Winemaker Notes
Deep red color with ruby notes. Fruit aromas, such as blackberries and raspberries, are combined with spiced notes and mint. The wine has great concentration, which can be attributed to the intense fruit and elegant character.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Plush black fruit and oak spices with tar, cocoa powder and espresso beans on the nose. Very ripe dark fruit on the crunchy, lightly chewy palate with lots of substance, before ending in a lengthy, spicy finish. Just slightly warming. A blend of 60% malbec and 40% cabernet franc. Drink or hold.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The classical 2018 Lote Negro, a blend of Malbec with 40% Cabernet Franc from Los Chacayes and Altamira, respectively, is still young and undeveloped and needed time in the glass to unfurl its nice aromas of ripe berries, herbs and spices with a combination of ripeness and herbal freshness. It has deep flavors and a dense texture with grainy and chalky tannins.
-
Wine & Spirits
Initially, this blend of malbec and cabernet franc seemed unresolved, with rosy florals and red fruit bolstered by alcohol. After a day open, it settles into itself, showcasing more powerful blue fruit with a prickle of spice on the edges that keeps the final impression in the savory camp. Some perfumed herbal notes come through on the finish, adding detail to the power and length. Open it alongside a big spread for a leisurely dinner, lettuce and herb salads, empanadas and a roast beef main course.
-
Wine Enthusiast
This full-bodied and concentrated wine offers earthy berry and plum aromas. It has nice acidity and silky tannins. Black and red fruit blend with pleasant oaky flavors, leading to a lingering finish with tobacco notes.
-
Wine Spectator
Refined and well-structured, with mineral-inflected flavors of dried red currant and raspberry that are backed by firm acidity and crisp tannins. Savory richness extends on the structured finish. Malbec and Cabernet Franc.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
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.