Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The unoaked 2017 Monastrell was also sourced from a different vineyard than in the past vintages; it's now from a young vineyard planted in Chacayes with material from a massal selection from an old vineyard. It has a bright ruby color and is unusually aromatic, juicy and fresh, with citrus acidity (think blood oranges), medium body and very fine tannins. It has great purity, precision and definition, and it's elegant and fresh, highly drinkable and also a bargain.
Full of ripe fruit, and robust, earthy goodness, Mourvèdre is actually of Spanish provenance, where it still goes by the name Monastrell or Mataro. It is better associated however, with the Red Blends of the Rhône, namely Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Mourvèdre shines on its own in Bandol and is popular both as a single varietal wine in blends in the New World regions of Australia, California and Washington. Somm Secret—While Mourvèdre has been in California for many years, it didn’t gain momentum until the 1980s when a group of California winemakers inspired by the wines of the Rhône Valley finally began to renew a focus on it.
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.