Winemaker Notes
Great combined with red meats, games, rich cheeses and chocolate.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2010 Gran Reserva Malbec comes from vines over 80 years old in Vistalba and Las Compuertas cropped at 35 hectoliters per hectare and aged in French oak for 12 months. The oak is deftly folded into the fruit profile on the well-defined nose with dark cherries, dark plum and violets. The palate is very intense with elegant, very fine tannins: supple and lithe. It is caressing in the mouth, with impressive volume and fruit intensity on the sorbet-like finish, the black cherry infused with orange sorbet. Drink 2013-2020.
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.
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.