Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Aromas of currant, strawberry, and violets. Full body, with firm tannins and a savory finish. Very delicious now. Why wait? A blend of malbec, merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot.
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Wine Spectator
This dark, compact red leads with a floral note to the racy cassis and cherry puree fruit, well-integrated with fine tannins and bright acidity. Offers a long finish of fruit, mineral and tobacco. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
Who says Malbec cannot be both elegant and outstanding? Well, they are wrong! The superb 2011 Achával-Ferrer Quimera is simply a food lovers' wine. When I drank a full glass (nearly 8 ounces of this wine with famed Chef Chris Cosentino's Zampini (spicy sausage) & Clams with Roasted Corn and Tomato I was absolutely transformed in time. Just tasting the wine was really grand, but when joined with this dish, it became pure magic! Deep ruby color, vivid and pure red currant aromas, persistent and fine; medium bodied, racy, and focused on the palate; long, red fruit finish. (Tasted: August 3, 2015, San Francisco, CA)
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.