Cheval des Andes - Mendoza 2020

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

[...] It's slightly riper than the 2019, with a little more alcohol (14.5%) and very good structural tannins while retaining freshness, and it has the spiciness of petit verdot (Gabillet speaks of white pepper). The wine has a very smooth, polished texture, as well as the elegance and balance that characterize it here; the wine is very clean and precise. I see very good consistency between the three vintages I tasted next to each other - this 2020 and the 2018 and 2019. Overall, it's a triumph over the adverse conditions of the vintage. They have produced their usual 100,000 bottles (since 2018), as they renew their vineyards and want to keep the volume stable. They produce this volume from the 36 productive hectares they own in Las Compuertas and Altamira. [...] They focus on agroecology, accelerating regenerative viticulture and using cover crops; they have planted 1,900 trees in the last three years, creating small clusters of biodiversity for birds. They have planted 1,900 trees over the past three years, creating small clusters of biodiversity for birds. They have transplanted some hundred-year-old olive trees and keep their sheep and llamas on the property. They are very concerned about the environment. 2024-2034

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

The riper, darker fruit on the nose is indicative of the warmer 2020 vintage. Although ripe, the wine doesn't give the impression of being set in stone, a real improvement on recent years. The palate, too, has a cashmere texture and vibrant acidity, signs of a team that has worked hard to move from a thicker, riper style to one that is balanced and vibrant. Blackcurrant and black cherry are accompanied by notes of blood orange and violet. Chalky and deep, this wine should age well in bottle. 2024-2036

Vinous A. Galloni

About the wine:

Cheval des Andes 2020 is a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot from Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley and Las Compuertas in Luján de Cuyo. Aged in French oak barrels, it is crimson in the glass with a garnet sheen. The nose reveals a judicious approach to the heat of 2020, with aromas of ripe plum, redcurrant, mint and hints of white pepper on a bed of bay leaves and cedar. The palate is dry and velvety, with rich, polished tannins that give a juicy, balanced feel. Balsamic notes and richness on the palate reflect the character of the year, while the finish is dynamic and persistent. 2025-2035

James Suckling

About the wine:

Ripe, baked black cherries with spices and violets. Notes of graphite, cocoa powder, incense and black pepper. Dried rose petals. A slightly fuller Cheval des Andes, with taut, silky tannins and a persistent, generous finish. Ripe, but with great restraint and precision. 49% Malbec, 49% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petit Verdot. 24% of the malbec comes from Altamira and all the rest of the fruit from Las Compuertas. For drinking or cellaring.

Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux