Winemaker Notes
Ruby red with slight hints of terracotta. Deep and dark. The colored tears on the glass denote a very good structure. Spicy. The pepper and roasted red peppers stand out, as do the notes of smoke, oak and tobacco. Intense and persistent. Elegant and balanced taste, with mature and highly attractive tannins. Notes of black fruit, spices and chocolate stand out.
Ideal to serve with dishes prepared with red meats and game cooked in a plow disc, stews and hard cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Sweet tobacco, grilled red peppers, ripe currants and berries on the nose. Nicely fluid and firm, with juicy fruit and some chewy tannins.
Argentina of course is heralded for its Malbecs. But in the last two decades Cabernet Sauvignon has been drawing increased attention from winemakers there, and is now the third most planted variety. It is grown in the Mendoza region in the Andean foothills, especially in Maipú and Luján de Cuyo, at altitudes between 2300 and 3100 feet. Here the climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters. It is very dry and sometimes quite windy, with runoff from the snow-capped Andes providing irrigation. These Argentinian Cabernets offer dark fruit, spice notes, full body and often a voluptuous style.
Another source within Mendoza is the higher altitude Uco Valley, at 3300 to 5000 feet. Up at this level grapes ripen more slowly, despite the bright sun. But that enables them to develop bright acidity levels, giving the wines a fresh quality to go with intense fruit flavors. Another source of good Cabernet Sauvignon in Argentina is Cafayate, in the Calchaquí Valley. North of Mendoza, these vineyards are even higher, at about 5700 feet! These Cabernets carry notes of spice, herbs and menthol to go with dark fruit. Like those from Uco Valley, they show concentration and great vibrancy.
A few producers to look for are Catena, Viña Cobos, Pulenta and Altocedro. Salud!