Tracia, Cab Sav 2009 from San Juan, a basic swirl for 4 bucks

Tracia Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, By Finca del Enlace, San Juan, USD 4

Basic Cab from San Juan (close to Mendoza, warmer and sunnier) with nice peppery and sweet bell peppers dominating the scene. No oak at all. Only soft balck cherries in second place to the attack. Pleasant and basic. Just well joined to pair whatever easy food available. A 81-82 point red to enjoy no more than 2 years born. Good value for sure. San Juan may give nice Cab Sau not burnt by sunny and hot days typical of those lands

Picada 15 Blend 2009, nice low price from Northpatagonia

Picada 15 Blend 2009, By Bodega Nqn , USD 7

Nice Cabernet Sauvignon based blend (40%) with merlot 30%, malbec 20% amd pinot noir 10% from San Patricio Valley in neuquén (Northpatagonia). Peppery and herbaceous dominance with only secondary hints of black cherries and chocolate. Not complex but sound and straight. I´d say a wine for less tha 4 year sellar with 85 point score to convey what likable low cost red this is. Very good value. A simple wine with terroir expression.

Festivo Torrontes 2010, acceptable value though

Festivo Torrontes 2010, By Monteviejo Wines, USD 10

Good Torrontes from Uco Valley in Mendoza (south oasis). It shows nice herbal components with elegant flowers that complement in the palate with kiwi fruit and light citrus edge. Soft and kind of elegant. You may get to the precise temperature if cooled down to 6 celsius (F 42) and waiting up to warmer points where the delicate structure shows itself. I´d say a 85 point white with a acceptable value price. Not competitive but acceptable. Not even close to the bombastic showing of a Cafayate (Salta ) Torrontes nor the citrus driven Patagonian Torrontes. The three of them are quite good on theirs own core. The style imprinted by the winery is a whole game apart.

Graffigna Grecónico Dorato 2009, what?

Graffigna Grecónico Dorato 2009, By Graffigna Wines, San Juan, USD 10

Strange white with a brilliant golden traslucency. The wine looks globaly occidated with some floral reminicence and mostly a honney sweet peach but not close to a dessert wine. A simple and straight white with no much virtue at all. Its not occidated (as the winery states on the label) but not very attractive either. A´d say a 78 points white with bad value component. It might be a good example of this grape and even likable in its original land. Who knows?

Pulenta Estate, Merlot 2007, the black lamb

Pulenta Estate, Merlot 2007, By Pulenta Winery, USD 18

A red refered to alto agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Mendoza. Barely drinkable merlot with some distant reminiscence of those grapes called merlot. Not much to describe for a red with some fruits ripe and enough balanced in acidity ant tannins just to drink it once. Not worth the price neither the name. A 79 point red forgetable for any reasons that may come to mind.

Nothing more distant than its brothers Malbec 07 and Cabenet Sauvignon 07 recently posted which deserved +90 points and above with very good value added.

Coleccion Universo Patagonia 2004, the big brother of Malma series, wow !

Colección, Universo Patagonia 2004, By Bodega Nqn, USD 20
Wonderfull evolution of this 7 y/o blend 60% malbec ,30% merlot and bit of Cab Sau.
Concentrated and dark fruity core with nice undertones of chocolate and spice (mostly like allspice) softly there and keeping in the beauty of balance. Nice oxidation giving more cooked notes of sweet fruits like plum and figs in syrup preserve. Strong alcohol but not disturbing. The blend´s still structured and solid keeping the original line of boysenberries now more cooked and black jammy. A 91 points blend at this point in time for this vintage. Not as structured as the 05 vintage but great value undoubtedly. I imagine at 10 or more y/o this wine getting a kind of sour jamm of plum and boysenberries worthwile pouring cup after cup.

Chandon Cuvee Reserve Varietal, Chardonnay, great bubbly

Chandon Cuvee Reserve Varietal, Chardonnay (Champenoise methode), By Moet Chandon, Mendoza, USD 17

Great sparkling from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza by this French Domaine in distant lands. Sweet peach and pineapple with only hints of citrus close to a fresh NZ kiwi. Pleasant toast and butter not over the top. Beautifull acidity and tannins that give a wide middle palate longing for another sip.Nicely ended with a bitter push of a peel. I´d say a 90 points sparkling of international class. A great value. Same outstanding value as its counterpart Pinot Noir posted on Dec 31st ,2010.

