2017 Cheval des Andes

Savoury black fruits with scorched earth smoke, eucalyptus and cocoa bean, given focus and a sense of momentum by fresh acidities and a juicy finish. Malbec has the ability as does Pinot Noir to either drink early or to age for years, and you feel the elasticity and promise of the tannins in this wine. Blend at the end of ageing. Aged in 2500-litre oak casks, 70% new oak.

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. (JH)

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)