2019 Cheval des Andes Mendoza
$98.95 Sale price $120.00 Price
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The 2019 Cheval des Andes Mendoza was a Merchant's Pick

98 point Bordeaux Blend is "Classy Stuff"!

September 14, 2023

Inspired by Chateau Cheval Blanc, one of Bordeaux's most collectible reds,  Cheval des Andes is among the most highly regarded wines of Argentina - and the winemaking world! 

A collaboration between Chateau Cheval Blanc (and all the winemaking expertise behind that famed Chateau), Cheval des Andes is being called the "Grand Cru" of the Andes.  

You cannot deny the pedigree and terroir combination!

 2019 has been one of the best vintages in recent times in Mendoza, and the wine shows it...  This is young, juicy, elegant and balanced and still has some herbal and toasted notes; it's medium to full-bodied, with the creamy and luxurious texture of the modern Bordeaux, ultra fine tannins and a long, dry and precise finish. It's still undeveloped and seems to have all the components and the balance between them for a long and positive development in bottle. With wines like this, I sometimes wish I had a time machine so I could see them in 20 years from now... I think this is the finest Cheval des Andes I've ever tasted."  Wine Advocate

What We Love About Cheval des Andes

This red is "classy stuff" indeed!  

For Bordeaux fans, Cheval des Andes is a necessity.  The wine has layers, depth, and nuance found only in the finest Bordeaux.  The terroir allows the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to thrive like nowhere else on earth. 

Chateau Cheval Blanc fetches $1,000 per bottle and is enjoyed by collectors worldwide.  Cheval Blanc is the guiding force behind this gorgeous red.  The 2019 "confirms Cheval des Andes' standing as one of South America's greatest reds."  Decanter  

A powerful and cellar-worthy blend, it packs much of its style from Bordeaux at a fraction of the price.

While supplies last.

Enjoy!

MP

"Classy stuff... One of South America's greatest reds." Decanter

By David Gettenberg

98

“The Argentinean expression of Cheval Blanc. And I can only agree.”

Wine Advocate • 98 / 100

"The 2019 Cheval des Andes had a more reductive vinification and élevage, making the wine a bit shy and in need of time to open up, as one of their objectives was to make it more age-worthy. Another objective is to get to a 50/50 blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, which they achieved in this vintage for the first time, going back to the initial character of the wine that was the idea of Argentinean winemaker Roberto de la Mota; so, they are closing the circle and going back to the initial idea, with more implication from the Cheval Blanc team. This is the first vintage fully under the charge of the new French winemaker, Gerald Gabillet, who fermented by plot, isolating some specific parts of the vineyard, like the borders where you tend to get higher yields because of the irrigation. It matured in 225- and 400-liter oak barrels and in oak vats. They used more barrels and vats from Stockinger, which they like and rotate; the wine spends an average of 13 to 14 months in oak, but some lots get 11 months and others get 16. 2019 was a mild vintage, cooler than 2017 and warmer than 2018, with rain at the right time, which helped to avoid hydric stress, and without extremes (which they had in 2020 with three weeks of extreme heat). The wine is young and tender and a bit oaky, which Gerald attributed to the reductiveness; it's ripe without excess, with around 14.2% alcohol, mellow acidity and velvety tannins. There's more Cabernet here, so the aromatic expression can be something between 2017 and 2018, but Cabernet marks the palate a lot and makes the wine more age-worthy, as it provides the structure and length that the Malbec lacks. So, the wine might be less accessible when young and should develop slowly in bottle. It's tasty and supple and has the ingredients and the balance for what they are aiming for. In the following vintages, they follow this path, and Gabillet feels that having more precision allows the wines to reflect the differences between vintages better. They keep producing around 100,000 bottles. It was bottled in late January 2021. The way they want to describe the wine is the Argentinean expression of Cheval Blanc. And I can only agree."
97

“Plenty of energy before the lengthy finish of fruit and country herb aromas.”

Vinous • 97 / 100

"The 2019 Cheval des Andes is a 50/50 blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from Las Compuertas and Paraje Altamira, Mendoza. The 2019 was 40% aged in 225-liter barrels, 40% in 500-liter barrels and 20% in foudres. It’s red with violet flecks in the glass. It has a fresh nose of plum and blackcurrant accompanied by hints of white pepper, mint and violets over a bed of cedar and sandalwood. On the palate, the feel is finely grained with a leaner, more agile flow than in previous years, while the freshness brings plenty of energy before the lengthy finish of fruit and country herb aromas."

Producer: Cheval des Andes

Country: Argentina

Region: Mendoza

Subregion: Others

Varietal: Malbec Blend

Vintage: 2019

Size: 750ml

Code: W85249-2019-750ml