Malma Malbec 2006, another vintage of this outstanding red from Northpatagonia

Malma Reserve Malbec 2006, By Bodegas NQN, USD 14 (some countries shiped as LONKO)

Outstanding malbec from San Patricio Valley in Neuquén, Northpatagonia. Beautiful balance of black fruits (like ripe boysenberries) and sweet figs and quince jam. Assertive chocolate and tabacco envelope well webbed. The 05 vintage gave tannins stronger and rounder with a kind of better finesse. This vintage looks more fruity and darker with a bit less acidity. Slightly different marks on the same wine and style. The 07 vintage is still young showing some roughness and astringency tha will quite down 2-3 years down the road.

This 06 vintage is 91 points and even when the span life could be shorter than 05 vintage ,like 1 or 3 years less, it could also reach some higher level of complexity and final score. Great Value no doubt. To my palate the most beautiful patagonian malbec.

Misa de Requiem, Fortified Malbec/Merlot 2005, very nice Port style malbec

Misa de Requiem, Fortified Malbec & Merlot 2005, By Bodegas Bianchi, USD 30

Nice Port style Malbec from San Rafael Valley ,South Mendoza.

Strong first sight mostly like a ruby with inviting deep color. Expressing nose that spreads all the fruit a malbec and merlot blend could ever give off. Nice fig and quince jam with red cherries and raspberries in the middle of the 18,7 % vol/vol of alcohol. Strong tabacco and chocolate too. I woudn´t go less than 89 points for this fortified. Good value too. I don´t like much the overexpression of alcohol in most port wines, but I guess it must be the rule of thumb. And just cooling it down a bit they got more balanced for my palate.

Melipal, Malbec Reserve 2004, from Agrelo district and fine and delicate red to enjoy

Melipal, Malbec Reserve 2004, By Melipal (Vino del Sol), USD 22

Very good malbec from Agrelo District in Lujan de Cuyo Departament. Soft and gentle with delicate fruits and chocolate with a touch of spice (mostly like cinnamon and allspice). Short but quite balanced. Not bombastic or overexpressed. This short end of palate and aftertaste will go surely better if pushed forward by food containing acid, salty and umami components. A 91 points malbec and a great value component. It doesn´t look like it would go better after 6-8 years given the delicate and fine structure.

Mapema, Malbec 2004,USD 20, La Consulta district By Two reknown in winemaking

Mapema, Malbec 2004, By Mapema (Jose Galante & Mariano Di Paola) ,USD 20

Very nice malbec from La Consulta in San Carlos Department, Mendoza (with Tupungato and Tunuyan in the middle of Uco Valley). Well matured malbec with creme de cassis, boysenberries cooked and genltly sour. Soft dark chocolate and almost vanished vanilla. Quite balanced. Only a little bit short aftertaste but wide palate all through. I´d say a 89 points malbec with very good value component. No more aging for this malbec. Hard to say but probably better younger.

Pulenta Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, USD 18, Alto Agrelo excellence

Pulenta Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, By Pulenta Estate, USD 18

Beatiful Cab Sau from Alto Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo, mendoza. Ripe blacberries and sweet black figs .Hints of mint and green bell pepper in the middle. Very attractive and mouth filling with great balance. Dark chocolate and smoky aftertaste. A 90 points Cab with great value component. It may get better around 6 years of proper cellar and cork endurance.

Trapiche Fond de Cave Malbec Reserva 2008 (Broquel International), quite good soldier

Trapiche Fond de Cave Malbec Reserva 2008, By Bodegas Trapiche, USD 10

This probably sold internationaly as Broquel. Nice malbec from Maipu Departament Mendoza. Brilliant deep red giving place to a aromatic malbec with nice cooked forrest small fruits and a good acidity without lossing the drinkable nature. Well balanced and nice aftertaste. Quite friendly. Enough chocolate and tabacco from oak to keep it round and mildly complex. A Malbec for up to 4 years cellar without loss. A 89 points malbec with very good value component.

Trapiche Sauvignon Blanc 2007, you wont´t believe it !

