Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Grande Reserva Malbec is sourced from two dry-farmed vineyards in Maule, one of them the Constanza Vineyard they also bottle separately. The destemmed grapes fermented in cement vats with indigenous yeasts. After fermenting, half of the wine was put into 225-liter French oak barrels and the other half into 600-liter barrels to diminish the effect of the oak in the wine, which matured for nine months before bottling unfiltered in August 2015. This élevage is designed to provide the pure expression of the variety and the terroir. The nose was really singing with all the telltale Malbec aromas, flowers (violets), wild raspberries, a touch of sweet spices and a lactic hint denoting youth with some echoes of toffee that will get integrated with a little bit of time in bottle. The palate is medium-bodied, with a terse texture, great vivacity and acidity, with the characteristic granitic minerality and some grainy tannins that would also welcome some polishing in bottle and/or some food. This is great value and a perfect example of what Malbec can deliver in Maule.
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.
Maule is the Central Valley’s most southern and coolest zone, reaching a southern latitude of 35°S, yet it is still warmer and drier than Bío-Bío to its south. The Maule Valley enjoys success with a unique set of grapes.
It lays claim to the local variety, Pais (synonymous with Tinta Pais, which is actually Tempranillo), which has dominated much of the region’s area under vine until the recent past. Now many growers, not confined by the tradition and regulations of the Old World, also successfully grow Cabernet Sauvignon.
While Maule’s total area under vine remains relatively static, its old Carignan vineyards are undergoing a great revival. The VIGNO (Vignadores del Carignan Vintners) group, an association in charge of promoting this long-forgotten variety, is getting fantastic results from the old vines in its dry-farmed coastal zones.
The Maule includes the subregions of Talca, San Clemente, San Javier, Parral, Linares and Cauquenes.