Winemaker Notes
#73 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2021
The bright sunny days of the Uco Valley produce grapes with dark, rich fruit flavors. Cool daytime temperatures produce complex floral and fresh herb aromas. The cold mountain nights allow the grapes to retain high levels of natural acidity for freshness and balance. The rocky, limestone rich soils of Parade Altamira add finely grained tannins and savory minerality.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Fresh, rich fruit with tarry notes, juicy black cherries, roasted spices and hints of figs and fresh herbs. Generous on the palate, but well retained by a fresh, fine-grained tannin structure. Drink now or hold.
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Wine Spectator
Big and ripe, with unctuous dark fruit, blueberry and Asian spice flavors that offer creamy accents. Dark chocolate and mocha notes fill the finish to the brim. Drink now through 2025.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
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.