Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The impressive 2013 Magdalena Toso is a hedonistic blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from old vineyards in Maipú that matured in brand new French oak barrels for 18 months. It mixes sweet fruit with aromas of violet pastille, ripe cherries, vanilla and a touch of earth. The palate is full-bodied with abundant, refined tannins and balancing acidity. This is usually an XL bottle, price tag included. It should develop nicely in bottle.
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Wine Enthusiast
Cool, piercing aromas suggest wood grain and maple alongside blackberry and cassis scents. This massive wine is tannic, but meaty and friendly at its base. Savory, inky flavors of plum and floral-berry fruits finish with strong oak; fortunately this has the structure and fruit to handle it. Drink through 2024.
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Wine Spectator
A refined red, with powerful cherry, dried plum and baked fig flavors, supported by fresh acidity. Lengthens out midpalate, presenting some beefy notes. Creamy accents show on the pure and minerally finish, revealing cocoa powder details. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2020.
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James Suckling
Aromas of wet earth, mushroom and sweet tea. Full body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. Ripe fruit underneath. A blend of 80% mabec with 20% cabernet sauvignon.
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.