Winemaker Notes
Aromas of red fruits, ripe black fruits, floral and spicy notes, and fresh herbs merge elegantly with chocolate and vanilla. It is a very complex wine with magnificent structure, silky tannins and highly-balanced acidity. This wine has excellent potential for aging.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2020 Gran Corte Enzo is 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Malbec, 21% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot, all from Las Paredes in San Rafael. Aged for 12 months in French oak barrels in 20% new oak, it's dark garnet-red in hue. The nose presents notes of ripe fruit ranging from plum to redcurrant, black pepper and cedar. Dry and broad on the palate, the reactive, finely-grained tannins lend the mouth a light structure eased a little by the juicy, well-calibrated acidity. This will develop further with time.
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James Suckling
Deep and plush nose with fresh, spiced blackberries and a creamy, chocolaty edge. Full-bodied and structured on the palate with plenty of chalky, fine-grained tannins before a very long and creamy finish. Drink now or hold.
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Wine Spectator
This bold, ripe and concentrated red leads with abundant layers of five-spice, cassis and cordial, adding plum paste and cherry flavors. For all its concentration, there's a measure of fresh acidity underneath that lifts the flavors onto the finish around chewy tannins and echoes the core flavors. Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2030. 175 cases made, 100 cases imported.
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.
With vineyards tretching along the eastern side of the Andes Mountains from Patagonia in the south to Salta in the north, Argentina is one of the world’s largest and most dynamic wine producing countries—and most important in South America.
Since the late 20th century vineyard investments, improved winery technology and a commitment to innovation have all contributed to the country’s burgeoning image as a producer of great wines at all price points. The climate here is diverse but generally continental and agreeable, with hot, dry summers and cold snowy winters—a positive, as snow melt from the Andes Mountains is used heavily to irrigate vineyards. Grapes very rarely have any difficulty achieving full ripeness.
Argentina’s famous Mendoza region, responsible for more than 70% of Argentina’s wine production, is further divided into several sub-regions, with Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley most noteworthy. Red wines dominate here, especially Malbec, the country’s star variety, while Chardonnay is the most successful white.
The province of San Juan is best known for blends of Bonarda and Syrah. Torrontés is a specialty of the La Rioja and Salta regions, the latter of which is also responsible for excellent Malbecs grown at very high elevation.