Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There is also a 2016 Malbec that is super floral and fruit driven, with a sense of warmth and juiciness, quite opposite to a mineral wine. The vineyards are high in altitude, but there is a very cold wind coming up from the ocean plus a cold one coming down from the mountains too. The grapes are really ripe and the grapes are harvested really late, so they are heady and high in alcohol, round, lush and textured. The wines I tasted had pungent flavors and very marked varietal aromas and characteristics.
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.
Part of the Coquimbo region, also with the Limari Valley, Elqui Valley is one of the northern wine producing regions of Chile, which historically focused on table grapes and pisco production. Intense sunlight and cooling effects of the ocean, together with rocky, clay soil make this one of Chile’s up-and-coming wine regions.