Founded in 1999 as a joint venture between Château Cheval Blanc (Premier Grand Cru Classé A, Saint-Émilion) and Terrazas de los Andes (Moët Hennessy), Cheval des Andes draws fruit from two high-altitude Mendoza estates totaling 50 hectares. Las Compuertas, at 1,070 meters in Luján de Cuyo, is home to ungrafted Malbec vines planted in 1929 on deep alluvial silty-loam soils, preserving a direct viticultural link to pre-phylloxera Bordeaux. The second site, Altamira in La Consulta (Uco Valley), sits at 1,150 meters, where greater diurnal temperature variation contributes freshness, floral lift, and fine-grained tannins to its Malbec vines planted in 1945.

The 2022 vintage allowed for a remarkably slow ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon, which takes on a more prominent role in the blend this year alongside the estate’s old-vine Malbec. Rainfall was more frequent and abundant than average—374 mm at Las Compuertas and 288 mm at Paraje Altamira—concentrated between November and February in intense storms. The result is a wine of extraordinary tension and aromatic purity, with a svelte, streamlined texture and silky tannins that represents one of the most elegant and precise releases in the estate’s history.

The 2022 opens with a bouquet of bright fruit—raspberry, blueberry, and delicate cassis—alongside complementary bay leaf and mint tones that give way to a touch of ash and mild bell pepper. On the palate, it boasts serious concentration, fine tannins, and a slight creaminess, with a structure that is firm but never tight, maintaining weight without losing balance. The finish is long, energetic, and full of flavor.