Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Extremely beautiful aromas of dried flower, currant, fresh leather and some tar. Full body with silky tannins that give a beautiful texture that leads to ripe currant, orange peel and incense. Complex and complete. 50% malbec from Agrelo and 50% cabernet sauvignon from Valle de Uco. So beautiful now but will age gracefully.
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Decanter
It is a complex wine with a rich ruby-red colour and aromas of ripe red fruit, liquorice, blackcurrant and graphite alongside a hint of anise. The oak contributes a toasty layer. On the palate, it’s flavoursome with a good body and moderate freshness. The tannins are still firm and a touch astringent. The finish is lengthy with a lingering, spicy aftertaste. In 2013, Caro was a 50-50 blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley. Aged for 18 months in barrels from the DBR Lafite cooperage.
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Wine & Spirits
This is one of the best vintages of Caro, the joint venture between the Catena family of Mendoza and Lafite from Bordeaux. Half of the wine is cabernet sauvignon from Altamira, in the heights of Uco Valley, providing a firm structure, the other half is malbec from old vines in Las Campuertas, adding all the notes of violets and sour cherries that one can find in the best Luján de Cuyo malbec. The red fruit and floral notes outline the contours of a wine that seems athletic and tight rather than fat. Cellar this for five years or more; it will continue to gain in complexity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
As I saw with Amancaya, the 2013 Caro, which is the flagship wine and a blend of 50/50 Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, had some faint animal aromas intermixed with red and black cherries and a spicy twist, some hints of roasted sesame seeds and smoke. They have been progressively lowering the amount of new oak used, which was about 65% in 2013. In 2016, the wine was sourced exclusively from Altamira, but in 2013 it was still Malbec from a very old vineyard in Las Compuertas and Cabernet Sauvignon from Altamira. 30,000 bottles were filled after 18 months in oak, in December two years after the harvest. Rating: 91+
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Wine Spectator
Offers a spicy nose, with flavors of dark plum, blackberry and currant, accented by plenty of Asian spice notes. Chocolate and dried mint details show on the lithe finish, accented by hints of curry. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2019.
CARO was born of the alliance between two wine cultures (French and Argentine), two noble grape varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec), and two renowned wine families, Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and Nicolás Catena. Vignerons since the 19th century, these two powerful organizations have combined their deep knowledge of Mendoza's high altitude terroir and the art of winemaking to create a unique wine: CARO. Two noble grapes, two families, one dear and elegant wine.
The idea of forming a partnership between Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) and the Catena family was born in 1999. Initial enthusiasm quickly became a concrete plan to produce a single wine that would combine French and Argentine cultures and the two signature grapes of each producer, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Catena family has produced wine for three generations. Consequently, it was able to draw on its vast knowledge of the high altitude terroirs of the Mendoza region as well as its passion for Malbec to find the best vineyards. DBR (Lafite) contributed its centuries-old skills in growing, vinifying and ageing great Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as its know-how in blending different grape varieties to produce one wine that is greater than the sum of its parts.
The vineyard locations for the Cabernet Sauvignon are 40% from a 20-year-old vineyard in Agrelo, a region 3,117 feet in elevation, and 10% from 30-year old vines in El Cepillo la Consulta, with an elevation of 3,773 feet. The vineyard locations for Malbec are 10% from a 12 year old vineyard in Tupungato at 4,593 feet elevation and also 40% from a 53-year-old vineyard in Vistalba, at 3,609 feet elevation. Throughout the season we monitor the vineyard technique, irrigation management and bud thinning to ensure low yields in balance with the canopy, good ventilation and illumination.
Previously CEO of Bodegas Argento S.A., Estate Manager Philippe Rolet began his career at Domaine William Fèvre, (France) before joining the Alta Vista Group in Mendoza where he was CEO and President. Aged 46, he holds a French Management degree and is today at the head of the French Honorary Consulate in Mendoza.
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.