Search results for: 'des andes'

98 Points! The 2020 Cheval des Andes was harvested from the last of February for the first time ever. It was Gabillet's second vintage at Cheval des Andes, and that year, he had to start without waiting for Pierre Olivier Clouet and Pierre Lurton from Cheval Blanc; when they arrived, they had finished picking the Malbec, which surprisingly was fresher in Las Compuertas (because of the higher percentage of clay?) than in Altamira (where the vines suffered more stress), saving the freshness. They now harvest using cold trucks (for the first time), and they also started earlier in the morning (six in the morning, impossible earlier in Mendoza...), which he reckons was very good for the precision of the wine. They used 40% 225-liter barrels, 40% 400-liter oak barrels and 20% 2,500-liter foudres, half of them new and with an élevage of 15 months on average, depending on the lots and varieties from 12 to 18 months. The final blend was 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot, which makes a comeback as it was not used since 2016. The key was to finish the fermentation of the Petit Verdot without skins, and that way, they have been able to use it in the blends of 2021, 2022 and 2023 in small but increasing percentages. This is slightly riper than 2019, with a little more alcohol (14.5%) and with very good structural tannins but saving the freshness, and it has the spicy side from the Petit Verdot (Gabillet talks about white pepper). The wine has the ultra sleek and polished texture and the elegance and the balance that is the signature here; the wine is very clean and precise. I see very good regularity across the three vintages I tasted next to each other—this 2020 and the 2018 and 2019. Overall, this is a triumph over the adverse conditions of the vintage. They produced their usual 100,000 bottles (since 2018), as they are renewing their vineyards and want to keep the volume stable. They produce this volume from the 36 productive hectares they have in Las Compuertas and Altamira. There are some more changes: in 2020, they went for a lighter bottle, weighing 100 grams less than the one they used in 2018 and 2019, but close to 300 grams less than the bottle from before. It's also a slimmer bottle, always thinking about the environment. They are very focused on agroecology, accelerating the regenerative viticulture and using cover crops; they have planted 1,900 trees in the last three years, creating small clusters of biodiversity for birds. They have transplanted some centenary olive trees and keep their sheep and lamas on the property. Very green-minded. - Luis Gutiérrez, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

98 Points! The 2018 Cheval des Andes is a blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon fermented in small lots in 3,000- to 8,000-liter tanks and matured 40% in 225-liter oak barrels, 40% in 400-liter oak barrels and the remaining 20% in 2,500-liter oak vats for 13 months. Ninety percent of the oak used was French and the rest a blend of Austrian, Slovenian and German oak, 50% of it new. 2018 has been one of the best vintages in recent times in Mendoza, and the wine shows it. It's a cooler vintage, and the wine has improved in freshness and elegance without losing any clout. It's 14.5% alcohol and has a pH of 3.73. This is young, juicy, elegant and balanced and still has some herbal and toasted notes; it's medium to full-bodied, with the creamy and luxurious texture of the modern Bordeaux, ultra fine tannins and a long, dry and precise finish. It's still undeveloped and seems to have all the components and the balance between them for a long and positive development in bottle. With wines like this, I sometimes wish I had a time machine so I could see them in 20 years from now... I think this is the finest Cheval des Andes I've ever tasted. - Wine Advocate

97 points, Vinous' #6 Wine of 2024! Light and elegant, the 2021 Cheval des Andes is 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot. It achieves a feat that only cool years can provide: smooth texture, agile palate and just the right amount of freshness for a nuanced build. As it breathes, it begins to reveal notes of fresh cherry and plum, with a hint of menthol, maraschino cherries and a touch of pepper. It opens further with aromas of sandalwood and oak that complete the framework. This is a somewhat leaner, more ethereal Cheval than other years, but it has a higher level of precision. It's a wine inspired by Bordeaux, executed in a Bordeaux style, with Mendoza terroir. A wine without edges, it’s a polished red in the early stages of a long, balanced life. - Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous Media

