Bodega Calle Alberti 154 Reserva Malbec 2014
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Winemaker Notes
Other Vintages
2017-
Parker
Robert
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Wong
Wilfred
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Suckling
James -
Spirits
Wine &
Bodega Calle places great emphasis on gently crafting wines with regional distinction and grand personality. A small-lot, gravity-flow, red wine production studio, Bodega Calle concentrates on varietal wines and premium red blends sourced from viticultural areas throughout Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco. Located in the restored Claudio Erice winery, originally built in 1925, Bodega Calle opened in 2001.
All wines are made with the use of gravity, never pumped, to deliver the grapes to the fermentation tanks. Grapes are farmed without the use of herbicides or pesticides, are hand-picked and sorted and vinified using native yeasts. The winery has been inducted to the DOC of Luján de Cuyo, the 5th winery ever to be admitted. Kirk Ermisch is its principal owner and general manager.
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.