Colección Malbec 2007, a great Patagonian and a great value in one

Colección, Malbec 2007, By Bodega Nqn , USD 19 Terrific Patagonian Malbec from San Patricio´s Valley ,Neuquén, Patagonia. Quite different from Mendoza´s malbecs. Dark red deep and fairly brilliant, which admittedly is not common in Northpatagonian wines where dominates deep red opaque shades. Complex nose with strong red sour fruits that gives place to a wide palate full of black cherries, blackberries, ripe plum and a hint of violets and dark roses. Pinch of smoky stuff and more chocolate. Very soft vanilla. Good memories aftertaste with nice alcohol and acidity. A wine for 6-8 years cellar and a 91 points malbec with great value component. One (if not the most) great values from Patagonia considering its quality and price.

Terrazas, Reserva Malbec 2008, typicity from Lujan de Cuyo´s and nearby Mendoza

Terrazas, Reserva, Malbec 2008, By Terrazas de los Andes, Mendoza USD 15 Elegant and balanced malbec with typical components of Lujan de Cuyo´s Departament. Nice nose and it opens up ripe black plums and dried figs with soft red sour fruits. Soft chocolate and smoke. Nice passage all trough the palate with yummy aftertaste. I´d say a 2-4 years cellar better, but some may go better by 5-7 years (as I tasted them before).By the way ; To note: this doesn´t seem the better quality Reserve that I´ve tasted before with improving complexity after 7 yrs. It looks like a younger vinyard and a less complex wine at the end. A 89 points malbec with good value component .

Lamadrid Gran Reserva Malbec 2005, not what it´s been said though !

Lamadrid ,Gran Reserva, Malbec 2005, By Lamadrid Estate Wines, Mendoza , USD 20Vanishing malbec with nice purple and deep red to the eye and a rather nice nose of ripe fruits and chocolate but decieving in the palate; Intriguing initial palate but oxidated and acidic all through. Preserved cork must say.A disbalanced and not nice wine at all. Better 2-4 years before? Don´t have a clue but now 78 points and a bad value.

Riglos, Gran Malbec 2006, a beauty rich from Tupungato

Riglos, Gran Malbec 2006, By Finca Las Divas, Uco´s Valley, USD 30
Beautiful malbec from Tupungato´s valley in Mendoza. Great black and less red fruits typical from Uco´s. Blackcurrant and berries dominate. Nice vanilla and cocoa all over but not over the top. Quite interesting equilibrium with fairly long aftertaste. No edge of disbalance and attractive sweet fruits from malbec. I´d say a 91 points wine probably better by 6-8 years of cellar. Great value.

Angélica Zapata Alta, Cabernet Frank 2004, delikatessen from High Mendoza

Angelica Zapata, Alta, Cabernet Frank 2006, By Catena Zapata, Mendoza USD 30
Probably close to Catena Alta series sold internationally. Beautiful blend from high vineyards with red more than black fruits ripe and nicely sour with a huge middle palate and a balanced end. Actually all the palate is complete, nice and wide initial and middle with likeable end. Soft smoke and chocolate. I´d say a wine worth cellaring 6-8 years with improving deepness. I´ll go 90 points for this very good value.

Estepa, Mistica Malbec 2005, By Bodega Estepa, Rio Negro, nice typicity

Estepa, Mística, Malbec 2005, By Bodega Estepa, Rio Negro Valley, USD 30
Nice malbec from Fernandez Oro, Rio Negro with good typicity and attractiveness. Sour red fruits ripe and wide in palate dominate. Good chocolate and coffee envelope from oak. No very long end of palate though. Nice balance. I´d say a red for 4-6 years with increasing beauty. I´ll go 89 points and a good value for the price.

Trumpeter, Malbec & syrah 2008 good value from Tupungato Valley

Trumpeter, malbec syrah 2008, By Rutini Wines, Mendoza, USD 10
Fifty/fifty blend from Tupungato Valley, Mendoza. Interesting blend known to give quite attractive wines (say Infinitus malbec & syrah from Patagonia) . This case shows sweet and balanced spiciness with touch of black fuits softly sour and just a hint of smoke. I´d say an 86 points red to enjoy up to 4 years at most without loss. Good value.

A Lisa, Malbec 2009, rich and full Patagonia

A Lisa, Malbec 2009, By Bodega Noemia, Patagonia, USD 30
Impressive malbec from Northpatagonia (Rio Negro Valley). Full of ripe sweet fruit like compoted quince and plum with a touch of red sour small fruits. Adorable chocolate from middle palate to aftertaste. Soft vanilla. A little bit over the top for fruitiness to my palate. Probable best somewhere 4 to 6 years of proper cellar. (I still remember that 2004 A Lisa tasted 2009 and wonderfully aged to a 94 points) I´d say a 90 points malbec with very good price value.

Filus, Reserve Malbec 2005, beauty from Lunlunta Valley

Filus Reserve Malbec 2005, By Filus, USD 15
Beautiful Malbec from Lunlunta Valley, Maipú departament, Mendoza. Nicely aged with sweet red and black fruits mostly cherries and blackberries. Soft chocolate from oak and wide middle palate with short but not deceptive end of palate. I´d say a wine for less than 6 years cellar and a 89 points malbec with nice balance and typicity from Lunlunta. Very good value.

Marcus Gran Reserva, merlot 2006, From Patagonia a great one

Marcus Gran Reserva, Merlot 2006, By Bodega Canale,Patagonia, USD 30
Wonderful merlot with sour cherries and a mix of ripe raspberries and quince & plum marmalade
Wide palate, mostly the middle . It grows clearly after 40 mins opened. Chocolate and vanilla softly mixed. I´d say a 90 points merlot with great typicity, probably more complex and deep in 6-8 years cellar.

