O VINARIJI / ABOUT THE WINERY
Cheval de Andes je argentinski projekt iz Saint-Emilion’s Ch. Cheval Blanc i Terrazas de los Andes. Slavi stare klonove Malbeca koji su nekoć pronađeni u Bordeauxu, ali žive u Argentini. Pierre Lurton – izvršni direktor Cheval Blanca – bio je u posjetu Argentini kasnih 1990-ih kada je imao priliku kupiti parcelu necijepljenog malbeca zasađenog 1929. godine, priliku za proizvodnju vina koje ima svoje korijene u Bordeauxu, ali se tamo više nije moglo proizvoditi. . Odlučio je surađivati s Robertom de la Motom – vinarom iza Terrazas de los Andes – kako bi napravio vrhunska vina koja bi dokazala kvalitetu moguću u Argentini.
Prije filoksere, Malbec je činio gotovo 40% vinograda u Bordeauxu, ali danas igra sporednu ulogu u regiji. Međutim, klon Malbeca koji je izvorno zasađen u Bordeauxu izvezen je u Argentinu 1852. godine i nastavlja se razmnožavati u regiji. Upravo je otkriće ove loze inspiriralo Cheval des Andes.
Ovdje je naglasak na radu u vinogradu, pri čemu je Cheval Blanc posvetio strogu pozornost detaljima primijenjenom na njihov argentinski pothvat. Povijesno gledano, ova preciznost nije nužno slijedila u vinariji, no od 2012. godine tim za proizvodnju vina Cheval Blanca postao je više uključen; blisko surađujući s tehničkim direktorom Cheval des Andes i Géraldom Gabilletom iz Bordeauxa i proizvodeći sve finija vina.
Vino je mješavina Malbeca, Cabernet Sauvignona i Petit Verdota – napravljeno prema riječima Pierrea Lurtona da bude “egzotično vino s bordelaisovim dodirom”.
Cheval de Andes is the Argentinian project from Saint-Emilion’s Ch. Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes. It celebrates the old clones of Malbec that were once found in Bordeaux but live on in Argentina. Pierre Lurton – CEO of Cheval Blanc – was visiting Argentina in the late 1990s when he had the chance to purchase a plot of ungrafted Malbec planted in 1929, an opportunity to produce a wine that had its roots in Bordeaux but could no longer be made there. He decided to work with Roberto de la Mota – the winemaker behind Terrazas de los Andes – to craft world-class wines that would prove the quality possible in Argentina.
Before phylloxera, Malbec made up nearly 40% of vineyards in Bordeaux, but today it plays a minor role in the region. The Malbec clone that was originally planted in Bordeaux was exported to Argentina in 1852, however, and continues to be propagated in the region. It was the discovery of these vines that inspired Cheval des Andes.
Emphasis here is on work in the vineyard, with Cheval Blanc’s stringent attention to detail applied to their Argentinian venture. Historically, this precision wasn’t necessarily followed through in the winery, however from 2012, the winemaking team at Cheval Blanc have become more involved; working closely with Cheval des Andes Technical Director and Bordeaux native Gérald Gabillet and producing increasingly fine wines.
The wine is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot – made in Pierre Lurton’s words to be “an exotic wine with a Bordelais touch”.
