Cheval des Andes - Mendoza 2020

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

[...] It is slightly more mature than the 2019, with a little more alcohol (14.5%) and very good structural tannins while retaining its freshness, and it has the spicy side of Petit Verdot (Gabillet mentions white pepper). The wine has a very smooth and polished texture, as well as the elegance and balance that characterize it here; the wine is very clean and precise. I note very good consistency between the three vintages I tasted side by side—this 2020 and the 2018 and 2019. Overall, this is a triumph over the unfavorable conditions of the vintage. They produced their usual 100,000 bottles (since 2018), as they are renewing 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 pockets of biodiversity for birds. They have planted 1,900 trees over the last three years, creating small clusters of biodiversity for birds. They have transplanted a few hundred-year-old olive trees and keep their sheep and llamas on the property. They are very environmentally conscious. 2024-2034

Jancis Robinson

About wine:

The riper, darker fruit on the nose reflects the warmer 2020 vintage. Although ripe, the wine does not feel stuck, which is a real improvement over recent years. The palate also has a cashmere-like texture and vibrant acidity, signs of a team that has worked hard to move from a thicker, riper style to a balanced, vibrant one. Blackcurrant and black cherry are accompanied by notes of blood orange and violet. Limestone and deep, this wine should age well in the bottle. 2024-2036

Vinous

About 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 purple in the glass with garnet highlights. The nose reveals a judicious approach to the heat of 2020, with aromas of ripe plum, redcurrant, mint, and notes 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 and balanced sensation. The 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 wine:

Ripe black cherries cooked with spices and a hint of violets. Notes of graphite, cocoa powder, incense, and black pepper. Dried rose petals. A slightly fuller-bodied 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 comes from Las Compuertas. Drink now or hold.

Jane Anson - Inside Bordeaux