2017 Cheval des Andes, Mendoza 6x75cl
Available for Immediate Delivery
CRITIC REVIEWS
Joaquín Hidalgo
The seventeenth vintage of Cheval des Andes, a wine that has undergone a model transformation. I recently tried the 2007, and it s fascinating to trace the different stages of its evolution, all of which say something about the contemporary history of Argentine wine. To sum up, it started out with a French love of concentration and ripeness and ended up with an equally French love of equilibrium and local terroir. The 2017 is a new beginning in itself. A blend of Malbec with 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, it presents a bold nose of fresh fruit such as sweet and sour cherry with fleshy aromas and a touch of white pepper over a bold, woody backdrop. A fluid wine, slightly taut on the palate with medium structure, a delicate feel and active tannins well integrated into the terse texture, overall it is nuanced and full of flavor. Possesses a balance that respects the concentration of the vintage without ever letting it get out of hand. An Argentine wine made with more than a nod to French expertise.
Luis Gutiérrez
In the last few years, a handful of wines from Chile and Argentinaa often French owneda have been released in September through the Place de Bordeaux, the network of negociants that sell most of the Bordeaux wines and some of the leading wines from other regions. The 2017 Cheval des Andes is one such wine. 2017 saw an early harvest, but they started picking on the 6th of March and continued until the 10th of April, more or less normal dates, early but not so much. The varietal break down this vintage comes to 62% Malbec and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wine is slightly riper and higher in alcohol than 2016 (this 2017 is 14.2% alcohol). The different plots fermented separately with selected yeasts, and the elevage lasted for 15 months and was in 50/50 new and second use barrels, 90% of them French and the rest made with wood from Eastern Europe. They used 45% Bordeaux barrels, 45% 400-liter barrels and, for the first time, a 2,500-liter oak foudre. This is clearly the darkest of the trio of vintages I tasted together herea 2015, 2016 and 2017a but all three have the elegant and powerful profile, the luxurious and creamy character found in the best Bordeaux wines in the last few years, wines of power with precision, concentration, energy and finesse. This seems to combine the clout of the 2015 and the freshness of the 2016 and feels something in between those two vintages. Their work in the vineyard toward the maturity of the tannins meant the challenge in 2017 was to not let the grapes ripen too fast and too early. The work is different for Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, to get round tannins in Cabernet and get some tension in Malbec, the contrary of the normal tendency of the varieties. 2017 has less ripeness than the 2015 but more density than the 2016. The texture is velvety, precise and harmonious. This year, they introduced a larger foudre for 10% of the wine, with the aim to reach 20%, so that volume is increasing every year. I think this is showing more precision, and in a more challenging year, they managed to keep the quality on par with 2016. They have changed the label this year, to a cleaner and more elegant label that also reflects the direction the wine is going in. 81,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2019.
JancisRobinson.com
62% Malbec and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon. A vintage of extreme temperatures, with a cold spring bringing frost followed by a summer that recorded 39 C in the vineyard on 27 January - with temperatures still 27.8 C at midnight. This is the highest night-time temperature recorded here in 100 years. Thankfully, temperatures cooled and harvest could take place slowly as the fruit ripened. Deep ruby-purple in the glass. Intense and expansive black fruit and spices on the nose, with a hint of black olive and violet. The palate follows, with blueberry, violet and dried herbs. The fruit is sweet but not aggressive, framed by mouth-coating but supremely refined tannins. Focused and elegant as the structure and acidity build through the mid palate, this has impressive restraint. I expect this to become even more impressive after 5 years in bottle, though you could drink it sooner. (TP)
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