Vina Alicia Paso de Piedra Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
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Robert
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Ditto for the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso de Piedra which received the same elevage. It exhibits an enticing nose of spice box, cassis, black currant, cedar, and tobacco. Elegant on the palate, it has lots of sweet fruit, excellent depth, savory flavors, impeccable balance, and a lengthy finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Initial aromas of tire rubber, smoke, black fruits and leather are good and rich, but in a common, understandable way. Smooth and chunky on the palate, with warmth and flavors of blackberry, fig paste and chocolate. Finishes roasted and dark. A through Argentine Cabernet with no glaring weaknesses.
Other Vintages
2013-
James
Suckling
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James
Suckling
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Robert
Parker
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Wine
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Robert
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Alicia Arizu established Viña Alicia in 1996. With 25 years of research in both viticulture and wine making, she dedicated herself to creating Mendoza's most elegant wines from vineyards that have been in her family for 3 generations in Mendoza's Lujan de Cuyo.
Viña Alicia has two vineyards: "San Alberto" and "Viña Alicia" in Lujan de Cuyo. The geographical location, the type of soil and the regional climate place these lands among the most wanted lands of the world. Climate is template, Mediterranean, dry and the scarce rainfalls (180 mm, annual average) add up to the ideal conditions for vine growing. The soil origin is alluvial and has a loam-silty to sandy texture. Water for irrigation comes from the snow break in the high mountains of the Los Andes mountain range, through a unique irrigation system in the world. All these benefits plus water management according to the actual growing needs in terms of frequency and quantity make Lujan de Cuyo the first viticulture zone in Argentina.
Argentina of course is heralded for its Malbecs. But in the last two decades Cabernet Sauvignon has been drawing increased attention from winemakers there, and is now the third most planted variety. It is grown in the Mendoza region in the Andean foothills, especially in Maipú and Luján de Cuyo, at altitudes between 2300 and 3100 feet. Here the climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. It is very dry and sometimes quite windy, with runoff from the snow-capped Andes providing irrigation. These Argentinian Cabernets offer dark fruit, spice notes, full body and often a voluptuous style.
Another source within Mendoza is the higher altitude Uco Valley, at 3300 to 5000 feet. Up at this level grapes ripen more slowly, despite the bright sun. But that enables them to develop bright acidity levels, giving the wines a fresh quality to go with intense fruit flavors. Another source of good Cabernet Sauvignon in Argentina is Cafayate, in the Calchaquí Valley. North of Mendoza, these vineyards are even higher, at about 5700 feet! These Cabernets carry notes of spice, herbs and menthol to go with dark fruit. Like those from Uco Valley, they show concentration and great vibrancy.
A few producers to look for are Catena, Viña Cobos, Pulenta and Altocedro. Salud!