Marcelo Pelleritti, Reserva Malbec 2010, USD 19
didn´t find any www.
A signature wine by Marcelo Pelleritti from somewhere in Uco Valley.
Actually a tipical Uco´s Malbec with bunch of ripe black cherries and berries, sweet and quite atractive from the first sip on. Soft chocolaty note too. Not very complex though although straight and simply attractive.
I´d say an 89 point malbec atractive like a confit of black cherries & berries. Probably best before 4 years old. Good value.
Malbec de Angeles 2008, By Bodega Viña 1924 de Angeles , USD 19
www.malbecdeangeles.com
A single vineyard malbec from Vistalba district of Lujan de Cuyo Dpt in Central Mendoza.
Dark black and sour plums dominate the scene with beautiful dark chocolate 80-90% cocoa. Quite nicely balanced and attractive. An allspice moving around very softly. Wide and seductive palate lingering nicely after. A malbec to enjoy best before 6 years old to my palate. A 92 point malbec and a great value. One of the top ten at 20 bucks premium level.
Monteagrelo Bressia, Cabernet Franc 2010, By Bodega Bressia, USD 19
www.bressiabodega.com
A Cabernet Franc from Lujan de Cuyo Departament in Central Mendoza.
Impressive by its delicate structure and finesse. Red and black fuits in balance with an herbal toach very soft. Round and smooth with a noce toach of chocolate preserving the overall sweetness. A 90 point red I´d rather drink before 4 years old given its delicate structure. Great value too.
Eral Bravo, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007,By Eral Bravo SA , USD 17
www.eralbravo.com/
A single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from high Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo, Central Mendoza.
Juicy and attractive Cab with fresh and ripe black cherries and a beautiful oak with chocolate and toasty undertone.There show up an alluring peppery and herbal toach to make more complex and enjoyable. It doesn´t take much to drink it easily. A 90 point CS now, and ready to express the best 6-8 years of born. Great value.
Las Perdices, Bonarda Reserva 2009, By Viña Las Perdices, USD 15
www.lasperdices.com
A Bonarda from Agrelo District of Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Central Mendoza.
A beautiful red combining grape tipicity and terroir expression. Nice red cherries and red plum too.
Deliously round and fine with a super elegant structure. Soft chocolaty and taosty notes. A 90 point elegant red. A rather straight red not complex yet attractive. Probably best before 4 years old. Good value.
Finca de la Nubes, Cabernet & Malbec 2011, By Las Nubes SRL, USD 19
www.bodegamounier.com
A single vineyard and signature wine Cabernet Sauvignon based with 20% Malbec from Cafayate Valley, Salta Province (Northwest Argentina). A very high altitude terroir (1,850 mt, 6000 ft) on the Andes Mountains.
Nice red although simple. Well cored around red plums fruitiness. Palatable and balanced but not complex neither very expressive. Nice concentration with toasty red bell peppery notes but lacking some vivid structure. An 88 points red blend a little bit out of competiveness given its almost 20 bucks price (at least here!).
Clos des Andes, Reserva Malbec 2006, By Bodega Poesia, USD 30
www.bodegapoesia.com
A malbec (with 40% of Cabernet Sauvignon) from a single vineyard in Mayor Drummond district of Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Central Mendoza.
Astonishing malbec based red that catches your palate right off the first sip. Not to mention the great nose and aromas at the beginning. Deep and powerfull with very expressive black fruits and sweet chocolate. There is a complexity toward spice and peppery notes. The wine opens up completely after 40 minutes. I don´t imagne this one better in any time of the future even though the tannins are realy firm and vividly strong. Thinking of 6 to 8 years for a momentum is reasonable. A 94 point malbec based blend born to be a supergreat wine and Argentina´s value.
Rosa de los Vientos, Pinot Noir Rose Nature, By Bodega Familia Schroeder, USD 19
www.familiaschroeder.com
A sparkling nature made from Pinot Noir grapes grown and harvested in San Patricio Valley, Neuquen Province, North Patagonia.
Nice and well structured rose. Palatable style stressing on red cherries reminisce. Nice acidity and global balance without any overt sweetness. An 87 point sparling worthwhile trying. It´s not quite attractive to me like most, if not all of them, 'nature' sparklings.
Familia Cecchin, Carignan 2008,By Pedro y Jorge Cecchin SRL, USD 9
www.bodegacecchin.com.ar
An organic certified Carignan from Russel district in Maipu Departament ,Central Mendoza.
