Susana Balbo Signature Malbec 2013
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Winemaker Notes
Pairs well with a wide range of foods from beef and pork to game birds or even meat-based pastas. This is what Malbec is all about.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very refined red with fine tannins, dark chocolate and dark fruits. Full-bodied, tight and pretty. Lovely tannin and fruit tension in this wine.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2013 Susana Balbo Signature Malbec is from Altamira, from the same vineyard where the Torrontés is grown. The wine ferments in a combination of rolling barriques, egg-shaped cement vats, oak vat and open barrels before being blended and put in barrels where the wine matures for 11 months. Some of the barrels have a higher toast level and it gives the wine a little bit of dark chocolate aromas that are quite popular, but to me standardizes the nose a little bit. But there is a nice core of violets and cherries, perfectly ripe, keeping the freshness, while the spice notes of cinnamon and vanilla are quite sweet and complimented by hints of smoke and licorice. The palate is very tasty, with pungent, penetrating flavors, fine-grained tannins and supple flavors. 2013 feels like a very nice vintage. Hold it for one more year to finish integrating those oak aromas.
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Wine Spectator
An intense and vibrant style, with concentrated red raspberry and dark plum flavors, loaded with Asian spice notes. Delivers floral accents midpalate, with a powerful finish of dark chocolate. Drink now through 2020. 8,000 cases made.
Other Vintages
2020-
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Susana Balbo graduated from Don Bosco University in Mendoza in 1981 and established herself as Argentina’s first female enologist and, since then, has been considered one of Argentina’s top winemakers. Three times her industry peers elected her to the Presidency of Wines of Argentina because of her work ethic, innovative winemaking techniques and dedication to the worldwide success of Argentine wine.
After working for twenty years as a consulting winemaker, Susana founded her own brand in 2000. In 2001, she broke ground for her winery in Agrelo in the Luján de Cuyo district of Mendoza. There, she makes her Susana Balbo “Signature” line of wines, as well as wines under the Crios, Nosotros and BenMarco labels. Her winemaking approach for the wines that bear her name is to seamlessly apply her human touch and enhance the grape’s innate character.
Over several decades of winemaking in Argentina, Susana has earned a reputation for a pioneering spirit and innovation. She is known for experimenting with various barrel sizes and aging regimens, fermentation of wine in egg-shaped concrete fermenters, and wild yeast fermentations. The Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez dubbed her groundbreaking barrel-fermented Torrontés one of the “10 Argentine Wines to Drink before You Die.”
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.