Winemaker Notes
The wine is an intense violet-red color. It has fresh aromas of red fruits such as cherry and red currants, and notes of spices, herbs and minerals. Its pleasant tannins and acidity combine on the palate, giving it a long, unctuous yet fresh mouthfeel.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This has aromas of fresh black berry fruit, plums, charcoal and bitter chocolate. Full-bodied with polished and ripe tannins. Lovely creamy texture, with excellent freshness to balance, too.
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Tasting Panel
Muscular, teeth-coating, and well proportioned, this big, bold red holds court with a noteworthy tannic structure and notes of dried violets, blackberry, and black-cherry skin.
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Vinous
The 2020 Malbec Don Nicanor Barrel Select from the Uco Valley was half aged for 12 months in 15% new barrels. Dark purple in color. The nose presents notes of ripe plum, blackberry and blueberry with hints of oak. Expansive in the mouth with good volume and juice, the tannins bring grip and shore up the flow. A ripe red that dealt well with the difficult year.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Don Nicanor Barrel Select Malbec was produced with grapes from Chacayes, Los Árboles, Altamira and Gualtallary, all in the Valle de Uco, fermented with selected yeasts and with 80% of the wine aged in used French barriques for 12 months. It's quite ripe at 15% alcohol, but it doesn't show; it's a warm and ripe vintage with more powerful and round wines but with an herbal touch on the palate that lifts it up. This is a selection of the best Don Nicanor barrels, as its name says...
Rating: 91+
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.