Cheval des Andes | FINE+RARE

About the producer

Cheval de Andes is the Argentinian project from Saint-Emilion’s Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes. It celebrates the old clones of Malbec that were once found in Bordeaux but live on in Argentina. Pierre Lurton – CEO of Cheval Blanc – was visiting Argentina in the late 1990s when he had the chance to purchase a plot of ungrafted Malbec planted in 1929, an opportunity to produce a wine that had its roots in Bordeaux but could no longer be made there. He decided to work with Roberto de la Mota – the winemaker behind Terrazas de los Andes – to craft world-class wines that would prove the quality possible in Argentina.

Before phylloxera, Malbec made up nearly 40% of vineyards in Bordeaux, but today it plays a minor role in the region. The Malbec clone that was originally planted in Bordeaux was exported to Argentina in 1852, however, and continues to be propagated in the region. It was the discovery of these vines that inspired Cheval des Andes.

Emphasis here is on work in the vineyard, with Cheval Blanc’s stringent attention to detail applied to their Argentinian venture. Historically, this precision wasn’t necessarily followed through in the winery, however from 2012, the winemaking team at Cheval Blanc have become more involved; working closely with Cheval des Andes Technical Director and Bordeaux native Gérald Gabillet and producing increasingly fine wines.

The wine is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot – made in Pierre Lurton’s words to be “an exotic wine with a Bordelais touch”.

In the vineyard

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.

In the winery

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.

About the producer

The wine is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot – made in Pierre Lurton’s words to be “an exotic wine with a Bordelais touch”.

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2017 Cheval des Andes

Cheval Blanc/Terrazas de los Andes

Cuyo

£93.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£93.00

Bts

£93.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

Mags

0 Immediate | 5 Marketplace

£183.00

Mags

£183.00

0 Immediate | 5 Marketplace

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

£372.00

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

6x75cl

3 Immediate | 18 Marketplace

£545.00

6x75cl

£545.00

3 Immediate | 18 Marketplace

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

£620.00

0 Immediate | 2 Marketplace

6xMags

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

£1,090.00

6xMags

£1,090.00

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

3x3L

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,117.00

3x3L

£1,117.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2016 Cheval des Andes

Cheval Blanc/Terrazas de los Andes

Cuyo

£80.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£80.00

Bts

£80.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

6x75cl

1 Immediate | 20 Marketplace

£467.00

6x75cl

£467.00

1 Immediate | 20 Marketplace

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£531.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£934.00

12x75cl

£934.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

6xMags

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£934.00

6xMags

£934.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2014 Cheval des Andes

Cheval Blanc/Terrazas de los Andes

Cuyo

£183.00

Mags

0 Immediate | 11 Marketplace

£183.00

Mags

£183.00

0 Immediate | 11 Marketplace

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 8 Marketplace

£545.00

6x75cl

£545.00

0 Immediate | 8 Marketplace

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,090.00

12x75cl

£1,090.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

6xMags

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,090.00

6xMags

£1,090.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2012 Cheval des Andes

Cheval Blanc/Terrazas de los Andes

Cuyo

£93.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 6 Marketplace

£93.00

Bts

£93.00

0 Immediate | 6 Marketplace

Mags

0 Immediate | 11 Marketplace

£183.00

Mags

£183.00

0 Immediate | 11 Marketplace

6x75cl

0 Immediate | 10 Marketplace

£545.00

6x75cl

£545.00

0 Immediate | 10 Marketplace

12x75cl

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

£1,090.00

12x75cl

£1,090.00

0 Immediate | 3 Marketplace

6xMags

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,090.00

6xMags

£1,090.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2010 Cheval des Andes

Cheval Blanc/Terrazas de los Andes

Cuyo

95.0

£103.00

Bts

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

£103.00

Bts

£103.00

0 Immediate | 4 Marketplace

6xMags

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

£1,210.00

6xMags

£1,210.00

0 Immediate | 1 Marketplace

2009 Cheval des Andes

Cheval Blanc/Terrazas de los Andes

Cuyo

£521.00

6x75cl

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

Duty Paid

£521.00

6x75cl

£521.00

1 Immediate | 0 Marketplace

Duty Paid

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