Winemaker Notes
Aromas of cassis with mint notes and oak. Medium-bodied and classically structured with good density. The Cabernet fruit melds seamlessly with the Malbec, creating a well-structured and balanced blend with moderate tannins and a lengthy finish.
This blend will pair well with any Cab-friendly dishes such as steak, pork, lamb, and strong cheeses. It can handle any dish with cream or butter sauces.
Blend: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Cassis, cooked cherries, blackberry jam, dried herbs, gravy and mushrooms on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, ripe tannins. Rich, fleshy and flavorful. Espresso notes on the finish.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
They describe the 2020 Beso de Dante as a Malbec with a kiss of Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a powerful and ripe red blend, floral and herbal, and it feels very integrated and with freshness and balance, which is remarkable for the warm and dry year.
-
Vinous
The 2020 Beso de Dante is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc (from Paraje Altamira, La Consulta and Pampa El Cepillo, Uco Valley) all the grapes coming from old vines. The multifaceted nose offers notes of blackcurrant, herbs, hints of mint and traces of roasted red pepper and ash. It’s creamy and unctuous in feel before the tannins from the different varieties tighten things up with sharp acidity that will mellow in time. Ends with a bold finish.
-
Wine Enthusiast
Give this wine a few minutes to open up. When it does, cinnamon and black pepper followed by cherry, plum and strawberry emerge from the glass. On the palate, it's full-bodied with ripe tannins and rich plum and cherry. Toasted oak flavors are intense, but medium acidity manages to balance it all out.
Laura Catena is a fourth generation winemaker who grew up in a traditional Argentine-Italian winemaking family in Mendoza. Laura splits her time between Mendoza and San Francisco, California, where she is an emergency physician, university professor and occasional tango dancer. Laura had the vision of creating a new breed of Argentine wines: small quantities, artisan quality, and true to their individual terroirs. A pioneer of small-grower relations in Mendoza, Laura's incredible, limited production wines come from some of Argentina's best fruit from low-yield, high-elevation, family-owned vineyards. The wines are named after her children - Luca, Dante and Nicola - and symbolize her love for her family. The background of the label is the McDermott coat of arms of her American husband, Daniel McDermott.
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.