Descripción

Cheval des Andes surge de la unión entre Château Cheval Blanc y el viñedo de Terrazas de los Andes, considerado uno de los mejores 'Grand Crus' del Nuevo Mundo. Es el resultado de un trabajo de gran precisión para preservar la elegancia y la frescura de las uvas. Estamos ante un vino muy interesante, fuera del estilo imperante en la zona por su coupage, en un equilibro perfecto entre la madurez de la Cabernet sauvignon y la frescura de una Malbec plantada a más de 1.000 metros de altitud. La añada 2015 se caracteriza por un mayor uso de la Cabernet respecto a añadas anteriores.

Ficha técnica

Tipo
Tinto
Añada
2017
Grado
13.9% vol.
Producción
81.500 botellas
Variedad
62% Malbec, 38% Cabernet sauvignon
Otros formatos disponibles:
Origen
Mendoza

Cata

Vista
Color rojo rubí profundo.
Nariz
Elegante y discreta. Aromas de regaliz, mentol y alcanfor que acompañan a las notas primarias de frutos del bosque, frutos negros y arándanos. Estos aromas dejan espacio a un intenso posgusto terciario de anís, cuero, clavo de olor y balsámicos.
Boca
Fresco y sutil. Redondo, estructurado, con un fondo suave y delicado que le confiere un largo potencial de guarda.
Temperatura de servicio
Se recomienda servir a 16 ºC.
Maridaje
Ideal con solomillo de cerdo con empanadillas de berenjena, miel, soja y anís con encurtido de pepino.

Viñedo y elaboración

Superficie
50 hectáreas.
Edad
Algunas de las cepas tienen más de 80 años.
Suelo
Un terruño único. El suelo es franco-arenoso con contenido pedregoso en profundidad.
Clima
Añada atípica marcada por una fría primavera con temperaturas bajo cero.
Cosecha
La vendimia tuvo lugar entre el 6 de marzo y el 10 de abril.
Vinificación
Antes del encubado, las uvas se clasifican cuidadosamente. En bodega se respeta el origen de cada parcela con el concepto de "una parcela, un depósito". La maceración se lleva a cabo entre 21 y 28 días.
Envejecimiento
Crianza en barricas bordelesas (225 litros), barricas de 400 litros, y 'foudres' (50% de roble nuevo). Para la añada 2017, la bodega de barricas está compuesta por un 90% de roble francés y un 10% de roble austriaco/esloveno y húngaro.
Embotellado
Enero de 2019.

Opinión de los críticos

James Suckling:

This is the greatest Cheval des Andes ever. Discrete aromas of blackberries, flowers, stone and licorice. So perfumed. The integration of fruit, tannins and acidity is fantastic. Full-bodied, tight and solid with beautiful depth and integrity. Extremely long and exciting. Complex and compelling with such refinement and length. A blend of 62% malbec and 38% cabernet sauvignon. Available in September 2020. Better after 2024.

The Wine Advocate:

In the last few years, a handful of wines from Chile and Argentina—often French owned—have been released in September through the Place de Bordeaux, the network of négociants that sell most of the Bordeaux wines and some of the leading wines from other regions. The 2017 Cheval des Andes is one such wine. 2017 saw an early harvest, but they started picking on the 6th of March and continued until the 10th of April, more or less normal dates, early but not so much. The varietal break down this vintage comes to 62% Malbec and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the wine is slightly riper and higher in alcohol than 2016 (this 2017 is 14.2% alcohol). The different plots fermented separately with selected yeasts, and the élevage lasted for 15 months and was in 50/50 new and second use barrels, 90% of them French and the rest made with wood from Eastern Europe. They used 45% Bordeaux barrels, 45% 400-liter barrels and, for the first time, a 2,500-liter oak foudre. This is clearly the darkest of the trio of vintages I tasted together here—2015, 2016 and 2017—but all three have the elegant and powerful profile, the luxurious and creamy character found in the best Bordeaux wines in the last few years, wines of power with precision, concentration, energy and finesse. This seems to combine the clout of the 2015 and the freshness of the 2016 and feels something in between those two vintages. Their work in the vineyard toward the maturity of the tannins meant the challenge in 2017 was to not let the grapes ripen too fast and too early. The work is different for Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, to get round tannins in Cabernet and get some tension in Malbec, the contrary of the normal tendency of the varieties. 2017 has less ripeness than the 2015 but more density than the 2016. The texture is velvety, precise and harmonious. This year, they introduced a larger foudre for 10% of the wine, with the aim to reach 20%, so that volume is increasing every year. I think this is showing more precision, and in a more challenging year, they managed to keep the quality on par with 2016. They have changed the label this year, to a cleaner and more elegant label that also reflects the direction the wine is going in. 81,500 bottles produced. It was bottled in January 2019.

Decanter:

This is an excellent wine - juicy, with tension and depth, and a confident sense of style and character. Vibrant violet edging, redcurrant and raspberry fruits with tight tannins and a chewy finish. One of the top wines from South America and a great shot of confidence for 'the place' to have it arrive last year where it is now sold 100% after being withdrawn from the LVMH distribution network. Second-to-last vintage with Lorenzo Pasquini before he headed over to Giscours (and Caiarossa), with the 2019 onwards under the care of Gérald Gabillet, formerly with Château Angélus and so maintaining the Bordeaux link. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040.