cheval des andes mendoza 2014 750ml

The wine of Cheval des Andes combines the vibrant and intense expression of Argentinian Malbec with the rigour, elegance and savoir-faire of a great Bordeaux.

It is a unique blend of Malbec grapes and Bordeaux varietals - an ensemble with the exuberance of Malbec balanced by the temperance of Cabernet Sauvignon, completed with hints of Petit Verdot.

The vision of Cheval des Andes is to bring Chateau Cheval Blanc's winemaking philosophy - which focusses on cellaring potential and elegance - to Argentina. Cheval des Andes makes wines that age gracefully and "travel through the decades," according to Pierre Lurton, President of Chateau Cheval Blanc and Cheval des Andes.

These wines are elegant, meaning they are the most refined expression of the terroir of Mendoza. On the nose, they are complex rather than intense and on the palate, they are balanced rather than powerful.

VINTAGE 2014 NOTES:
2014 was the first of three humid years when very low temperatures and increased precipitation resulted in great elegance and balance. It was the coldest harvest since 2001. The intense rain during the month of April provided the wine with the vibrant expression typical of this harvest. These unusual climatic conditions resulted in the most unique blend in our history, characterized by a very high percentage of Malbec and, for the first time, more Petit Verdot than Cabernet Sauvignon.

BLEND
Malbec (83%), Petit Verdot (9%), Cabernet Sauvignon (8%).

COLOUR
Ruby red colour that conveys youth and vivacity.

AROMAS
Whispered and poetic, the Malbec unfolds with autumn aromas of resin and pine that slowly mix with fresh berries and floral notes of violet and rose. It finishes with subtle aromas of tobacco and balsamic.

PALATE
With a rounded and voluptuous character, the entry is creamy and has a vibrant, balanced and fresh evolution. This wine unveils a structured and precise finish with tannins leaving a velvety and persistent sensation.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM:
"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 élevage 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."
97points, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"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."
95 points, James Suckling

750ml bottle