Cheval Des Andes 2018

James Suckling: This is a luxurious, rich Cheval with aromas and flavours of blueberry and flowers. Subtle notes of tar and fresh lavender. Full-bodied. The depth and richness are impressive, as are the ripe yet fresh tannins. Very long and structured, but controlled and balanced. This will undoubtedly be a great wine. Release in September 2021. Best after 2023.

The Wine Advocate: The 2018 Cheval des Andes is a blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon fermented in small batches in 3,000- to 8,000-litre tanks and matured 40% in 225-litre oak barrels, 40% in 400-litre barrels and the remaining 20% in 2,500-litre oak vats for 13 months. Ninety percent of the oak was French and the rest a mix of Austrian, Slovenian and German oak, 50% of it new. 2018 was one of the best recent vintages in Mendoza, and the wine reflects that. It's a cooler vintage, and the wine gained freshness and elegance without losing power. It has 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.73. It's young, juicy, elegant and balanced, still with some herbal and toasty notes; it's medium- to full-bodied, with the creamy, luxurious texture of a modern Bordeaux, ultra-fine tannins and a long, dry, precise finish. It's still developing and seems to have all the components, and the balance between them, for long and positive bottle ageing. With wines like this I sometimes wish I had a time machine to see them in 20 years... I think this is the best Cheval des Andes I've ever tasted. 100,000 bottles were produced. It was bottled in January 2020.