Cheval des Andes 2022 Mendoza i trækasse

Antonio Galloni

The 2022 Cheval des Andes is a significant upgrade to Mendoza’s historic regional blends, combining grapes from Las Compuertas (Luján de Cuyo) and Paraje Altamira (Uco Valley). The 2022 vintage allowed for a slower ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon, which take prominence in this blend alongside 30% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. Aging was carried out in 40% 225-liter Bordeaux barrels, 35% 400-liter barrels and 25% 2,500-liter foudres, with 50% new oak. A bouquet of bright fruit—raspberry, blueberry and delicate cassis—and complementary bay leaf and mint tones give way to a touch of ash and mild bell pepper. Boasting serious concentration, fine tannins and a slight creaminess, the 2022 has a structure that is firm but never tight, maintaining weight without losing balance. The finish is long, energetic and full of flavor. This is an exceptionally beautiful wine. Drinking Window 2026-2042.

James Suckling

Aromas of dark currants, spices, cloves and a touch of elderberries. The palate is elegant and medium- to full-bodied with polished, precise tannins, firm fruit, a juicy backbone and a solid and flavorful finish. 65% cabernet sauvignon and 35% malbec from Lujan and Altamira.

Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux

Fragrant, exceptional quality, a standout in the lineup. Concentrated black cherry and damson fruits, nuanced pulses of orange peel and pomegranate, gunsmoke and peony flowers. Gérald Gabillet winemaker, at this joint venture between Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes. Fermented and aged in a mix of 225l barrels, 400l barrels and 2,500l casks, 50% new oak - almost entirely French, with some Austrian, Slovenian and German.

Decanter

Earthy, savoury nose full of wet soil, peppercorns and blackcurrants alongside violets, chocolate, cherries and raspberries. Well crafted, such a svelte and streamlined expression with real charm and finesse. There’s power for sure but it’s funnelled into one line from start to finish. I love the brightness and opulence here yet there’s super charm and precision too. Great energy, succulence and vibrancy with natural acidity creating a salivating effect that makes you want to come back for another glass. Expertly made with an accumulation of details that make it so enjoyable. The joint project of Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes. Winemaker Gérald Gabillet.

Tim Atkin

Descorchados Chile

The 2021 vintage already struck us as marking a moment of particular subtlety within the long history of this modern classic of the Argentine wine scene, whose first vintage was in 1999. The 2022 follows the same path of moderate extraction that has come to define this wine, now showing a delicate, refined, and very elegant face of a red that until just a few years ago was a powerhouse of flavor. Today, the tannins feel fine and incisive, the acidity is fresh, and there is a very pronounced sense of flow. A classic that we have enjoyed just as much as the 2021 vintage. Cheval des Andes is the union of Terrazas de los Andes (Moët Hennessy) and Cheval Blanc of Saint-Émilion. It debuted in Argentina with the 1999 vintage, and today Cheval has 32 hectares of very old vineyards in Las Compuertas, toward the higher zones of the traditional D.O.C. Luján de Cuyo, and 15 hectares of younger vines in Altamira, in the Uco Valley at the foothills of the Andes, for a total of 39 hectares in production with the material used to make this red wine, which is the winery’s only wine. This year, the blend consists of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon (100% from Las Compuertas), 30% Malbec (half from Altamira and half from Las Compuertas), and the remainder Petit Verdot from Las Compuertas. The wine was aged in barrel for around 15 months, using a combination of 225-liter and 400-liter barrels, as well as 2,500-liter foudres.

Falstaff

Dark ruby in colour with purple reflections, and subtle brightening on the rim. Delicately smoky on the nose with tobacco notes, black cherry, inviting ripe plum, a hint of fig, some nougat, and orange zest. The palate is complex and tightly woven with ripe tannins, fine acidity and a core of fine fruit, redolent of cherry and blackberry, mineral and very persistent, very promising. Great.

Robert Parker

The 2022 Cheval des Andes opens with an exotic, spice-driven bouquet, supplemented by lifted herbal notes and a vibrantly red-fruited and perfumed backdrop. The palate is similarly energetic, melding an elegantly rich, polished texture with a slender, tensile energy. It concludes with a long, persistent and high-toned finish that gradually unfurls a sturdy structure of supremely refined tannins. This is an excellent counterpoint to the comparatively darker and more open-knit 2021, showcasing a brighter, more tenacious profile while sacrificing none of the grace, nuance and textural attention to detail that has come to define Cheval des Andes. It's a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot.

The Drinks Business

(Mendoza; 100% Malbec; from a tiny vineyard of 1.4 hectares at an altitude of 1390 metres on a limestone rich alluvial terroir; 13.5% alcohol; just 430 cases produced). A whiff of oak smoke. Unlit tobacco. Incense. Patchouli. Dark berry and stone fruits. Cracked black peppercorns. In the mouth, this is succulent, super-svelte, lithe, tense and charged. I love the whetstone minerality. Another vin de garde with considerable aging potential. Truly excellent and right up there with the best ever vintages of this wine.

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider

Served blind, I'd think this was a top Hermitage due to its smoky character, topped with mint, peppery herbs, barbecued meat, black currants, blackberries, along with a hint of blueberry. The palate is rich, full-bodied, long, fresh, and vibrant, with energetic notes of mint leaf, black cherries, cocoa, chalk, and a range of exotic spices that linger. The wine is produced from blending 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% old vine Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot.

Vivino

(24.043 bedømmelser, set over alle årgange, 12-01-2026)