Angelica Zapata, Cabernet Sauvignon Alta 2005, Int´l Catena Alta, beautifull bottle

Angélica Zapata Alta, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, By Bodega Catena Zapata , Mendoza. USD 30
Great Cab from different terroirs of Mendoza. Balanced and complex. Spicy notes of alspice.
Pimiento (roasted red and green bell pepper) with a great middle palate of ripe red and black forrest fruits mostly raspberries and red currant. Soft vanilla and chocolate. A wine for 6-8 years with better prospect. I´d say a 91 points Cab with very good value for the price.

Pasionado 2003 By Andeluna Cellars, wow value & quality from Tupungato

Pasionado, Grand Reserve 2003, By Andeluna Cellars, USD 48

Beautiful blend, malbec based, from Tupungato (Uco´s Valley) , Mendoza

Nice dark fruit sweet and sour with gentle tannins but fine and straight at the same time. Wide palate with nice aftertaste lingering a dozen seconds. This bottle somehow weak as I know others. One of the most trusted and consistente reds in the country. I´ll go 92 points with this great value.

Salentein Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, wow from Uco´s Valley

Salentein Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, By Salentein Wines, USD 13.

Beautiful balanced Cab from Uco´s Valley Mendoza. Sweet pimiento (green and red bell peppers) roasted and yammy. Typical black fruits, sweet and sour. Round and likable with an edge of chocolate and leather. Very drinkable and smooth to sip over and over. I´d say a 90 points Cab to drink friendly after 4 year aged (probably up to 8-10 years with some old guy virtuosity) and a great value no doubt.

Salentein Chardonnay Reserve 2009, From Uco´s Valley and more

Salentien Chardonnay Reserve 2009, By Salentein Wines, USD 13

Great Chardonnay from Uco´s Valley, Mendoza. Equilibrated mix of fresh crispy ripe peach with hints of pear and green apple. Soft minerality in it. Balanced end with a pinch of oak mostly wet wood (may be from brett though).I´d say a wine for less than 4 years to get the best out. I´d say a 89 points chard and a very good value.

De Angeles, Malbec 2007, clap clap outstanding ovation malbec

De Angeles, Malbec Reserva 2007, By Bodega 1924 Viña de Angeles , USD 43

Outstanding Malbec from Vistalba District of Lujan de Cuyo Department in Mendoza. Strong and fine fruit mostly balanced red & black ones with beautiful alcohol and acidity. Strinking balance and equilibrium with delicate and pulished end. Soft oak all over in tiny cover. Long aftertaste but better middle palate with great palette. A 93 points malbec with great value component. A malbec to enjoy 6-8 years with joyfull life.

Miras, Malbec 2006, timid effort

Mirás, malbec 2006, By Marcelo Miras, USD 23

Basic malbec from Rio Negro´s Valley in Northpatagonia. Good red but weak and unmemorable.

Not deceptive but you wont remember it. Soft structure with nice fruit but laking the vivid

brightness of a memorable red. Probably better when less than 2 years old but clearly a bad value though. A 79 points malbec.

Monteviejo Malbec 2007, a juice to go through

Monteviejo, Malbec 2007, By Bodega Monteviejo (Michel Rolland), USD 20

Quite attractive malbec from Uco´s Valley,Mendoza. Nice balance of fresh and ripe black fruit typical of high Uco´s with strong acidity yet smooth like great malbecs. The 15% alcohol won´t annoy anyway. To enjoy 5-7 years plenty of virtue. I´d say a 90 points malbec with

very good value component.

Wunn, Chardonnay 2009, a california styled good effort

Wunn, Chardonnay 2009, By Bodegas Chacras del Sol, USD 10

Califonria styled chard from Rio Negro´s Valley Northpatagonia. Golden bright with striking

aromas of ripe peach and coconut. Hints of pineapple. Buttery and balanced with a wide palate

ending in a bitter finish. Some mineral middle palate too. Attractive and seductive with good value price. A 88 points chard with good value no doubt unless you hate CA style.

Paisajes de Tupungato 2005, even with brett & TCA a very nice red

Paisajes de Tupungato 2005, By Bodegas Flichman, USD 30

Very nice blend from Tupungato´s Valley in Mendoza. Mostly Cab Sau and Malbec with some Merlot.Right off the cup some TCA that gradually faded away giving place to a nice sweet compoted fruit with some leather and wet wood suggestive of Brett. It goes through the whole palate with a brief but nice aftertaste.Round and balanced. Probably better without Brett. I´d say 90 points blend with very good value component.A wine to cellar 5-7 years without loss.

Monteagrelo Malbec 2007, beauty balance for a young babe

Monteagrelo, Malbec 2007, By Bodega Bressia , USD 30

Beautifull Malbec from Agrelo Distric of Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Mendoza. Soft mix of ripe plum juicy and honey with cherry and a coconut and chocolate envelope.Somehow short but good aftertaste. I´d say a malbec to enjoy up to 5 years old. I´l go 88 points with a good valuecomponent.

Terrazas Chardonnay Reserva 2007, wow value

Terrazas, Chardonnay Reserva 2007, By Bodega Terrazas, USD 13

Beautiful Chardonnay green from the first sight. Likable compound of green apple,peach and pineapple with nice soft tosty and buttery notes. I´d say a 90 points chard withgreat value component no doubt. Very attractive and balanced without overexpressing component.