Trapiche, Sauvignon Blanc 2007, By Bodegas Trapiche, USD 4
Absolutely unbelievable value, probably the best ever in argentina´s whites. A very likeable Sauvignon with varietal typicity and easy to enjoy mouth filling white. Floral aromas of grapefuit and jasmin introduce to a rich sauvignon blanc with nice citric acidity, herbaceous crispy tones and a soft touch of peach. Quite enjoyable for simple everyday dishes (lets say any radish salad) in summer time but also nice to follow a hot vegetable soup . I´l go 88 points with this very good value and a category of `must try´ white. I know 4 years old Trapiche Sau Blanc nicely kept alive and vivid.

Alta Vista, Chardonnay Extra Brut 2007, a prime time guest

Alta Vista, Chadonnay sparkling chapanoise extra brut, By Alta Vista, USD 12

Quite attractive with mostly green apple and peach well balanced. Acidity and alcohol quite nice. The fruit is beautully balanced with the sweetness. The backbone is kept without much toasty and buttery stuff. Rich and inviting. Probably best before 6 years old. I´d say a 87 points sparkling of Chardonnay with a good value component.

Nieto Senetiner Pinot Noir 2010 unoaked and simple

Nieto Senetiner Pinot Noir 2010, By Bodegas Nieto Senetiner, USD 9

Nice and basic Pinot from Lujan de Cuyo Dpt in Mendoza. quite typical from the ligh red transparency to the gentle sweet cherries dominating sofly the whole palate. Hints of chocolate even there is no barrel used here. Young to drink before 3-4 years old. I´d ay a good value and a 85 points Pinot Noir.

Dolium Malbec 2006, nice Perdriel malbec

Dolium, Malbec 2006, By Dolium Perdriel (Mendoza) USD 10

Enough typicity and attractiveness from Perdriel District in Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Mendoza. Cooked and small forrest fruits preserves quite sweet but gentle. Nice chocolate and toast. Not enough lenght in palate nor aftertaste either. Simple and easy to drink, soft and easy yet nicely built up. I´d say a wine for less than 4 years cellar. A good value and I´ll go 86 points for this malbec.

Jean Bousquet Malbec 2008, Tupungato friendly

Jean Bousquet malbec 2008, By Domaine Jean Bousquet, Tupungato, Mendoza,USD 10

Nice and basic malbec from high mendoza. Good typicity of ripe sweet boysenberries and black cassis with a soft chocolate end. Not very complex but attractive and friendly easy pal. I woudn´t go more than 4 years with this malbec. It´s a good value all in all. I´d say a 87 points malbec from Tupungato Dpt in high mendoza.

Matias Riccitelli´s Malbec 2009 from Vistalba, wow!

Matias Riccitelli Malbec 2009, USD 30-40 closed trade for export.

Rich and balanced malbec from Vistalba district of Lujan de Cuyo Departament. Deep ripe fruits quite complex and well balanced. Very attractive flowers like violets ( typical malbec beauty), dark roses and lavander. Quite soft chocolate and toast well entangled and expanding into the aftertaste. What like the most is the balance and complexity I´d say a malbec to enjoy 6-8 years and a 92 points red. Surely a good to great value price.

Mariflor Malbec 2009, a very good Uco´s son

Mariflor, Malbec 2009,By Michele Rolland Collection, USD30

Very good Malbec from Uco Valley, Mendoza. Nice dark brilliant shade. A well balanced black currant and ripe biysenberries sweet and attractive. Nor very complex though. Solid backbone with quite good memory. Probably to enjoy some complexity up to 6 years of proper cellar. A good value- I´d say a 90 points malbec with appropiate typicity for Uco Valley.

Alta Vista Atemporal, Sparkling Extra Brut 2008, wow!

Alta Vista Atemporal, Extra Brut 2008, By Alta Vista, USD 17

Great sparkling from Mendoza. 90% Chardonnay dominanting with delicious green apple and peach giving place to a soft citric end. Small edge of Pinot Noir at the very end. Nice toasty notes. Beautiful balance and atractiveness without over buttery or velvety. No doubt a 92 points sparkling. Clear Champagne styled and a great value.

Chakana , Malbec Reserve 2008, a 90 points malbec but...

