Winemaker Notes
Deep red color with black tones. Aromas of plum, red fruit, roasted red pepper and spiced. On the palate it is rounded, complex, textured with fine tannins and long finish.
Blend: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2023 Cocodrilo is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot, with 60% of the fruit from Luján de Cuyo and 40% from the Uco Valley. It opens with intense black fruit, including blackberry, soft cherry and ripe plum, framed by finely integrated oak. Broad and velvety yet grippy, it fills the mid-palate with depth and concentration and delivers sustained, expressive flavor. This is a delicious, confidently built blend that captures a rich, modern profile for Argentine reds.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Cocodrilo Corte is a blend of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, and 3% Petit Verdot, aged in 14% new oak barrels for 15 months. Most of the Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Lujan de Cuyo, while the Cabernet Franc is from the cooler climes of Valle de Uco. This is an outstanding wine at an outstanding price point, polished with medium-bodied intensity and plenty of punch and length. Drink now through 2033 if not longer.
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James Suckling
This shows black and red berries, spices and a touch of cedar on the nose. The palate is round and succulent with plush, polished tannins and voluminous, lustrous dark fruit. Caressing texture and a generous finish. Drink now or hold.
Viña Cobos makes wines that are authentic expressions of the terroir from which they come. Paul Hobbs, founding partner and winemaker at Viña Cobos, has worked since 1988 in the exploration of the different terroirs of Mendoza, looking for the most distinguished regions in Luján de Cuyo and the Valle de Uco, to produce wines that uniquely express their origins.
Sustainable farming methods in the vineyard contribute to consistent yields of healthy fruit. In the winery, careful treatment of the grapes and meticulous winemaking techniques result in complex and elegant wines of subtlety and balance.
With the inaugural vintage of Cobos Malbec in 1999, Viña Cobos marked a milestone in viticulture, defying existing standards and firmly positioned Malbec and Argentina on the international wine scene. Since then, our prestigious wines have been recognized around the globe by critics and consumers alike.
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.
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.