Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Age has settled this concentrated malbec into a good place with rich, ripe plums and a gently peppery edge. The palate has intensity and depth with concentrated dark berries, finding focus and length. Impressive poise here. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
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Wine Spectator
Big and ripe, featuring concentrated raspberry, red plum and spiced cherry flavors. Pastry notes show midpalate, with a finish filled to the brim with chocolate and cream details and hints of white pepper.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The floral, aromatic and fresh 2014 Black Tears Malbec comes from the higher altitude vineyards where the soils are shallow and have lots of stones, matured in new and second use French oak barrels for 24 months. It has integrated oak, ripe fruit without excess, quite intense and with a powerful yet balanced and elegant palate. It's tasty and shows good purity of fruit and a stony/mineral sensation in the palate, a texture rather than a flavor... 19,200 bottles were filled in June 2016.
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Wine Enthusiast
Floral berry, exotic spice, cinnamon and oak aromas lead to a full, jammy palate that's layered and generous with fruit. Blackberry, plum, chocolate and baking-spice flavors roll towards a smooth, solid finish that seems to be near maturity.
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.