Nieto Senetiner Malbec 2017
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James
Suckling
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The 2017 Malbec is a deeply colored wine that offers aromas of ripe red fruits and plum with hints of vanilla. On the palate, black cherries and berry fruit mingle with hints of spice and earth. The long finish and smooth tannins make this wine an ideal partner for grilled meat, pasta with red sauce, or veal.
This Malbec includes fruit from three estate vineyards: Vistalba, Agrelo, and Vistaflores vineyards. These sites range in elevation from 2,900 - 3,500 ft. and are located at the base of the Andes Mountains. With a warm, dry climate and cold nights, the Vistalba Vineyard produces deep colored grapes with strong tannins that are grown in clay loam soils. The Agrelo Vineyard is subject to significant diurnal temperature swings that provide the fruit with aromas of ripe, red berries and plums. The Vistaflores Vineyard, which is a mixture of loam, sand and rocky soils, also experiences large temperature swings from day to night. This dramatic climate shift delivers fruit with higher acidity, spicy aromas, and provides balance and elegance to this Malbec blend.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Stacks of blackberry aromas and a hint of earth plus healthy tannins make this a standout wine in this category. The finish is both warm and crisp. A flexible food wine.
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Nieto Senetiner is one of Mendoza’s oldest wineries, founded in 1888 when Italian immigrants planted the first vineyards in Vistalba, a sub-region in Mendoza’s primera zona Luján de Cuyo. Since then, Nieto has produced exceptional wines from classic Argentine varietals that thrive in the unique, high altitude terroir of the Andean foothills.
Sourcing fruit from its three long-standing estate vineyards in Luján de Cuyo (Vistalba, Agrelo, and Alto Agrelo) and premier sites in the Uco Valley, today Nieto produces some of Argentina’s most consistently awarded Malbecs.
Nieto’s signature Malbec showcases fruit exclusively from Luján de Cuyo vineyards. Its Don Nicanor wines are produced at the historic winery in Vistalba using fruit selected from sites in Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley to create a more elegant and intense Malbec style.
In addition to its rich heritage, Nieto is investing in the future with sustainable winemaking practices, and under the guidance of a young, innovative winemaking team led by Santiago Mayorga and consultant Paul Hobbs.
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.
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.