Cheval des Andes 2016
Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon Argentina
Average review score: 96,4
Parker : 97+ Vinous : 95 Suckling : 99 Tim Atkin : 97 Jancis Robinson : 17,5+ Desorchados : 97 Decanter : 93
We are dealing with a magnificent Malbec which takes its place on the podium of the best South American wines.
In a cool 2016, we obtain an elegant, refined, nuanced, harmonious and sophisticated wine. To fully benefit from it, do not hesitate to decant it for several hours in order to give it the opportunity to blossom.
On the nose: raspberry, lavender, violet, graphite, toasted, spices are in harmony.
The palate, medium bodied, is on very slightly acidulous red fruits, accompanied by a nice salinity. The wine is smooth, full and long with good depth and silky tannins.
Harmony, elegance and sophistication are the key words.
To taste with game birds, lamb shanks or prime rib.
Robert Parker : 97+/100
The new vintage that will be marketed in September 2019 is the 2016 Cheval des Andes, which was harvested from a very unusual year, fresher than average and with an exceptional amount of rain (around 600 liters), but the wine has reached an admirable freshness. It has an alcohol level of 13.9% and its nose is more fruity, subtle and elegant, a little closed at the start, shy and subtle. They made great adjustments in the aging, the wine was aged in barrels of 400 liters at 30 or 40% and only 40% of new wood. This is 58% Malbec (around 50/50 from Luján and Valle de Uco, where they have 15 hectares in Altamira), 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. It is less structured than the 2015, but there is more tension; it is a wine that should develop beautifully in the bottle. It is a vintage of precision and with great aging potential. I think this wine is the most elegant produced so far. Well done ! 64,000 bottles produced
Luis Gutiérrez - October 31, 2019
Maturity: 2020-2035
Vinous : 95/100
Dark and shiny ruby red. Wild and musky scents and flavors of black raspberry, black pepper, olive tapenade, licorice and stony salinity. Fluffy, tasty and smooth; a Malbec-based blend that coats the mouth and offers depth and superb presence in the mouth. As concentrated as this wine is, it is medium bodied in this year's fresher style, but also remarkably nuanced and harmonious from the start, imparting a sense of restrained sweetness. The finish is extremely long and smooth, with noble tannins and fullness that saturate the palate. By the way, with this year 2016, the Cheval des Andes is now entirely made with fruits of the property, coming from their properties of La Compuertas and Altamira. (aged in 70% new oak)
Stephan Tanzer - September 2019
Maturity: 2020 - 2033
James Suckling : 99/100
Super refined and beautiful, with flowers, spices, dried fruits and hints of stone. Medium to full body with very fine tannins and a superb finish. Shows a lot of finesse and depth. Tasty character, as always, but under control. Drink now in 2022.
James Suckling - March 10, 2020
Tim Atkin : 97/100
The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (37%) is one of the highest ever reached at Cheval, blended with Malbec and 5% of Petit Verdot in this fresh wine, and the most European of vintages. The result is a wonderfully harmonious wine that is perhaps the best vintage ever produced by this French bodega. Superb.
Tim atkin
Maturity: 2022 - 2035
Jancis Robinson : 17.5 + / 20
58% Malbec, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, all from the "great terroirs" of Las Compuertas and La Consulta. An atypical vintage in Mendoza, marked by El Niño, which led to heavy rains between October and December. If the spring was wet, rainy and cooler than usual, the summer was hot, especially in January and February. These conditions led to a drop in yields, especially for the estate's Malbec. It also resulted in berries that were smaller than normal, rich and concentrated. Harvest from March 23 to April 25. Apparently the Petit Verdot in the mix could be phased out as it can be a bit rustic. When Pierre-Olivier Clouet (technical director of Cheval Blanc) left the company in 2011, he did not think that the quality was up to the reputation of Cheval, so from 2013, new protocols were implemented for increase longevity and elegance. This is the first vintage they are really proud of. Only about two thirds of new wood: a few Bordeaux barrels and others larger. And they pick much earlier than most of their neighbors.
They look more evolved than Catena wines. Dark garnet. Manages to be both fresh and toasty on the nose. Very round and approachable, with quite subtle tannins and some very pleasant salinity. Energy too. We can see a certain Horse quality. Quite sophisticated, it has an effect. Pretty rather than massive
Jancis Robinson - September 18, 2019
Maturity: 2019 - 2028
Desorchados : 97/100
The 2016 harvest is the freshest of the past decade and possibly the rainiest. This had a great impact on the freshness, acidity and tannins of the fruit, which are a bit more pronounced than usual. The harvest conditions may have accelerated the evolution of this wine towards a fresher character. This year's blend is made up of 58% Malbec, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. The effect of the year is felt very strongly in the fruity character, in the acid red fruits. This was gradually becoming evident, especially in the 2015 harvest. Here is a Cheval with a less robust body, but with fresher and clearer red fruit. We should add a more generous watering regimen to the equation, preventing the plant from being stressed and therefore getting more red berries. It started in 2015 and had a powerful impact here too. But whatever the freshness, this 2016 needs time in the bottle. Start by uncorking your first bottles in five years.
Maturity: from 2024
Decanter : 93/100
An atypical vintage in Mendoza marked by El Niño. The 2016 is also produced by the Cheval-Blanc team. Once again, the nose suggests a bouquet of Rhône or Syrah from the north. Notes of raspberry, graphite, lavender and al dente violet. Laser-like tannins, a perfectly balanced texture, and an impressive and dense wine raised by a superb tannic structure and great freshness. A vertical wine, admirably elaborated. Will age for 15 years.
Yohan Castaing - September 2, 2019
Maturity: 2025-2055
