Winemaker Notes
Blend: 54% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Petit Verdot, 9% Tannin
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This is a firm, structured red that is more about polished tannins than ripe, rich fruit. It’s full-bodied with tightness and focus. Needs time to open. 54% malbec, 21% cabernet sauvignon, 16% petit verdot and 9% tannat. Try after 2023.
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Wine Enthusiast
Ripe cherry and strawberry aromas with hints of green bell pepper and tobacco show on the nose of this blend of 54% Malbec, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Petit Verdot and 9% Tannat. It's full bodied, with smooth tannins. Intense fruit flavors blend with spice. Oaky notes are a bit overpowering but nice acidity helps balance the flavors while freshening up the lingering finish.
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.
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.