Quite unusual wine for our palate and usage. Mix of red cherries closer to Sangiovese and Pinot Noir with that traslucent deep red with a supernice toasty edge from oak. A wine to palate every sip. It goes addictive to my taste. It shows tannins to endure quite well 4 to 6 years. A 90 point red and a supergreat value. It reminds me some premium Zin but somehow stronger on tannins than those.
Marcus Gran Reserva Cabernet Franc 2008, by Bodega Canale, USD 32
http://www.bodegahcanale.com/
A Cabernet Franc from Rio Negro Valley, Rio Negro Province, North Patagonia. From the oldest Patagonian Winery alive (born 1909).
Impressive red with all the balance and beauty of a Patagonian CF. Sweet black berries and roasted red bell
peppers on a toasty chocolaty envelope. Small hints of vanilla and smoke to make it more interestingly complex. Even so the wine is quite straight and clearly attractive. A 93 point red with its best point in time somewhere between now and 2 years ahead. Great value. A must to grasp Patagonian CF. Not easy to find given the small production.
Montequieto Elegido Tanque 9, Malbec 2005, By Bodega Montequieto, USD 19
www.montequieto.com
A Malbec from Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo, Central Mendoza.
An impressive malbec pure terroir expression. Mature and round with aged black small fruits and plum
on a high alcohol level and a licorice chocolate quite impressive. Great backbone. Ths wine is unique in terms of its terror and balance.A 92 point malbec that couldn´t be better than this. A great value.
Andeluna Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, By Andeluna Cellars, USD 18
www.andeluna.com.ar
A great CS from Tupungato Valley in Mendoza.
Full body and fully expressed red. Ripe black sweet berries with chocolate and a perfect balance.
An ABC wine from Tupungato Valley. A 92 point red probably best 6-8 years of vintage. A great mendoza´s value. A must CS to see the power and beauty of a Tupungato red.
Centenario, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005-2007-2009, By Goyenechea SA, USD 8
www.goyenechea.com
A single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (Finca La Vasconia) from San Rafael Valley, South Mendoza.
Three vintages of a same spirit in a bottle. The ABC a Cab should bring on is here. Nice red ripe fruits
on a soft peppery edge and an undertone of chocolate are all there. From the more fruity and young to the more compoted and brownish 2007. Same guy passing through three ages smooth and gentle. Adorable. The three brothers pose 87 points. Good value as I expect from San Rafael´s Cabs and the great job of this winery.
Desierto 25/5 La Pampa, Sauvignon Blanc 2010, By Bodega del Desierto, USD 7
www.bodegadeldesierto.com
A Sauvignon Blanc from Rio Colorado Valley, La Pampa, North Patagonia.
A great SB pressing on those new world accents. Freshy and herbal with a nice citric tone make this white
worthwhile trying. Crispy acidity makes it more attractive. An 88 point SB at unbeatable price value. A great great value.
Ultramar, Sauvignon Blanc 2010, By Bodega Oceano, USD 12
www.bodegaoceano.com
A Sauvignon Blanc from Viedma Valley in Rio Negro Province, North Patagonia. A ripe SB with wide palate and a shift toward peach and tropical notes from a full blown grapes. The citric grapefruit undertone is realy weak but attractive anyway. An 88 point SB nice and round.
Good value.
Nube Negra, Malbec 2008 By Eduardo Vidal, USD 32
http://www.nubenegrawines.com.ar/
A signature malbec from a single vineyard in Uco Valley, Mendoza
Nice and round malbec well balanced but not very attractive and competitive at 30 bucks level. The cork was inked half way up to the surface which surely means some unwanted oxidation.
An 89 point malbec with a weak (or weakened?) structure but even so preserving some premium beauty. Anyway I won't spend 30 bucks twice to see how much was the cork and how much the nature of the wine.
Esencias de la Tierra, Moscatel de Alejandria 2010, By Jorge & Pedro Cecchin, USD 6
www.esenciasdelatierra.com.ar
Muscat of Alexandria from Russel district in Maipu Departament, Central Mendoza with organic certification. You taste a simple white wine with weak peachy note and an earthy counterpart quite noticeable.Slightly sweet and gentle it goes fast way on the palate. I wouldn't go more than 80 point with this drinkable and simple white. A good exercice of varietal learning at no money at all.
Paz ,Malbec 2009, By Finca Las Moras , USD 16
www.fincalasmoras.com.ar
A malbec from 'Valle del Pedernal' in San Juan Province.
Soft and weak malbec with all the basics but lacking character for an above premium price. Nice plum and red and black little berries ripe and sweety with a taoch of toast and chocolate too. Balanced and not jagged. An 88 point malbec that I feel acceptable for a 12-14 bucks price range. I wouldn´t cellar it more than 4 years.
