Winemaker Notes
Blend: 85% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Stunning aromas of blackberries, black currants and licorice with hints of nuts and black chocolate. Aniseed too. It's full-bodied with ultra-fine tannins and a long, long finish. This is so well-crafted and polished. A gorgeous finish. 85% malbec, 10% cabernet sauvignon and 5% merlot.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2011 Grand Vin is the top wine, a blend of majority Malbec from Vistalba, with a little Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to add complexity. It is from an old Malbec vineyard planted in 1908, where 15 hectares were the heart and the beginning of the project. They select their best wines, vinified separately to create this cuvee. The wine is aged for 16-18 months in barrique, they like to do malolactic in the following spring to be able to work with the lees during the winter. This is again a serious, elegant red, with clean, delineated aromas, very good balance between fruit, spice and well-integrated oak, with a mineral sensation. The palate is medium to full-bodied. Powerful but sleek, very balanced and classy, with pungent flavors and well-integrated alcohol, this is a very elegant Argentine blend. It is drinkable now but should age well. I had the chance to taste the 1995 (first vintage was 1993) which was a powerful, ripe vintage and the wine has gained in complexity, with a classical bouquet, keeping the proportion.
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.