Winemaker Notes
This wine shows complete harmony between color, aroma, flavor and finish. Utilizing Paul Hobbs’s best 23 Oak Barrels selection of Malbec; which is characterized by an intense red with notes of violets and sweet tannins. The Malbec is combined with a touch of the winery’s best Cabernet Sauvignon in order to ensure consistency. Ripe, juicy raspberry fruit, with lovely boysenberry and plenty of vanilla, spice and chocolate, come through on both the nose and palate. Fairly round and inviting. Magdalena is an elegant Argentine red blend.
Excellent to pair with pasta, red and white meats and dishes with any creamy sauces.
Blend: 64% Malbec, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Fantastic aromas of blackberries, blueberries, flowers and stones. Hints of dried fruit. Full-bodied, very tight and precise. Wonderfully silky and powerful. Such structure and length. A blend of 80% malbec and 20% cabernet sauvignon. Needs two or three years to come together.
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.