Winemaker Notes
Deep violet tone, with intense aromas combining fruits red with oak. In the mouth, it highlights its great body with a smoothness which combined with freshness causes a long stay. All these attributes make this wine have great potential for
aging.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Ricardo Santos ran Bodega Norton until 1991, and soon after bought a small farm in Maipú, eventually building a winery. Now his son, Patricio, makes the wines for his label. This bottling, culled from the family’s best plots, has the warm, earthy succor of Maipú fruit, deepened by the caramel of aging. It’s as soft and smooth as a raspberry coulée, with a gentle acidity.
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.