Hot summer night in Rio Negro.
Tonight we discussed the plan for our 2010 vintage
While waiting for Gabriel´s Lomitos (a home made charbroiled loin sanwitch with tomato, lettuce and mayonaise) we tasted a Sauvignon Blanc 2008 from Choele Choel ( ´enclave sur´,around 10 USD) of beautiful balance of citric fruit, mostly grapefruit,some tipical rue plant on it and enough acidity and alcohol. I´d say a 87-88 points bottle with excelent price-cuality relationship.
Afterward came up the reds.
- Angelica Zapata Alta , Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, 35 USD (sold int´l as ´Catena Alta´)
Again and again a wonderful wine. Black and red fruits on a smooth and sweet envelope. Some oak vanilla and smoke on top but nicely engaged. Complete palate from the start. I´d say a 90 points wine at 5 y/o that may evolve better into something next 2-4 yrs.
-Raza Argentina, Syrah 2005, Famatina Valley, La Rioja, USD 35, showed a more acid wine with a shift to spicy and black fruit components but less impressive.Also showed a shorter and incomplete palate. It seemed ready to consume now or soon with any cellaring innesesary. I´d say 88-89 pts and not a very good value bottle.
- Renacer, Malbec 2006, USD 47. Nice malbec with tipical Lujan de Cuyo balance and power. Now showed big fruit, mostly plum and little black fruits with a marked acidity and no much oak stuff. It wasn´t very attractive for my palate but a very good wine.
I´d say 88-89 pts wine.Clearly outbalanced in price, way too expensive.
Picture shows a Familia Reina, Reserva ,Malbec 2003 (later Andeluna Reserve) one of our best loved malbecs (USD 13) opened up at the end. We know this vintage quality. Tipical Valle de Uco (tupungato) malbec with rape black fruit on a sweet and softly minty envelope. Great acidity and alcohol with nice oak almost none. I´d say a 90 points wine probably slightly below its best
(now at 7 y/o, probale best 1 or 2 yrs before).
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