Winemaker Notes
Intense red color with purplish hues. In the nose, it is an expressive wine with ripe black fruits, violets, spices and tobacco. In the mouth, it is wide and fleshy with alingering finish.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Reserva Malbec is approximately 60% grapes from Valle de Uco and 40% from Luján de Cuyo, and in this vintage, they removed the new oak from the élevage so that it is now exclusively in used 225-liter oak barrels. There are more grapes from Uco, and in this cooler, rainier year, the wine comes through as balanced, serious and juicy, with varietal character, fine tannins and balanced acidity. They had a short 2015 harvest and produced less in 2016, so they sold two vintages in one year.
Rating: 90+
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.