Terraces of the Andes - Cheval des Andes 2017

Cheval des Andes is one of the most famous wines of Argentina. It comes from the vineyards of Mendoza and is a joint venture between Château Cheval Blanc de Saint-Emilion, the legendary Premier Grand Cru Classé A, and Terrazas de los Andes of Argentina.

This Bordeaux blend wine is made with grapes from 80-year-old vines planted in the Las Compuertas vineyard in Luján de Cuyo. This high-altitude vineyard, located in the foothills of the Andes, covers 50 hectares and is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Merlot.

Sandy loam soils provide good drainage, causing root systems to dig deep into the soil in search of hydration, resulting in healthy vines and concentrated grapes. The diurnal variation in temperature at the estate, with hot days and cool nights, allows the grapes to ripen while retaining their acidity. Water for irrigation is provided by snowmelt from the Andes.

The composition of Cheval des Andes varies from vintage to vintage, although the blend is most often dominated by Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented by variety, then aged for six months in barrels.

After blending, the wine is aged for an additional year in new French oak barrels (up to 60%). The final blend is aged in new French oak for an additional six months, then bottled unfiltered and aged for at least 18 months before release.