Cheval Des Andes, 2023
Cheval Des Andes, 2023
- 75cl
- 13.5%
- Red Still
- Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot
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Drinking window: 2028 - 2045
Cheval des Andes is the Mendoza wine that refuses to be filed under 'New World curiosity'. Born from a partnership between Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes, it draws on Luján de Cuyo's oldest Malbec vines alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, and the ambition from the outset was straightforward: make something that belongs in serious company, wherever in the world that conversation is happening.
This is a wine built around tension rather than generosity. The Malbec brings depth and that signature violet lift; the Cabernet keeps everything in check with cool-edged precision.
What the critics say:
"This vintage shows good precision as it zeroes in on balance and complexity with a Bordeaux-like sensibilty. Excellent complexity on the nose, showing currants, paprika, cedary blackberries, tobacco, grilled herbs and touches of cocoa powder and roasted sweet spices. Round and more effortless this year, with a positively fluid, precise mouth-feel, Medium body round off by silky, sweet tannins. Lightly creamy at the end but really integrated and elegant, with a long, supple finish. A blend of 57% cabernet sauvignon, 40% malbec and 3% petit verdot. Already approachable, but can hold for a decade, if not more."
"A very impressive rendition of a generally warm, dry vintage, the 2023 Cheval des Andes opens with a more red-fruited, brighter character than is typical, accented by dried herb, graphite, dried mint and lifted floral tones that come to the fore with aeration. Echoing the lifted nature of the nose, the palate delivers the soft, elegantly polished profile that one can routinely expect at this address, albeit with a slightly more slender core. It concludes with a persistent finish defined by understated richness and a notably refined tannin profile, the latter of which is particularly impressive, as it is often a shortcoming of this harvest. The blend is 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot."
The estate's vineyards sit in Luján de Cuyo at elevations between 900 and 1,100 metres above sea level, where the diurnal temperature swings are dramatic enough to preserve acidity and slow phenolic ripening. Soils are a mix of alluvial gravel, clay, and sand deposited by Andean meltwater over millennia, offering excellent drainage and forcing vines to root deeply. The altitude and the dry Andean climate mean low disease pressure and small, concentrated berries. These conditions give the wine its characteristic structural grip and mineral precision.
Luján de Cuyo, within greater Mendoza, was Argentina's first officially recognised appellation of origin and is widely considered the country's most prestigious sub-region for Malbec. Situated at altitude on the piedmont of the Andes, it produces wines of considerably more structure and longevity than those from lower-lying parts of Mendoza. The combination of altitude, alluvial soils, and an arid continental climate sets it apart from the broader Mendoza DO, and its old-vine Malbec is the benchmark against which all Argentine Malbec is measured.
The 2023 vintage in Mendoza arrived with its own particular rhythm. Spring brought adequate rainfall to replenish the soils after several drier years, though producers had to stay alert during flowering to manage the increased humidity. Summer unfolded with the kind of temperature swings that make Mendoza tick: hot days balanced by those crucial cool nights that flow down from the Andes, preserving acidity whilst allowing phenolic ripening to proceed at its own pace.
What emerged from the cellars shows Mendoza at its most expressive. The Malbecs display that wonderful combination of concentrated dark fruit and mineral backbone that comes when the vines have enough water early on but must work a bit harder later in the season. Cabernet Sauvignon benefited particularly well from the conditions, producing wines with structure and depth that should reward patience. Most 2023s are drinking beautifully now, offering immediate pleasure, though the better examples will happily cellar until 2035 or beyond.
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Cheval des Andes
