Winemaker Notes
Blend: 60% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Incredibly floral and bright with dried berry, violet and lilac on the nose. Full to medium body with a beautiful texture of ripe tannins. Very polished tannins. Harmony and finesse here. Very late harvest delivered unique character. 50% aged in concrete and 50% in French barrel, 20% new.
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Wine Enthusiast
Rooty spicy aromas of earthy berry and leather give this Malbec-Cabernet blend a sense of quality from early on. A fully ripe but pure palate has some juice to it, while flavors of black currant, black plum, blackberry and chocolate aren't just heavy and oaky. True on the finish; drink through 2023. Cellar Selection.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I tasted two vintages of the Amancaya and Caro labels, from 2013 and 2014, and I noticet much more focused aromas and a cleaner profile in the 2014s. The 2013 Amancaya had some strong aromas of tempera paint, fountain pen ink, licorice and singed leather, which to me it kind of blurs the character of the wine. The palate is medium-bodied, with abundant, fine-grained tannins and an austere, dry finish, with good freshness. There is less oak here, as part of the wine is kept in cement vats and is completely unoaked. They blend grapes from Altamira, Gualtallary and Agrelo, with around one-third Cabernet Sauvignon and two-thirds Malbec. Rating: 90+
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.