FRANCE
• Premier Gran Cru Class” A”. Founded in 1832
• One of two classified “Premier Gran Cru” Class A in Saint Émilion, France.
• A bottle of Cheval Blanc (1947 vintage) was recently auctioned at Christies’ for U$S109,324.
ARGENTINA
• Top ranked Argentine Malbec over the past 10 years (1994-2004, Wine Spectator Top 100), Top 20 Global Value Vintner (Wine Spectator 2005).
• Eighteen 90+pt, or 5 Star, rankings: Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Decanter.
• Backed by 45 years of Argentine winemaking and pioneering work in winemaking with grapes sourced from vineyards at the ideal altitude for each variety.
The joint venture between Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de los Andes, notably the first and only one ever for Cheval Blanc, originated as Pierre Lurton, Cheval Blanc’s Director, sought out a special terroir outside France in which to apply the deep and historical knowledge of blending.
Lurton was captivated by the idea of unearthing a connection with Saint Èmilion’s past, as he found 76-year-old pre-phylloxera Malbec vines, producing some of the world’s best wines.
Along with this discovery, an ambitious vision to forge a new path in international winemaking in Argentina emerged. Cheval Blanc’s reconnection with its past came into being when the first bottle of Cheval des Andes was launched in 2003.