98 points! The finest vintage of this wine I've tasted, the 2021 Cheval Des Andes is based on 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Malbec, and the balance Petit Verdot. It has a decidedly Bordeaux-like nose of ripe currants, leafy tobacco, cedarwood, and a kiss of flowers, with perfectly integrated background oak. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a layered, seamless mouthfeel, ripe, polished tannins, and a great finish. It has this remarkable sense of purity and class, and while it's incredible today (especially with a decant), I wouldn't be surprised to see it evolve gracefully for two decades. - Jeb Dunnuck

98 points! Complex aromas of blueberries, pie crust, fresh flowers and currant bush with hints of baking spices like nutmeg. Medium- to full-bodied with extremely fine tannins that are integrated and gorgeous. Graceful and refined, with super length. Interestingly, 20% of the wine was aged in large oak casks (2,500 liters), mostly from Slovenia. Try after 2027 but a joy to taste now. - JamesSuckling.com

98 Points! Since Gerald Gabillet's arrival in Mendoza in 2018, Cheval des Andes wines have gained in elegance and precision. In a great vintage like 2021, the results are spellbinding. Near-equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, with 3% Petit Verdot; the fruit comes from an old vineyard in Las Compuertas and a newer property in the Uco Valley. A fruity, floral wine, with minty hints and a subtle layer of oak that contributes spice and cedar notes. The palate is silky and energetic, with a vibrant freshness and polished, grippy tannins that channel it nicely into the long, perfumed finish. - Decanter Magazine Learn More

92 Points! The 2019 Cap de Faugères has tightened up a lot on the nose, showing dense black fruit, tar and graphite scents, quite Left Bank in style. The palate is much more expressive, featuring fleshy red berry fruit mixed with allspice, clove and white pepper. Persistent and quite convincing on the finish. Give it time for those aromatics to get their mojo back – which they will. - Neal Martin, Vinous Media

91 Points! The 2019 Cap de Faugeres is terrific, just as it was from bottle. Rich and expansive, the 2019 is so expressive right out of the gate. Succulent red cherry, spice, leather and tobacco all kicked up in this attractive entry-level offering from Silvio Denz. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media

55% Malbec, 45% Merlot. "According to our organic and biodynamic practices, our wines are fermented with the indigenous yeasts from the vineyard. Our goal for this Cuvée Nature is to produce a natural wine, fruit-forward and easy to drink. We achieve it through an earlier harvest, shorter maceration and aging in steel tanks as well as an early bottling to preserve fruit aromas. To better reveal the quality and beauty of our Terroir, no additives nor oenological products nor sulphites are added throughout the whole wine-making process. At the bottling, we only add 30 ppm of sulphites to ensure that this beauty is delivered to your glass."

Michael Wenzel made a very small amount of this super fresh, floral and lively wine. Born from a conversation with his importer, this is 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Chardonnay grown on Quarz and Limestone respectively. The grapes are de-stemmed and then gently crushed with 5 days skin contact. Spontaneous native yeast fermentation, One third of the wine is then aged on the lees for 14 months in Terracotta Amphora, the rest in stainless steel to maintain its bright character. Minimal sulphur added. This fun, luscious take on a Fruilian style wine makes it perfect for sipping on its own or for pairing with a wide range of dishes.

93 Points! An elegant white Cotes de Nuits with excellent fine tannins and a chalky minerality on the medium-bodied palate. Discrete red apples and crisp pear fruit are married to a forthright freshness that makes this hard to resist. Long, focused finish. From a vineyard in Corgoloin just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges. - JamesSuckling.com

PLEASE BE AWARE, THIS IS A PRE-ARRIVAL WINE - YOU WILL NOT BE CHARGED SHIPPING FEES UNTIL THE WINE(S) ARRIVE

94 Points! Intense aromas of flint, matchstick, stony minerals and dried apples and pears. Heather, too. Medium- to full-bodied with a creamy texture that caresses the palate. Already in balance. Second wine of Domaine de Chevalier. Drink this and enjoy. - JamesSuckling.com

