You may or may not know Cheval Blanc is a Premier Grand Cru and is one of Bordeaux's most respected wines. In great vintages it trades for well over a $1000 a bottle and due to world-wide demand can be hard to obtain. Eleven years ago Pierre Lurton, then the director of Cheval Blanc became intrigued with Malbec in Argentina. He wanted to blend new-world with old-world and produce greater quantities of quality wine at affordable prices. In 1999 he tasted 1970s Malbec wine from the Las Computeras vineyard (the finest parcel of Terrazas de los Andes) and was blown away, thus paving the way for the birth of Cheval des Andes.
Today, Pierre Lurton acts as managing director of Cheval des Andes and Nicholas Audebert is the wine maker. Recently we had the pleasure of tasting their latest release, the 2006 vintage.
It has received rave reviews from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (96 points) and it's their highest scoring vintage to date! The wine is composed of 60% Malbec, 35% Cabernet, and that small but essential 5% of Merlot to add finesse. Upon first swirl of the glass you get gobs of dark fruit, black cherry and espresso that gets you excited to take the first sip! On the palate the wine is silky and elegant with plush tannins, a hint of smokiness, that leads to a long persistent finish. For me, I think this is the first vintage where it's a perfect blend of young and powerful, with the elegance and structure of a mature wine.
Whether your are into "Old World" wines or "New World" wines this is a must try! Also, if you're looking for a unique gift for the holidays, this fits the bill...
- Owned by the legendary St.Emilion producer Cheval Blanc
- 96 pts - Highest rated vintage to date
- New World wine that presents itself in a very Old World fashion
All for only $69!