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Reviews

98 - Jeb Dunnuck -

The finest vintage of this wine I've tasted, the 2021 Cheval Des Andes is based on 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec, and the balance Petit Verdot. It has a decidedly Bordeaux-like nose of ripe currants, leafy tobacco, cedarwood, and a kiss of flowers, with perfectly integrated background oak. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It has this remarkable sense of purity and class, and while it's incredible today (especially with a decant), I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve gracefully for two decades.

98 - James Suckling -

Complex aromas of blueberries, pie crust, fresh flowers and currant bush with hints of baking spices like nutmeg. Medium- to full-bodied with extremely fine tannins that are integrated and gorgeous. Graceful and refined, with super length. Interestingly, 20% of the wine was aged in large oak casks (2,500 liters), mostly from Slovenia. Try after 2027 but a joy to taste now.

98 - Decanter -

Since Gerald Gabillet's arrival in Mendoza in 2018, Cheval des Andes wines have gained in elegance and precision. In a great vintage like 2021, the results are spellbinding. Near-equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, with 3% Petit Verdot; the fruit comes from an old vineyard in Las Compuertas and a newer property in the Uco Valley. A fruity, floral wine, with minty hints and a subtle layer of oak that contributes spice and cedar notes. The palate is silky and energetic, with a vibrant freshness and polished, grippy tannins that channel it nicely into the long, perfumed finish.

97 - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -

The 2021 Cheval des Andes is seductive and savory on the nose, leading with pure, earth-tinged aromas of pipe tobacco, turned soil, dried herbs and rich yet composed dark fruits. Exotic, dark spice notes and a pleasantly integrated framing of new oak accents appear with further aeration. The palate is deliciously supple and impressively layered, with a harmonious, long and ever-expanding finish that highlights extreme delicacy. The tannins are persistent yet composed, gently yet persistently lengthening the finish and melding nicely with the vibrant acidity underneath—a beautiful combination of savory charm, serious depth and focused intensity. It's a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec and 3% Petite Verdot that spent an average of 12-13 months in 50% barrique, 30% demi-muid and 20% foudre.

97 - Tim Atkin -

The 2021 release of this iconic Mendoza blend partners Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot from Las Compuertas and Paraje Altamira. It’s a lighter, more forward wine than the 2020 or 2019 releases, reminiscent of the 2016 perhaps, with ethereal rose petal and mint aromas, subtle bramble and summer pudding flavours, sculpted tannins and more concentration and ageing potential than you think at first. 2025-33.

97 - Jane Anson -

97 - Vinous -

Light and elegant, the 2021 Cheval des Andes is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot. It achieves a feat that only cool years can provide: smooth texture, agile palate and just the right amount of freshness for a nuanced build. As it breathes, it begins to reveal notes of fresh cherry and plum, with a hint of menthol, maraschino cherries and a touch of pepper. It opens further with aromas of sandalwood and oak that complete the framework. This is a somewhat leaner, more ethereal Cheval than other years, but it has a higher level of precision. It's a wine inspired by Bordeaux, executed in a Bordeaux style, with Mendoza terroir. A wine without edges, it's a polished red in the early stages of a long, balanced life.

Technical Details

Blend 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec and 3% Petite Verdot
Winemaker Gérald Gabillet
Country Argentina
Region Mendoza
Appellation Mendoza
Farming Method Sustainable Practices
Oak 50% barrique, 30% demi-muid and 20% foudre
Aging / Cooperage 12 months
Alcohol 14%

Cheval des Andes Red Blend Mendoza 2021

Name: Cheval des Andes Red Blend Mendoza 2021
Brand: First Bottle
SKU: 1007460
Price: 74.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Bordeaux Blends | Mendoza

JD98, JS98, DC98, JA97, WA97, TWI97, VN97

Sustainable Practices

$100.00

$74.95

750ML

25% OFF RETAIL!

We have a few cases of one of the finest Bordeaux/Mendoza projects ever to come out of Argentina: Cheval des Andes! Super limited...this 98 point wonder is a JEWEL to stash in the cellar at our terrific price!

Known as the Grand Cru of the Andes, Cheval des Andes has carved a path for cool-climate, high-altitude winemaking in Argentina using Bordeaux varieties and producing some of the most fresh, elegant, and age-worthy wines anywhere. Founder, and president of Bordeaux’s Château Cheval Blanc, Pierre Lurton began his journey in France, before discovering the stunning Malbec vineyard of Las Compuertas in Mendoza that inspired him to start a joint venture between Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de Los Andes. This significant decision launched the most magnificent Bordeaux blend that would stand as one of the Southern Hemisphere’s very best!

Cheval des Andes owns 50 hectares of vineyards covering an assortment of altitudes, topography, and soil compositions. This wine is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec, and 3% Petit Verdot, with a slightly lower alcohol than the 2020, at 14%. Its grapes come from Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley (characterized by a cooler climate, alluvial soils, and good drainage), and Las Compuertas in Luján de Cuyo (known for lower rainfall, deep silty-loam soils with buried stones, and high diurnal temperatures). 2021 was a cooler, rainy growing season compared to the heat of 2020, which allowed for the slow ripening of grapes and an amazing balance of concentration, acidity, and elegance. The winery also has a strong focus on high ecological standards, using a mix of regenerative viticulture, cover crops, biodiversity, and other sustainable measures to keep their environmental footprint light.

And folks, no surprises here – the resulting bottle of all of this measured, fastidious, and knowledgeable work is a GORGEOUS, sexy, layered, and complex wine. This erupts with a sensual explosion of blueberry compote, damson plums, and saltines, with accents of purple flowers, black peppercorn, baking spices, dried herbs, and a mineral flintiness that’s all at once velvety and dry and meticulously spiced and berry-kissed...and just purely divine! Did we mention under $75? Grab it as quick as you can...Wine Advocate’s gushing 97 point review: “The palate is deliciously supple and impressively layered, with a harmonious, long and ever-expanding finish that highlights extreme delicacy.” For this price? Just, wow! While it lasts!

PAIRING IDEAS: Go big with garlic and herb crusted lamb chops, with potatoes au gratin and a panzanella salad on the side.

About The Producer

The wine of Cheval des Andes combines the vibrant and intense expression of Argentinian Malbec with the rigour, elegance and savoir-faire of a great Bordeaux. It is a unique blend of Malbec grapes and Bordeaux varietals – an ensemble with the exuberance of Malbec balanced by the temperance of Cabernet Sauvignon, completed with hints of Petit Verdot. The vision of Cheval des Andes is to bring Château Cheval Blanc’s winemaking philosophy – which focuses on cellaring potential and elegance – to Argentina. Cheval des Andes makes wines that age gracefully and “travel through the decades,” according to Pierre Lurton, President of Château Cheval Blanc and Cheval des Andes.

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