Chakana, Malbec Reserve 2008, By Andean Wines, USD 12

Good Malbec labled from Agrelo District, Lujan de Cuyo, mendoza. Very ripe black berries and currants with less noticeable red fruits. A little bit alcoholic so probably better a bit cooler. Nice acidity and hints of spicies like green peppercorn and a minty edge. Good chocolate and smoke from oak. Quite complex. Probably better at 6-8 years old if tannins hold up (wich I honestly doubt). I´d say a very good value with 90 points malbec. It might go great value if more matured.

Finca La Delfina, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, nice CS

Finca La Delfina ,Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, By Bodega y Viñedos Rufino Hermanos, USD 12

Nice CS from Rodeo de la Cruz, Guaymallén, Mendoza (high Mendoza south close to Tupungato). Clear character with peppery notes and herbal components dominating the middle palate. Secundary black fruits ripe and soft. Minimal choclate and smoke. A little bit thin in tannins. Not easy to drink but likeable given its unripe cabernet notes. I´d say a barely acceptable value for this 86 points red. I won´t improve any I guess.

Altos Las Hormigas, Malbec 2009, a fairly acid malbec

Altos Las Hormigas, Malbec 2009, By Altos Las Hormigas, USD 13
Good Malbec from Mendoza and fairly consistent vintage after vintage. Solid and rich even not very complex. A good value for the price. Nice red and black fruits broken even and soft chocolate.Good passage all through the palate with good aftertaste. Strong acidity and balanced alcohol. This acidity is uncommon in Mendoza´s Malbec style. Probably good to enjoy at least 6 years. I´d say a 89 points malbec blending many districts of Mendoza and a good value.

Alta Vista Terroir Selection Malbec 2007. A great malbec blending Uco and Lujan

Alta Vista, Terroir Selection, Malbec 2007, By Alta Vista Winery, USD 20

Great Malbec with 85% from Uco Valley and 15% from Lujan de Cuyo Dpt in Mendoza. Attractive balance of fruits, mostly blackberries and plum with a little tousch of red cherries quite ripe and sweet but with nice acidity and alcohol. Vanilla soft and likeable with soft toasy and chocolate in the middle palate. Nice aftertaste. It has the strong black fruit softened and balanced with the elegance and red fruit of Lujan. I agree the 91 points of WA and will keep some bottles for 3-6 years down the road. I feel it has all to improve nicely. A great value no doubt.

Arguentota, Malbec 2007, say very good Agrelo, but a little overpriced

Arguentota, malbec 2007, By Belasco de Baquedano, USD 24

Typical Malbec from Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo,Mendoza. It has all the balance and elegance including some vanilla and chocolate softly entangled. No doubt a very good malbec. A little bit expensive considering the standard around. I´d say a malbec for 4 or 6 years of full beauty if proper cellar goes along. I´d say a 89 points malbec a little bit expensive in exchange.

Nieto Senetiner, Grand Cuvee, sparkling without much

Nieto Senetiner, Grand Cuvee, Champenoise By Nieto Senetiner, USD 20

A basic sparkling Brut Nature from Lujan de Cuyo Mendoza. Light pink shade with cherry juice aroma mixing apple and a touch of toast. Nice palate ,straight and not very complex but having the basics in it. I´d say a 87 points sparkling with barely if ever acceptable value for the price.

Moncagua, Malbec 2007, another beauty from Agrelo

Moncagua, Malbec 2007, By Viña Moncagua, USD 8
Nice malbec with all the beauty of an Agrelo and by a price value. Balanaced fruity early palate with quite attractive acidity and alcohol like Agrelo gives off. Soft chocolate at middle and end palate with short but likeable aftertaste. A typical Agrelo Malbec dominated by the equilibrium. A petit malbec with shadows of a great Malbec, probably the best Argentina´s capable of. Very good value of this 87 points malbec.

