September 17, 2025
A big 99 point release from Cheval des Andes 2022
2022 Cheval des Andes
99 points - Vinous
“The 2022 Cheval des Andes is a significant upgrade to Mendoza’s historic regional blends, combining grapes from Las Compuertas (Luján de Cuyo) and Paraje Altamira (Uco Valley). […] Boasting serious concentration, fine tannins and a slight creaminess, the 2022 has a structure that is firm but never tight, maintaining weight without losing balance. The finish is long, energetic and full of flavor. This is an exceptionally beautiful wine."
Cheval des Andes is where Bordeaux heritage meets the high-altitude magic of Mendoza. Founded as a collaboration between Chateau Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes, the estate unites French savoir-faire with Argentine terroir. Old-vine Malbec from the foothills of the Andes is blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to craft wines of precision, elegance and power. With meticulous vineyard management and refined winemaking, Cheval des Andes has established itself as one of South America’s most celebrated fine wine estates.
Cheval des Andes is rooted in the high-altitude vineyards of Las Compuertas in Mendoza, where old-vine Malbec thrives alongside Cabernet Sauvignon at over 1,000 metres. The terroir combines alluvial soils, cool Andean breezes and dramatic diurnal shifts, giving intensity with freshness. Grapes are hand-harvested and vinified parcel by parcel, using gentle extraction to preserve purity and elegance. Ageing in French oak barrels and foudres brings polish, allowing the wines to express both Mendoza’s vibrancy and Bordeaux refinement.
Cheval des Andes 2022 is a luminous blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot from Las Compuertas and Paraje Altamira. Aged in a mix of Bordeaux barrels and large foudres, half new, it combines bright red fruit, cassis and violets with savoury herbs and spice. The palate is polished yet energetic, with fine, refined tannins and remarkable balance. Elegant, precise and deeply expressive, this vintage delivers freshness, complexity and impressive ageing potential.
Scoring 99 points from Vinous and further supported with 98 points from Decanter, Suckling and Jane Anson, the scores are unanimously high for what could arguably be the finest vintage of Cheval des Andes yet.
Releasing at €65* In Bond per bottle, this is a vintage not to miss.
Cheval des Andes 2022
€65* In Bond per bottle
99 Points | Vinous, Joaquin Hidalgo
The 2022 Cheval des Andes is a significant upgrade to Mendoza’s historic regional blends, combining grapes from Las Compuertas (Luján de Cuyo) and Paraje Altamira (Uco Valley). The 2022 vintage allowed for a slower ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon, which take prominence in this blend alongside 30% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. Aging was carried out in 40% 225-liter Bordeaux barrels, 35% 400-liter barrels and 25% 2,500-liter foudres, with 50% new oak. A bouquet of bright fruit—raspberry, blueberry and delicate cassis—and complementary bay leaf and mint tones give way to a touch of ash and mild bell pepper. Boasting serious concentration, fine tannins and a slight creaminess, the 2022 has a structure that is firm but never tight, maintaining weight without losing balance. The finish is long, energetic and full of flavor. This is an exceptionally beautiful wine.
98 Points | Decanter, Georgina Hindle
Earthy, savoury nose full of wet soil, peppercorns and blackcurrants alongside violets, chocolate, cherries and raspberries. Well crafted, such a svelte and streamlined expression with real charm and finesse. There’s power for sure but it’s funnelled into one line from start to finish. I love the brightness and opulence here yet there’s super charm and precision too. Great energy, succulence and vibrancy with natural acidity creating a salivating effect that makes you want to come back for another glass. Expertly made with an accumulation of details that make it so enjoyable. The joint project of Château Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes. Winemaker Gérald Gabillet.
98 Points | Jane Anson
Fragrant, exceptional quality, a standout in the lineup. Concentrated black cherry and damson fruits, nuanced pulses of orange peel and pomegranate, gunsmoke and peony flowers. Gérald Gabillet winemaker, at this joint venture between Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes. Fermented and aged in a mix of 225l barrels, 400l barrels and 2,500l casks, 50% new oak - almost entirely French, with some Austrian, Slovenian and German.
97 Points | Wine Advocate
Soon to be released through La Place de Bordeaux, the 2022 Cheval des Andes opens with an exotic, spice-driven bouquet, supplemented by lifted herbal notes and a vibrantly red-fruited and perfumed backdrop. The palate is similarly energetic, melding an elegantly rich, polished texture with a slender, tensile energy. It concludes with a long, persistent and high-toned finish that gradually unfurls a sturdy structure of supremely refined tannins. This is an excellent counterpoint to the comparatively darker and more open-knit 2021, showcasing a brighter, more tenacious profile while sacrificing none of the grace, nuance and textural attention to detail that has come to define Cheval des Andes. It's a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot.
*Prices are accurate as of the blog publication date and may be subject to change.