Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Paz Levinson: What a fantastic expression of La Consulta, with ripe fruit and intense flavours of cassis and blueberries. A delicious Malbec to drink slightly chilled with boudin noir. Patricio Tapia: Radiant red fruit character. This is refreshing and poised on the palate, with a layer of nervy tannins and a bright, fruity finish.
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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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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2017 Altocedro Reserve Old Vine Malbec drinks pleasingly with an attractive and sturdy finish. TASTING NOTES: This wine offers aromas and flavors of black fruit and savory spices. Enjoy it with an old-fashioned beef stew with a generous addition of potatoes and carrots. (Tasted: May 25, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
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James Suckling
Ripe red-plum and currant aromas lead to a palate that has a smooth array of ripe tannins that carry plum-paste and black-tea flavors into the smooth finish.
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.