Horse of the Andes 2018

James Suckling: This is a luxurious and rich Cheval with aromas and flavors of blueberry and flowers. Subtle notes of tar and fresh lavender. Full body. The depth and richness are impressive, as are the ripe but fresh tannins. Very long and structured, yet controlled and balanced. This will undoubtedly be a great wine. Released in September 2021. To be enjoyed 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-liter tanks and aged 40% in 225-liter oak barrels, 40% in 400-liter barrels, and the remaining 20% ​​in 2,500-liter oak barrels for 13 months. Ninety percent of the oak used was French, and the remainder was a mix of Austrian, Slovenian, and German oak, with 50% new. 2018 was one of the best recent vintages in Mendoza, and the wine reflects that. It is a cooler vintage, and the wine gained in freshness and elegance without losing power. It has 14.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.73. It is young, juicy, elegant, and balanced, still with some herbal and toasted notes; It is medium to full-bodied, with the creamy, luxurious texture of a modern Bordeaux, ultra-fine tannins and a long, dry, precise finish. It is still developing and seems to have all the components and the balance between them for a long and positive aging in the bottle. 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 have ever tasted. 100,000 bottles were produced. It was bottled in January 2020.