Las Perdices, Malbec 2008, a great Agrelo´s Malbec

Las Perdices, Malbec 2008, By Bodega Juan Muñoz Lopez, USD 10
Great Malbec from Agrelo District in Lujan de Cuyo Dpt ,Mendoza. It has all the virtues typical of Agrelo to name it: delicate fruitiness with mixed red and black cherries and boysenberries in a appropiate acidity and alcohol. You may pick up a soft chocolate and smokiness too.
Only Agrelo (better so High Agrelo) Perdriel and Vistalba districts of Lujan de Cuyo Departmament may give this balance and finesse. I´d say a malbec to enjoy for 6 years and a 90 points great value Malbec

Loan Malbec 2007, being an Agrelo Malbec just basic

Loan, Malbec 2007, By Belasco de Boquedano, USD 13
Nice but basic malbec from Agrelo district of Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza. It has the main values from an Agrelo: balanced fruit (red cherries, plum, boysenberries) ripe and sweet with a quite typical equlibrium of acidity and alcohol. Some light character though wich put this malbec in the 8-10 range price. So typicity awarded but a little far pushed the price. I´d say a 87 points Agrelo Malbec a little bit too expensive. Lets say it would be a good value for 10 bucks and a very good value for 8 bucks.

Alfredo Roca, Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 and 2005, From San Rafael an original Cab

Alfredo Roca, Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 and 2005, By Roca Wines, USD 17

Nice and complex Cab fron south Mendoza (San Rafael) were Cab tends to ripe quite nicely if not destoyed by hailing. Both vintages show attractive middle shade red brilliant bordeaux type (the 2002 a bit brownish shade of course). Good initial aromas of ripe fruits, mostly mixed and anticipating toasty and chocolate hints. Wide palate with great middle impact were you find a touch of red sweet bell pepper and herbal spiciness too. A little short afterwards though. Nice globaly but a little soft both. No a big backbone of tannins. A 88 points cab with good value. To enjoy 6-8 years with some improvement.

Jean Bousquet, Malbec Reserva 2008, another Tupungato´s son well made

Jean Bousquet, Malbec Reserva 2008, By Domaine Jean Bousquet, Tupungato, USD 12

Another high altitude grown grapes, this time from High Mendoza. Typicity shown clear. Nice black cherries and boysenberries with a toach of plum and prunes. Nice complexity with chocolate and some vanilla and toasty undertone too. Sweet and straight. What most palates will consider adorable. I´d say a 87 points malbec with very good price value. May be good to enjoy 4-6 years. I feel this much fruitiness as boring though like pushing over the top.

Chañarmuyo Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, by the same token

Chañarmuyo, Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, By Chañarmuyo Estate, La Rioja, USD 12

Nice Cab. Plenty of ripe fruit and a nice envelope of chocolate and soft smoke. Like reds from high Mendoza (lets say Tupungato Valley, Uco Valley, Tunuyan city, Vista Flores, Gualtallary and so) this Cab shows a strong black small fruit concentration like boysenberries and black cherries very ripe and sweet with almost no memory of typical cabernets in termes of herbaceous and peppery no. Nice alchol, not bothers at all. Over the top on fruitinness. I´d say a 88 points red to enjoy probably 6-8 years of proper cellar. Very good value. Quite straight and likeable, mostly if you like fruit punch explosion (many palates will agree and get exited about this red).

Rutini, Extra Brut 2007, good value from mendoza

Rutini Extra Brut 2007, By Rutini Wines, USD 30

Good Champenoise from Mendoza, mostly chardonnay driven. Nice green apple and a bit more ripen like melon. Soft toast and butter. Strong acidity and some herbaceous envelope deep placed. Not very good but likeable. A 88 points sparkling with champenoise method. Good value.

Chandon Pinot Noir Cuvee Reserve Varietal Sparkling, wow!

Chandon Pinot Noir (blanc de noir) Sparkling , By Bodegas Chandon (Moet Chandon) , USD 25

Great Champenoise method from Lujan de Cuyo Dpt in Mendoza. Nice body with astonishing acidity and perfect aftertaste. The balance drives toward red soft cherries and nice toasty notes. A 90 point sparkling with very good value component.

Chañarmuyo Malbec 2008, wow!

Chañarmuyo, Malbec 2008, By Chañarmuyo Estate, USD 10

Malbec from Chañarmuyo Valley (1,700 mts) La Rioja Province. Nice plum and dark black berries ripe and sweet. Nice alcohol and acidity with soft chocolate and smoke. Quite concentrated and attractive. The light barely passes through the wine. I´d say a 4-6 years cellar malbec with very good value component. A 89 points malbec.