Winemaker Notes
This intense and well-defined wine is a deep red hue with remarkable shades of purple and blue. The nose offers aromas of plum and cassis with subtle vanilla notes. The mouth is elegant, fresh, and delicate with medium structure. Pairs well with grilled or roast red meat, game, semi-cured cheese and stuffed pasta or dry pasta with spicy sauces.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of cumin and cardamom meld with blackberry, cassis and chocolate on the nose. This lush Malbec is in balance, with tannins still waiting to soften. Blackberry, dark plum and cassis flavors finish flush and with fruity carry over. Drink through 2026.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Don Nicanor Single Vineyard Villa Blanca Malbec is a single-vineyard Malbec from ungrafted vines planted in 1900 in Vistalba, in Luján de Cuyo. It's a Malbec with a classical profile, looking for elegance through a fermentation with early pump-overs to avoid extracting too much tannin, with 90% of the wine aged in new and second use oak barrels. It's very classical, with good ripeness and extraction, with more oak. The palate has a round, glossy texture and sweetness of fruit typical of the zone and the concentration and depth from old vines. It's very balsamic, with abundant notes of cigar ash, smoke, toast and spices. 4,500 bottles produced.
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.