Winemaker Notes
A deep red blend with rich aromas of black berries. Rich, smooth and elegant with a lingering finish given by the integration of the wine’s three varietals.
Pair with rich flavors like braised meats, osso bucco, mushroom sauces, and sharp, nutty cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A consistently outstanding red blend featuring malbec, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. The cocoa powder and spice notes from the oak are adequate and certainly just supplementary to the healthy core of fresh, peppery blackberries and dark cherries with a touch of graphite. Medium- to full-bodied with firm, dusty tannins, showing fresh, intense black and blue fruit with violets and dark chocolate lingering in a lengthy finish. A great value. Vegan.
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Vinous
The 2021 Privada Family Blend is a blend of 40% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot sourced from Luján de Cuyo. Aged for 16 months in oak barrels, this purple wine presents ripe aromas of blackberry and plums, complemented by a faint balsamic whiff against a cedar backdrop. Dry, rich and plush, the velvety and juicy palate lingers long with a tasty finish. This is an intense, fruit-forward and balanced Luján de Cuyo wine from a cold vintage.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There's better integration of the oak and better balance, harmony and elegance in the 2021 Privada Family Blend. It was produced with 40% Malbec and 30% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from vineyards in Luján de Cuyo. It feels very integrated, with each variety adding aromas and flavors and coming through as complex and powerful. This has to be one of the finest vintages for this bottling. Maybe they used less new barrels.
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Wine Spectator
Up-front notes of vanilla and cocoa bean fold into a well-contoured core of plum and berry flavors, which takes on additional layers of cassis and chocolate. Ends with polished tannins, showing nice length. Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2034. 960 cases imported.
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.