Winemaker Notes
Blend: 40% Cabernet Franc, 60% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Amorío is sold later, so I started with the 2013 Amorío, a blend of Malbec with 40% Cabernet Franc from their biodynamically-farmed estate vineyards in Vista Flores, in the Valle de Uco. The wine matured in French and American oak barrels for 14 months. I think the two varieties work very nicely together. There is great balance here and a mixture of peppery notes and floral aromas, very balanced and fresh. This blend is a one-off, as it's usually Petit Verdot. Here you have a nice texture and a combination of the rounder tannins from the Malbec and the sharper, more austere ones from Cabernet Franc. 42,000 bottles produced in 2013.
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James Suckling
Aromas of blackberry, walnut and chocolate powder follow through to a medium to full body, silky tannins and a savory finish. Drink now.
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Wine Enthusiast
Floral, grapy aromas are exotic and herbal. High acidity creates energy but also a shearing sense. Currant, red plum and spice flavors end with a blast of blazing acidity and notes of baking spices, cocoa and herbs.
There are few wine brands that reflect the sensibilities of their owner more than Tikal. A skilled horseman, fashion designer, software developer, and book editor, Ernesto pursues all that gives pleasure in life. This hedonism (in the best sense of the word) shows through in the wines. It is a style meant to provide enormous pleasure rather than provoke contemplation; an expression of emotion rather than intellect. He has named his wines with passion in mind: Patriota (Patriot), Corazon (Heart), Amorio (Love Affair), Jubilo (Rejoice).
Luis Reginato is the winemaker at Tikal as of the 2002 vintage. Luis is young, but is already a highly trained and respected vineyard consultant and winemaker with long experience at his family's winery in Mendoza. Truly an up and coming talent, Luis and his wines are already garnering high praise from U.S. wine critics. Definitely a winemaker to watch.
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.