Cheval des Andes

The original 31-hectare vineyard situated in Luján de Cuyo (a sub-region of Mendoza) – Las Compuertas – sits at 1,070 metres above sea-level, in the rainshadow of the foothills of the Andes. In 2001, Cheval des Andes purchased a second vineyard in the Uco Valley, La Consulta – a 15-hectare plot with vines planted as long ago as 1945.

Pierre Lurton believed that this site, further south and at a higher altitude (1,100 metres), is cooler with a greater diurnal temperature swing would be better suited for producing Malbec with more tension, an ideal blending partner for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec grown in the warmer Luján de Cuyo site. The team tries to intervene as little as possible in the vineyards.

Technical Director Gérald Gabillet heads up the winemaking team today, working very closely with the Cheval Blanc team. The aim here is to make wines with freshness, elegance and ageing potential.

In order to achieve this, the proportion of new oak has been reduced over the years, with larger oak barrels also preferred, to reduce the effect on the ripe fruit. They’ve also introduced Stockinger barrels (currently for around 10% of the wine), which Gérald believes adds tension to the palate and lengthens the finish.