Familia Cecchin, Graciana 2007, Organic Wine,Pedro y Jorge Cecchin SRL,USD 9
www.bodegacecchin.com.ar
A Graciana grape grown and vinifed organically certified in Russel District of Maipu Departament, Central Mendoza.
An interesting wine if you go interested before hand on it, otherwise won´t go far away.
A simple and straight red with nice soft but dark trasluscent color. Nice nose of toasty red dry fruits like strawberries and raspberries. Palatable taste with nice sourness and fruitiness. This wine is closer to zin,pinot noir and sangiovese than to a argentinian malbec or cabernet. I´d say an 87 point red and a very good value with great Maipu imprints. A nice wine to show an unusual variety in Argentina with a tipical Maipu imprint. It looks like there are tannins for 6-8 years of plateau.
I don´t feel it very attractive though, neither I feel it for its Rioja father anyway (at least as single variety wine). The organic nature of the wine might deserve further consideration, but I confess my ignorance on that point.
SonVida, Malbec 2009, By Casa Altamira SRL,USD 32
www.sonvidawine.com
A malbec from Altamira distric in La Consulta city (San Carlos Departament), Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Full body and ripe malbec not far from any first brand around (Achaval Ferrer,La Celia,O.Fournier,some Catena wines,etc). Beautiful acidity and balanced alcohol for this malbec full of ripe small black berries,black california plums and a nice soft oak toach. The wine is very nice now, but surely much better somewhere between 4 and 6 years old. A 92 point malbec now and 94 in a couple of years of progressive muturity. A great value.
La Celia Heritage, Cabernet Franc 2006, By Finca La Celia, USD 34
www.fincalacelia.com.ar
A Cabernet Franc from (Eugenio Bustos district ) San Carlos Departament in Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Wonderful red, full of delicatessen. Black cherries with a deep roasted red bell pepper and a nice herbal undertone quite nice. Chocolate and smoke on a moderate complement. Deep and attractive at 'first sight' as Uco´s used to do. A 93 point red at its best point in maturity and may linger so 2 to 4 years more (like 8 to 10 years from harvest) without loss. A great value and one of those wnes to get by a case.
A Lisa, Malbec 2010, By Bodega Neomia de la Patagonia SA, USD 24
www.bodeganoemia.com
A malbec from 'Valle Azul' district of Rio Negro Valley, Rio Negro Province in North Patagonia.
A tipical malbec from North Patagonia with all the usual richness and attraction of deep red berries,wide palate and a nice smoke and dark chocolate in a comtinum.
Full and delicate at the same time but not weak at all. Nice concentration but not overexpressed.
It grows fuller after an hour uncorked. This malbec is complete and round now but may get more complex close to its 4th year. A 91 point malbec that might reach 93 at its best time. A great value. One of those wines to enjoy several times picking apart its components.
Kinien, Malbec 2008, By Bodega Ruca Malen, USD 24
http://www.bodegarucamalen.com/
A superpremium malbec from Agrelo distric (Lujan de Cuyo Departament) Central Mendoza.
I found great tipicity and an old traditional local style of malbec. Soft and delicate with smooth fruit mostly plum and red cherries in marmalade tone of sweetness. Nice chocolate and toast from mild oak imprints.
A wine to best enjoy 4 to 6 years old, like most fine 'above premium' malbecs. A 90 point malbec and a good value for Argentina´s values.
Viva, Malbec 2008 & Merlot 2008, By Famiglia Peano, USD 13
www. no internet here, not even a phone number
Two reds from 'Valle Azul' district in Ro Negro Valley, North Patagonia.
The malbec is just beautiful and expressing perfectly the North patagonia´s imprints. Nicely dense and tannic without any bothering acidity. Sweet and round like a perfect compote of red cherrries red plum and quince (membrillo). Nice soft envelope of dark chocolaty and smoke from oak complete on the palate. The wine opened to its best during the few days uncorked reaching a nice 92 point from the starting 90 point. A greart value to enjoy once and again.
The merlot counterpart is fresh and fair but not even close to this beauty. It reaches an 86 point with variety and terroir tipicity but lossing everything one day after uncorked.
Calafate Cosecha Tardia, Torrontes 2009, By Bodega Universo Austral, USD
www.universoaustral.com
A Torrontes late harvest from Añelo Valley in Neuquen Province, North Patagonia.
Beautiful wine with great and straight aromas from the very begining. White and pink flowers with a toach of lemony quite alluring. The palate is wonderful, full of expression and a balanced sweetness. Grapefruit and light rude plant soft and delicate with a nice edge of dry leaves and woody honney bee.
A 92 point late harvest torrontes delicious. Great value. Unfortunatedly this is a 'special ediction' which means we may not have it every year.
Ruca Malen Reserva de Bodega, By Bodega Ruca Malen, USD 13
www.bodegarucamalen.com
A Cabernet Sauvignon (Vistaflores) based blend with some Malbec (Altamira) Syrah and Petit Verdot (Agrelo). A juicy and round red nicely cored with red and mostly black fruits, plums and hints of herbal and peppery notes. Softly oaked too. An 89 point blend, very good value and probably best around its 4th birthday year.
Juan Manuel Fangio, Legend 2009, By Conquest Winery, USD 15
www.conquestwinery.com.ar
A Malbec blending less than 20% Cabernet Franc from Maipu Departament ,Central Mendoza.
A 90 point malbec, wide and delicate palate with red cherries, mildly peppery and herbal undertones. Chocolate and toast.
This is not a potent and overexpressive wine even quite balanced. Good value though. I wouldn´t cellar it more than 4 years, and a good instance of a delicate Maipu red.
Seleccion de Enologo 2009, By Bodega Navarro Correas, USD 19
http://www.ncorreas.com
A blend third of each Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec from somewhere Mendoza.
Oaky red wth nice sweet and soft fruity core. Black currant,blueberries, plum and black cherries dominate and only overpassed by a chocolaty coffee sea of toasted oak. Only a twist of herbal notes. It pairs well a wide sample of dishes and food palates (sure,this is my imagination). A 91 point blend with strong oak but keeping a nice line of components to enjoy. Probably nicer first 4 years old. Great wine to invite friends around.
Tapiz Syrah 2010, By Fincas Patagonicas, USD 10
www.tapiz.com
A syrah from Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Central Mendoza
Quite interesting red, close to malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon in beauty. Ripe black cherries and plum with some toaches of prunes ,chocolate and an exotic spice like juniper. Realy attractive red. I´d say better first 4 years of life. A 90 point red and a great value. Worth trying more than once.
Enclave Sur, Malbec 2011, By Grupo Trafen, USD 10
A Malbec from ´middle valley´ sub-area of Rio Negro Valley in Rio Negro Province, North Patagonia.
This sub-area of the Rio Negro Valley is warmer and lower in altitude even though the land,wind,sun and cool nights are pretty the same. A beautiful malbec, rich ,juicy and naturally concentrated with that twist of sour tannins deep and sweet at the same time ,bigger and wider than Mendoza´s. There is a push on red wild fruits too that coupled with a chocolaty oak stuff go pretty well. An 89 point Malbec ready for prime time game. Absolutedly a great value. Probably best before 4 years old and one of the best at premium price (even though so many Argentinian wines are walking that level of quality lately that I shouldn´t say 'one of the best' anymore).
FIN Malbec 2008, By Bodega del Fin del Mundo, USD 25
www.bodegadelfindelmundo.com
A single vineyard Malbec from San Patricio Valley in neuquen province, North Patagonia.
Elegant and straight malbec with smooth notes of oak. Delicate balance of red berries with ripe red plum and quince marmalade. A very nice tannin, velvety and well expressed at the same time. Not as deep and complex as the 07 vintage but a 90 point malbec anyway. Great value from Patagonia.Probably best somewhere between 4 and 6 years old.
You may sneak in the previous 2007 vintage tasting notes : HERE
Tapiz Merlot 2009 By Fincas Patagonicas SA, USD 10
www.tapiz.com.ar
A merlot from Agrelo District (actually around the own winery) in Lujan de Cuyo, Central Mendoza.
A nice and approachable merlot yet not bright as the Malbec, Syrah and Cabernet brothers from the Tapiz series (in terms of 'fast attraction' capacity).
Fruit driven mostly cherries and ripe red plum with a beautiful chocolate and extremely balanced.
Beautiful red like few at this price level. An 89 point merlot worth trying more than twice. Great Argentinas´s value to enjoy the best out of it young (like before 4 y/o)
Paz , Cabernet Sauvignon & Cabernet Franc 2008, By Finca La Moras, USD 17
www.fincalasmoras.com.ar
A Cabernet blending Sauvignon and Franc 50% each from San Juan Province
Nice and rich balance of fruits (red cherries, plum and black currants) and bodiness with only a pinch of spiciness. Following that line there is a soft oaky toach with chocolate and vanilla quite appropiate for the overall balance and attrativeness immidiatelly toached on the palate. A 90 point red and a great value. I wouldn´t cellar it more than 4 to 6 years.
Altamira Blend 2008, by Vistaflores Estate, USD 30
www.vistafloresestate.com
A blend made a third each Malbec, Merlot (from La consulta Departament) and Cabernet Sauvignon (from Tupungato Departament) of Uco Valley, Mendoza.
A delicate yet expressive red well balanced and attractive. Not bombastic neither memorable. Good fruity core mostly red and black cherries with a nice pinch of oregano and fresh bayleaf. Smooth tannins and nice passage through the palate. An 89 point red probably walking plateau by 4-6 years old.
I feel it a little bit overpriced as payed here, but this is my bias.
Familia Cecchin Organic Wine, malbec 2008,By Pedro & Jorge Cecchin SRL, USD 15
www.bodegacecchin.com.ar
A triple A quality commitement organic wine and USDA accredited
A malbec with zero free sulphite harvested in Maipu Departament ,Central Mendoza.
A delicate and elegant red where red cheries slightly toasted dominate. A soft malbec very perfumed and delicate yet attractve. I´d pay more than twice to enjoy this malbec on sensitive moments and companions. I feel it a great value, different, and likable. A 90 point malbec to enjoy the best first 4 years old but may plateau up to 6 years without much loss.
Postales Merlot 2011, By Bodega del Fin del Mundo, USD 6
www.bodegadelfindelmundo.com
A Merlot from San Patricio Valley in Neuquen Province, North Patagonia.
Basic and nice merlot from Patagonia. Nice fruity ,mostly red cherrires and red plum, tipicaly soury and balanced like North Patagonia brings on. Realy palatable at 6 bucks level to go along most lunches and diner without striking brightness. An 85 point red and a very good Argentina´s value.
Synthesis Sauvignon Blanc 2010, By Finca Sophenia SA, USD 24
www.sophenia.com.ar
A Sauvignon Blanc harvested in Tupungato Valley, high Mendoza.
This time a peachy & buttery white with wetty and mineral edge I find not attractive. Not a bad SB even though it´s not of my kind. Specially saying those wetty and mineral notes don´t attract me at all even though some tasters find them alluring. I´d say an 88 point white a little bit expensive to my wish list.
Andeluna Malbec 2011, By Andeluna Cellars, USD 9
www.andeluna.com
A malbec from Tupungato Valley part of Uco Valley, Mendoza expressing the beauty and balance of its terroir. Black fruit dominant (like Uco Valley does it) malbec ,young even balanced and attractive at once. Sweet yummy black berries marmalade unusual for any other malbec and usual for Uco´s reds.
Good alcohol and acidity neither one bother at all. A 89 point malbec and one of the best at the premium level. If you need to taste Uco´s malbec, Andeluna and Tapiz go first off. This time a malbec to enjoy at plateau maturity of 3 or 4 years old.
Black Tears, malbec 2007, By Fincas Patagonicas, USD 40-50
www.bodega-tapiz.com.ar/
A single vineyard Malbec (finca san pablo) in Uco valley, Mendoza.
I haven´t tasted a malbec like this before. Full body with astonishing balance and beauty. All the things malbec might bring off are here. The fruit is ripe, deep and strong without over expression. The oak is entangled in between nicely. Wide, wide, and delicious. Multilayered is a nice mental image. I simply don´t remember any Malbec so complete and quintessential. A 97 point malbec and for sure a 99 in a couple of years. I wouldn´t go further of 8 years age on most malbecs, but this is my personal palate and bias.
fn: this wine was tasted blind with friends (lets say knowledgeable people in tasting wines), before eating, and only with white soft cheese and against Hess Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (Mendocino & Napa), Purple Angel (Carmenere 2007, Colchagua Valley,Chile) and Riglos Gran Corte 2007 (Uco Valley, Mendoza). A few liked more the more oaky Carmenere, some the more complex Riglos or Hess. But the mayority ranked first Black Tears Malbec 2007. So, like many other things, the ranking here was a personal bias on 4 super reds.
Riglos, Gran Corte 2007, By Finca Las Divas SA, USD 40
www.bodegariglos.com
A single vineyard (finca las divas) blend from Gualtallary in Tupungato Departament, Uco Valley, Mendoza with 70% malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5 % Cabernet Franc.
A nicely complex red with bunches of red and black cherries quite delicate and fine and at thr same time ripe and sweet. Very good acidity and alcohol with fine oak too. Not dominant for sure. The palate is realy attractive and balanced. A mature red yet probably best at 6-8 years old. A 94 point red now and surely a couple of years ahead. Great value and only subtly more complex than its Gran Malbec and Gran Cabernet brothers. One of the top ten Arg reds to my palate.
