Achaval Ferrer Quimera 2013
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Sourced from a diversity of places in the province of Mendoza, the 2013 Quimera is a blend of different red grapes, a mixture that is more or less constant across vintages, 50% Malbec, 24% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine matures in brand new French oak barrels, but in 2013 the change is about the size of the barrels that was the result of an internal investigation they have been conducting in the winery. In 2011 they started experimenting with different sizes but from the same cooper. They bought larger and smaller barrels and they were surprised that smaller barrels gave more expressive fruit, so they started using 160-liter oak barrels. I had never heard this before, and in fact Santiago Achaval tells me this has not worked with his wines from California, but in Achaval-Ferrer half of the barrels are now 160-liter! The barrels work well up to three uses, and he thinks it's because the juicy wines from Mendoza have a stronger demand for aeration and the wine benefits from a higher ratio of wood-to-wine because of how much oxygen the wine demands. The nose has no trace of wood, and it's eminently floral. The palate has electric acidity, acid strawberries, it makes you salivate, makes you long for the next sip. Simply delicious. The best Quimera I've tasted. The wine will not be released until March 2016. 60,000 bottles were produced. Bottled in September 2014.
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James Suckling
A very soft and floral character here with medium to full body, bright fine tannins and a fresh and silky finish. Lovely now. Tangy and lively. A blend of mostly malbec, cabernet franc, merlot, and sauvignon. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
An exotic style, with effusive notes of dark chocolate to the flavors of dark plum and dried raspberry. Hints of paprika show on the finish, along with some cedary accents. Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2018.
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Founded in 1998, Achaval-Ferrer is a team of friends who dream about great wines. Achaval-Ferrer is also a collection of old vineyards in beautiful places. They are committed to the production of wines that are expressive of their terroir. They are a small winery because this is the key to top quality. Low yields allow the vineyards to express their personality in the grapes. Low intervention winemaking allows the grapes to fully express their vineyard in the bottle. Each of their wines is a different expresson of Malbec: The Mendoza Malbec is about varietal tipicity. Their Quimera blend is about Malbec as the key to complexity and balance. And their Fincas (Single Vineyards) are about how Malbec expresses different soils and microclimates.
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.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.