Very perfumed aromas of crushed berries such as raspberries and lemon rind. Plenty of flowers and sandalwood, too. Full body, very fine tannins and focus with a lovely, ethereal sensibility, which gives it balance and freshness. I love the energy and precision. It's all about subtlety. Despite the slightly difficult weather, this is a masterpiece in harmony. Drink in 2020 and onwards.

I retasted the 2015 Cheval des Andes, a blend of 69% Malbec and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, not that different from the current 2017. In fact, the alcohol levels and acidity are also pretty similar, and the wines have some parallels. This is clearly the ripest and more tannic of the three vintages tasted together—2015, 2016 and 2017—a comparative tasting that shows the evolution of their work beyond the style of the vintage. Having said that, the wines show the character of the year more and more; they are more transparent and reflect the style of the vintage in a more precise way. 57,000 bottles and 1,900 magnums. It was bottled in December 2016.- LG

Dark ruby-red. Musky, wild aromas of black raspberry, boysenberry, espresso, licorice and sexy spices. Fat, plush and sweet but also savory, offering fully ripe, dense flavors of dark raspberry, blueberry, olive tapenade and smoky minerality. Quite broad and round, even if it can't quite match the 2016 for complexity or grip. Spreads out on the ripely tannic, classically dry finish to coat the mouth with black and purple fruits. This wine actually began a bit bound-up compared to the more generous 2016 but softened nicely with aeration. I suspect the '16 will enjoy a longer life span. (aged in 35% new and 65% once-used French oak barrels, mostly barriques) -- Stephen Tanzer