Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The nose of the 2014 Malbec is remarkably similar to the 2013 showing high-pitched aromas of wild berries and flowers. Its in the palate where you find a little more savoriness, perhaps more spicy flavors with a slightly bitter finish. It's a blend of grapes from different location across Mendoza that represents very well what is the Achával-Ferrer interpretation of Malbec.
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James Suckling
This is so savory and subtle with lemon and blackberry character. Full-bodied, yet dense and refined. Such beauty. Pure.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2014 Achaval Ferrer Malbec offers bright red fruit flavors. As one of Argentina's most consistent super-premium Malbecs, this wine defines the category well. The wine's energetic aftertaste marries it well with mildly-spiced rotisserie chicken. Drinks well now. (Tasted: September 7, 2016, San Francisco, CA)
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.