Winemaker Notes
Altocedro means “tall cedar,” and represents both winemaker and owner Karim Mussi Saffie's Lebanese-Argentine heritage, and a cedar tree which towers over the winery.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Energetic blueberry and blackberry aromas, with abundant spice, red cherry blossom and a lovely purity. Fine textured and elegant.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Produced with grapes from vineyards in different subzones of La Consulta in the Valle de Uco, the 2017 Año Cero Malbec fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats, and one-third of the volume matured in French oak barrels for ten months. It mixes four different wines, fermented and kept separate until after malolactic, so there is a palette of wines to play with and handle the different years, which also adds complexity. It has very good freshness and notes of beef blood and iron, not too showy, more subtle and reticent, slowly developing some floral aromas. Like the other wines in this range, it shows very good varietal characteristics, and in the unusual 2016 vintage, it shows great freshness and almost no oak impact. The palate is juicy, fresh and tasty, with almost unnoticeable tannins. Delicious.
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Wine Enthusiast
Clear-cut black cherry and cassis aromas are tight and not overtly oaky. A tight, drawing palate is dry as a bone for Malbec, and nicely focused. Savory berry and plum flavors are lightly peppery prior to an intense finish, with gripping tannins and minerality.
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James Suckling
A dark and dramatic malbec. Some chocolate as well as a ton of mulberry and plum fruit. A big, very ripe wine that has a lot to offer, but might be too much for some.
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.