is the signature here; the wine is very clean and precise. I see very good regularity across the three vintages I tasted next to each other—this 2020 and the 2018 and 2019. Overall, this is a triumph over the adverse conditions of the vintage. They produced their usual 100,000 bottles (since 2018), as they are renewing their vineyards and want to keep the volume stable. They produce this volume from the 36 productive hectares they have in Las Compuertas and Altamira.

98 points, Luis Gutiérrez, Wine Advocate (Aug 2023)

Ripe, baked dark cherries with spices and some violets. Hints of graphite, cocoa powder, incense and black pepper. Dried rose petals. A slightly fuller Cheval des Andes with tense, silky tannins and a lingering, generous finish. Ripe, but still has lots of restraint and precision. 49% malbec, 49% cabernet sauvignon with a 2% petit verdot. 24% of the malbec comes from Altamira and all the rest of the fruit come from Las Compuertas. Drink or hold.

97 points, Zekun Shuai, James Suckling (Apr 2023)

Crushed raspberry plum in colour, vibrant and concentrated, juicy and balanced, has precision and succulence and carefully thought out delivery of tannins, grilled spices, nutmeg, liqourice, bilberry, damson and pomegrante. Great stuff, playing at a high level. Gérald Gabillet winemaker and director, LVMH owners.

97 points, Jane Anson (Aug 2023)

The 2020 Cheval des Andes is a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot from Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley and Las Compuertas in Luján de Cuyo. Aged in French oak barrels, it's purple in the glass with a garnet sheen. The nose reveals a well-judged approach to the warmth of 2020, featuring ripe plum, redcurrant, mint and hints of white pepper over a bed of bay leaf and cedar. It's dry and velvety on the palate, with rich, polished tannins that deliver a juicy, balanced mouthfeel. The balsamic notes and rich palate reflect the year's character, while the finish is dynamic and long-lasting.

96 points, Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous (Sep 2023)

Alcohol By Volume: 14.5%

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$189.98

Compare At: $199.99

25 bottles in stock. Ships in 1 to 2 business days.

This item is available in original wood case. Would you like to include the wood case in your order? There is an additional $12.00 shipping fee for wood cases.

Available in Original Wood Case of 3

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