Winemaker Notes
A special wine which has been made with grapes from sixty year-old vines. It presents slight hints of violet and a fruity nose and evokes blackberries, spices and tobacco. This Malbec will leave you with a rich and lingering finish.
This Malbec is best enjoyed with red meats such as juicy grilled steaks, red-sauce pasta dishes and mature cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Tasting Panel
Refined, complex, and bursting with black raspberry and tangy spice. Dense, long, and complete.
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Vinous
The 2019 Malbec Alta from Barrancas, Maipú was aged for 14 months in new French barrels. A dark, dense purple in color. The detailed aromatic profile features ripe plum, white pepper, blackberry and sour cherry liqueur alongside cedar, hazelnut and nutmeg aromas. In the mouth, it has good volume and body with firm tannins from the wood, intense flavor and a touch of juice. Time in the bottle will round out the tannins and deliver the velvety feel it’s currently crying out for. Drink in two years. Drinking window: 2021 - 2034
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Wine & Spirits
This wine manages to balance the pushed ripeness of its blue and black fruit with bright acidity and a backbone of tannin—all at once chewy, meaty and plush. Delicate florals in the finish hint at the complexity that will develop with age. §
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Wine Spectator
Focused, lively and fruit filled, with red cherry, blueberry and red currant flavors that are bound by crisp acidity. The taut finish has slate and cooking spice accents. Drink now through 2024. 2,500 cases made, 125 cases imported.
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.