Winemaker Notes
Red-violet color with good intensity. Complex nose with a bouquet of plums, cherries and jam expressing both spicy and vanilla notes, blending wonderfully with blueberry and violet aromas of the Cabernet Franc. In the mouth, it adds dark fruit and spice to the velvet tannins and rich Malbec flavor, making a perfect combination that results in a complex, elegant wine of great concentration.
Blend: 70% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Franc
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A creamy and delicious blend of 70% malbec and 30% cabernet franc. Lots of dried herbs like thyme on the nose with berries, peppercorns and sweet plums. It’s medium-bodied with firm tannins. Sharp with vitality and a flavorful finish.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Franc works wonders, as seen in the 2022 Reserva Malbec Cabernet Franc. The Cabernet Franc is a great addition, in terms of backbone, tannins and structure, to the Malbec (same as Malbec often adds fruit and juiciness to Cabernet Sauvignon in Mendoza). This is ripe and juicy, very balanced and integrated, with flowers, berries, herbs and spices, complexity but drinkability and measured oak. This is a very stable blend.
Bodega Santa Julia was created in honor of Julia Zuccardi, part of the third generation of leaders from the Zuccardi Family. The Santa Julia winery represents the family’s commitment to producing the highest quality wines through sustainable practices that protect the environment and uplift the local community. For Julia, and the Zuccardi Family, sustainability is not just about working in harmony with the environment, rather it is a comprehensive approach that supports the land, the farmers, and the overall health of the local community in terms of educational, physical, and financial health. Julia, alongside her grandmother, Emma, continue to enrich their local community by providing childcare and schooling for their employees’ children, adult education programs, access to computer labs, and health and fitness centers to sustain physical and mental health. Sustainable practices include organic farming, compost production, bottling in lightweight glass, and solar power in the winery. With Santa Julia in your glass, you are assured to be drinking a high quality wine which respects the land, and supports the families who diligently tend to the vines.
Bodega Santa Julia is the first winery in Argentina to achieve a Fair for Life certification.
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.
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.