93 Points! The 2022 L'Esprit De Chevalier Blanc is a beautifully elegant white offering juicy citrus and minty floral notes in a focused, fresh profile. Medium to full-bodied, it’s clean, balanced, and vibrant, with terrific purity and precision. It’s the second wine of the domaine yet tastes like a Grand Vin. Drink bottles over the coming decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

92 Points! The 2022 L'Esprit de Chevalier Blanc reveals a pure, delicate bouquet of pear, peach, flowers, anise and spices. Medium to full-bodied, layered and satiny, it’s ample and concentrated, framed by delicate dry extracts and bright acids that segue into a long, fresh and delicate finish. This is a real success. - Yohan Castaing, robertparker.com

La Fuerza is an artisanal vermouth project from Mendoza, created by four friends who wanted to capture the character of the Andes in a glass. The Rosado is made from Torrontés wine blended with native herbs and flowers sourced from the foothills of the mountains, resulting in a spirit that reflects both place and season.

Tasting Note:
Delicate and pink in color, it opens with fragrant notes of hibiscus, violet, and lavender, balanced by a touch of fennel and wild herbs. The palate is light and refreshing with floral tones, bright citrus, and gentle herbal depth. The finish is smooth and clean, making it ideal over ice, in a spritz, or as a fresh take on classic vermouth cocktails.

The Chemin des Moines de Vergy is a surprisingly powerful, concentrated Pinot Noir due to its low yields and its Vosne clones. The wine has all the requisite spice of its more illustrious neighbors down the hill but also carries a wonderful piquancy noting its higher elevation roots. It’s not unlike the hillside Vosne wines which are becoming all the rage now, a finer version of perhaps Petits Monts or Damaudes. The wine becomes more, ahem, Burgundian with air as the spice notes broaden and a touch of underbrush enters the fray, the perfume building and the wine getting silkier.

From the importer: With its three hectares of 85-year-old Chardonnay, the Clos des Rocs produces a Pouilly-Loché like no other. Its due-easterly exposition allows for optimal ripeness, and its iron-streaked calcareous topsoil extends a mere 30 centimeters before reaching limestone mother-rock. Aged 13 months in used barrels, this wine—in true grand-cru-like fashion—synthesizes the positive attributes of all its cellarmates: gleaming acidity, fine but tunneling minerality, and stunning concentration. With their low levels of sulfur and their open-knit generosity, Olivier’s wines are never forbidding in their youth, but this deserves some time in bottle to properly unfurl its multilayered complexity.

From Winehog: Two good friends, Eric Pignal and Loïc Lamy, have started a small wine project in a well-known cellar in Meloisey – the old cellar of the Rougeot negociant business.

Eric Pignal is the assistant winemaker of Château de Pommard, having worked before at domaines Dujac and Roulot. Loïc Lamy is currently export manager at Domaine de Montille.

93+ Points! Rivas de Tereso are parishes of San Vicente de la Sonsierra, but the difference with the 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Rivas de Tereso is that the vineyards are at higher altitude and the percentage of Garnacha is much higher here (38%), so there's more mountain character and more herbal notes in the wine. It has 57% Tempranillo and some 5% other varieties. Despite a moderate 13.95% alcohol, the nose shows good ripeness, and there is some wilderness here, perhaps a little more rusticity too. The soils are very stony and rich in limestone, and the altitude gives the wine an austere twist. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! Pretty profound nose with crushed stones, dried herbs and crushed blueberries. Dissolved, fine-grained tannins here with a full body and a lengthy, tightly wound finish. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

95 Points! The 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de Salinillas de Buradón, a parish of Labastida, was produced with a blend of 91% Tempranillo, 4% Garnacha and 5% other varieties from south-facing vineyards behind the Sierra de la Cantabria, the last vineyards that they recovered on quartz salt, gypsum and red clay soils. These are the last grapes to be picked, and the wine has 14.22% alcohol but doesn't show any heat. It comes through as serious, shy and austere, a little closed at first. The tannins are a little rustic, but the wine has a strong mineral streak that made it my favorite from the lot. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

