Cheval Des Andes 2020

Product info about Cheval Des Andes 2020

Cheval Des Andes 2020 is a Mendoza red with a very clear identity: Argentine Malbec brought together with Bordeaux varieties through the collaboration between Château Cheval Blanc of Saint-Émilion and Terrazas de los Andes. The 2020 blend is almost evenly divided between Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, with 2% Petit Verdot, sourced from Las Compuertas in Luján de Cuyo and Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley.

The vintage was warm and dry, and it produced the earliest harvest in the history of Cheval des Andes. Grapes were brought to the cellar in small crates, manually sorted and vinified parcel by parcel under the one parcel, one tank principle. That detail matters here, because the wine is not presented as a simple ripe Mendoza red; it is built from separate vineyard voices before the final blend is made.

Ageing took place across several formats, from 225-litre Bordeaux barriques to 400-litre barrels and 2,500-litre foudres, with half of the wood new. The wine therefore has structure and polish, while the fruit, spice and mineral notes remain central. At Drankenshop Broekmans, this is the kind of bottle we place with serious Argentine reds: generous enough for the table, yet clearly made with ageing in mind.

The 2020 vintage has also received strong recognition, including 98 points from Wine Advocate, 97 from James Suckling, 96 from Vinous and 95 from Decanter. Several drinking windows extend well into the 2030s, with some assessments going further. Opened young, it benefits from one to two hours of decanting and naturally suits red meat, grilled dishes and spiced preparations. These are now the last bottles with us, making this a timely vintage to consider.

The colour is deep red to purple-garnet. Aromatically, Cheval Des Andes 2020 moves through ripe red and dark fruit: cherry, plum, cassis, blackcurrant, dark cherry and mulberry, followed by violet, dried rose, mint, bay leaf and cedar. Beneath that sit darker accents of graphite, black pepper, liquorice, cacao, tobacco, black olive, tar and a stony, iron-like mineral note.

On the palate it is full, rich and structured, with ripe fruit and tannins that are firm yet polished. The freshness keeps the warm vintage in balance, while the texture is described as velvety and smooth. Spice, a peppery touch and a long finish carry the wine through.