International Wine

In these post-Mondovino days, "international" winemaking gets a bad rap. But open-minded enophiles should open a bottle of Cheval Des Andes, a wine from Bordeaux' Cheval Blanc, one of the most prestigious and highly acclaimed chateaux in France, and Terrazas de los Andes, owned by an old Argentine wine-producing family, and judge for themselves. The vineyard is near Mendoza and the wine, produced only in superior vintages since 1999, is a Bordeaux-style blend with a heavy dose of Malbec, the grape that originated as a supporting player in Bordeaux but has gone on to leading man status in that Latin American country. Providing French cred is winemaker Nicolas Audebert, who worked for Krug Champagne and others before heading to Argentina, bringing many years of French training and tradition with him. This opulent wine is one of South America's most most notable, and the '04 will be soon be on store shelves and wine lists of top restaurants.