Cheval des Andes 2021

Robert Parker
The 2021 Cheval des Andes is seductive and savory on the nose, leading with pure, earth-tinged aromas of pipe tobacco, turned soil, dried herbs and rich yet composed dark fruits. Exotic, dark spice notes and a pleasantly integrated framing of new oak accents appear with further aeration. The palate is deliciously supple and impressively layered, with a harmonious, long and ever-expanding finish that highlights extreme delicacy. The tannins are persistent yet composed, gently yet persistently lengthening the finish and melding nicely with the vibrant acidity underneath—a beautiful combination of savory charm, serious depth and focused intensity. It's a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec and 3% Petite Verdot that spent an average of 12-13 months in 50% barrique, 30% demi-muid and 20% foudre.

James Suckling
Complex aromas of blueberries, pie crust, fresh flowers and currant bush with hints of baking spices like nutmeg. Medium- to full-bodied with extremely fine tannins that are integrated and gorgeous. Graceful and refined, with super length. Interestingly, 20% of the wine was aged in large oak casks (2,500 liters), mostly from Slovenia. Try after 2027 but a joy to taste now.

Jeb Dunnuck
The finest vintage of this wine I've tasted, the 2021 Cheval Des Andes is based on 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec, and the balance Petit Verdot. It has a decidedly Bordeaux-like nose of ripe currants, leafy tobacco, cedarwood, and a kiss of flowers, with perfectly integrated background oak. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It has this remarkable sense of purity and class, and while it's incredible today (especially with a decant), I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve gracefully for two decades.

Vinous
Light and elegant, the 2021 Cheval des Andes is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot. It achieves a feat that only cool years can provide: smooth texture, agile palate and just the right amount of freshness for a nuanced build. As it breathes, it begins to reveal notes of fresh cherry and plum, with a hint of menthol, maraschino cherries and a touch of pepper. It opens further with aromas of sandalwood and oak that complete the framework. This is a somewhat leaner, more ethereal Cheval than other years, but it has a higher level of precision. It's a wine inspired by Bordeaux, executed in a Bordeaux style, with Mendoza terroir. A wine without edges, it’s a polished red in the early stages of a long, balanced life.

Cheval des Andes er resultatet af en uventet, men åbenbart genial idé: For hvad sker der, når man kombinerer fransk vinkunst fra Château Cheval Blanc med argentinsk terroir og Malbec fra Terrazas de los Andes? Man får en vin, der både kan bære smoking og cowboyhat, og som ikke er bange for at blande det bedste fra to vinverdener.

Projektet blev født i Mendoza, et vinområde så højt oppe, at det næsten kræver iltmaske – hvilket druerne, tilsyneladende, elsker. Her får Malbec’en selskab af klassiske Bordeaux-druer som Cabernet Sauvignon og Petit Verdot, og sammen skaber de en vin, der både har fransk finesse og argentinsk charme. Det handler om at udnytte det ekstreme klima i Andesbjergene, hvor druerne bliver tæsket af sol om dagen og kølet ned af kolde nætter, hvilket giver vinene en intens, men samtidig frisk karakter.

Cheval des Andes er en vinproducent, der ikke er bange for at tænke stort, men uden at miste fokus på detaljerne. De kombinerer århundreders fransk ekspertise med det unikke argentinske terroir, og resultatet er vine, der både kan imponere vinentusiaster og få afslappede drikkere til at nikke anerkendende.