94 Points! The 2022 Tio Uco Vino de Comarca, crafted with 90% Tinta de Toro and 10% Garnacha sourced from Paramo de la Guarena, is bottled as Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon and was aged in 2500-liter foudres. It exhibits a purple hue. Its reductive nose, reminiscent of cherries, also features plums and light vanilla. Light and fairly lean, the taut and chalky palate leads to a compact, refreshing, juicy and lasting finish. - Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous Media

97+ Points! The 2012 Champagne Clos de Goisses is true to character and is the most opulent and decadent expression. It is flush with a generous perfume and liqueur, with ripe apricot brûlée, toasted brioche, raspberry eau de vie, and saline. The palate is round and full, though light on its feet, with kirsch and a chalky texture. Its salinity makes up for the more modest acidity and contributes to a compelling and savory wine. - Audrey Frick, JebDunnuck.com, Nov 2022   

97 Points! The 2012 Extra-Brut Clos des Goisses is a Champagne of extraordinary elegance and finesse. Silky and aromatic, the 2012 impresses with its mid-weight, refined personality. Hints of kirsch, red plum, flowers and chamomile open gently in the glass. Clos des Goisses is often a rich, vinous Champagne, but the 2012 comes across as restrained and understated in all the right ways. Its aging potential will be measured in decades not years. Sadly, severe spring frost took with it a startling 50% of the crop. According to Charles Philipponnat Pinot fared better than Chardonnay. Ultimately, though, the Goisses blend is a typical two-thirds Pinot and one-third Chardonnay. Dosage is 4.5 grams per liter. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous

95 Points! Black berries, dark mushrooms, cloves and slate on the nose follow through to the palate with a medium body, soft and silky tannins and an attractive finish. Lovely tannin tension at the end. Drink or hold. - JamesSuckling.com

92+ Points! The 2020 Lindes de Remelluri Viñedos de San Vicente de la Sonsierra is more fruit-driven, primary and perfumed than most of the other bottlings, juicier, with a sensation of higher ripeness (despite having lower alcohol, 13.79%) and slightly dusty tannins. The breakdown here was 88% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha and 2% other varieties. - Luis Gutierrez, robertparker.com

92 Points! A silky, fruit-driven style, with a beam of raspberry and kirsch flavors, framed by subtle iron, sandalwood and shiso leaf hints on the edges. Stylish without sacrificing length or cut. - Wine Spectator

91 Points! The most accessible of the three is the 2013 Chateauneuf du Pape Mourre des Perdrix (64% Grenache, 18% Syrah and 18% Mourvèdre), which offers fresh, elegant notes of raspberries, black cherries, lots of sappy herbs and peppery spice in a medium-bodied, elegant and seamless style. - Jeb Dunnuck, robertparker.com

93-95 Points! The 2020 Gigondas Clos Des Tourelles should be a step up. Medium to full-bodied, pure, and remarkably well-balanced, it has a terrific mix of red and almost blue fruits as well as peppery herbs and flowers. Already complex and nuanced, yet concentrated and rich, it’s a serious effort from the Perrin family that’s going to have 15+ years of overall longevity. - Jeb Dunnuck

96 Points! The 2016 Les Forts de Latour is the clear highlight among these new releases from Latour. The first thing that is evident about the 2016 is the pedigree of the vintage. Undisputedly great. Readers will find a potent, dark Forts de Latour endowed with massive concentration and tons of depth. The 2016 won't be ready to drink anytime soon, but it holds tons of promise. Hints of gravel, sage, licorice and pencil shavings linger. The 2016 was impressive a few years ago. It is even better today. - Antonio Galloni, Vinous Media 2022

96 Points! The fresh currant and violet aromas are so complex and beautiful on the nose. Full body, ultra-refined tannins and lovely tannin tension. Shows focus and such finesse. Beautiful finish. Try after 2024. - JamesSuckling.com