Winemaker Notes
Blend: 65% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2011 Unus is a blend of 65% old un-grafted Malbec, 25% younger Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot from Perdriel, Mayor Drummond and Altamira, aged in new French oak barrels for 16 months. The nose is elegant and complex with subtle notes of soil, a little backward, combining ripe and fresh notes of fruit, hints of cured meats, orange peel, with a great sense of harmony. The palate is full-bodied, a good combination of the backbone of the Cabernet Sauvignon, the meat of the Malbec and a good punch in the palate helped by the Petit Verdot. The blend works really well, both in the nose and the palate. A great blend, quite classical, that should age well. Drink now-2020.
Mendel is the first name of the owner's father, a man who came to Argentina with nothing and ended up a successful businessman in different industries. He was also a man that loved the finest things that life had to offer, particularly wine. His daughter, Anabelle, honors her father by seeking perfection in her and Roberto's wines with his name on the label.
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.