Altocedro La Consulta Select 2018
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The Somm
Journal -
Robert
Parker -
Wilfred
Wong
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 37% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, 10% Tempranillo, 5% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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The Somm Journal
We were wowed by this blend of 40% Malbec, 19% Syrah, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Tempranillo, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Merlot grown on vineyards at 3,330 feet above sea level and aged eight months in (70% new) French oak barrels. Graphite and espresso notes are drying at first, but the palate then opens up like a wide double door, leading to velvety notes of big, bold, and tarry fruit. Blackberry preserves peek through black walnut and plum tannins.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2018 La Consulta Select is a co-fermentation of 37% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, 10% Tempranillo and 5% Syrah, all aged in second and third use French oak barrels for 12 months. It's floral and harmonious, complex and nuanced, with nice integration of the different varieties and the wine with the oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins and a balanced palate with nice texture and a chalky mouthfeel. Rating: 91+
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Altocedro La Consulta Select is a lovely and complex red wine that shows excellent layers on the palate. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers rich, black fruit aromas in its aromas and flavors. Pair it with a grilled, well-marbled ribeye. (Tasted: May 25, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
Other Vintages
2019- Vinous
The winery of Altocedro is located in the growing region of La Consulta, Valle de Uco, Mendoza. This is one of the premier Argentine growing zones. Limited production with sustainable growing practices make the Altocedro wines a cult-type wine in Argentina. Winemaker Karim Mussi Saffie focuses on producing terroir-driven wines.
All harvesting, sorting, and crushing are done in individual batches by hand using no machinery in the process. The vines range up to 70 years of age, with only 1,600 plants per acre, and strict harvesting of only 1.2 kg of grapes per vine. The extract is done with a gravity flow system developed at the winery over 100 years ago.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.