Cheval des Andes

Pierre Lurton, one of the founders and director of Château Cheval Blanc, discovered a Malbec vineyard in Las Compuertas in 1929. It was a vineyard where the original, ungrafted Malbec vines still stood. His dream was to make wine from these vines. He himself described this new project as "a journey to the roots of Bordeaux". In 1999, the unique collaboration between Château Cheval Blanc from Bordeaux and Terrazas de Los Andes from Mendoza began. Terrazas also has French influences, as it was founded by Moët & Chandon in 1996.

The vineyards of Cheval des Andes are located at an altitude of 1 070 metres. Here there is a favourable microclimate with relatively low rainfall and sufficient temperature variations between day and night. The terroir is characterised by deep alluvial soils with sand, shale and clay. In addition to Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc are also grown on it. The name Las Compuertas comes from the Spanish word for irrigation canal. These canals were built by the Incas and today supply the vineyards with water from the Andes.

When the grapes arrive in the cellar after the hand harvest, the different plots are first fermented separately. Then the "pre-assembly" is assembled. This forms the basis for the final blend. The base matures for 16 to 18 months in wooden barrels made of used and new French and Eastern European oak. Depending on the vintage, Petit Verdot may or may not be added to the base blend. The result is an intense and complex wine with many fruit aromas and a long finish.

The best vintages of Cheval des Andes are: 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.