Winemaker Notes
Deep red with violet hues. Good expression of ripe red fruit, especially cherry, and delicate spicy notes. Palate is round and delicate with long-lasting tannins.
Pair with grilled red meat, lamb and hard cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This has plenty of spicy, earthy and cedary influence for such a young wine. It is bathed in ripe plums and blackberries on the palate. The oak has the final say. Drink in the next five years.
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Wine & Spirits
José Hernández Toso founded this winery with his brother in 2003, naming it for Mendoza’s indigenous people. He produces Taymente from vineyards at 3,215 feet in altitude, preserving the freshness of their fruit with fermentation in stainless-steel tanks before finishing the wine in new oak barrels. The result layers fresh, dark plum and berry flavors over coffee and licorice notes while smooth, fine tannins bind them together.
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.