Doña Paula Estate, Malbec 2009, somehow a typical Mendoza´s malbec blend but I wound´t buy it twice

Doña Paula Estate, Malbec 2009, By Bodega Doña Paula, USD 14
The winery s located in Ugarteche District of Lujan de Cuyo Departament, central Mendoza. The vineyards are in Ugarteche and also higher in Uco Valley.
This malbec is juicy and sweet with ripe black fruit like cassis and blackberries. Some plum jam adds up even more sweetness. Nice chocolate and toast rounding the backbone. A good middle palate tone with adecauate finish even not long. I wound´t go more than 86 points with richness like now for less than 4 years cellar. Even though we talk about a typical and nice malbec I feel it a bit expensive for the standard. Well expressed but not attractive to my palate. I find hard to buy it twice.

Lassia, Pinot Noir 2009, stereotypical Patagonian at a gentle price.

Lassia, Pinot Noir 2009, By Bodega Patriti, San Patricio, Neuquen ; USD 9



Good son of Northpatagonia. Plenty of strong backbone tannins with sour fruit of boysenberries and mince jam perfume. Quite different from Mendoza´s standard of sweet round fruity style. The palate wont´ feel it harsh. Its attractiveness goes in discovering its layers and deepness. This Pinot goes 86 points for a young and ripe red but probably nicely mature after 4-6 years.Very good value too.

Don Nicanor Malbec 2009, a fast drinking malbec

Don Nicanor, malbec 2009, By Nieto Senetiner, USD 15



A malbec from Agrelo district of Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Mendoza.Striking purple shade.Aroma of violets and plum fresh and young. The palate is balanced with sweet tannins and filling well the initial part.Soft chocolate too. It fades away soon after a short middle palate.
The wine is nervous and fast expressive all at once. If this initial palate disappear with maturity the wine will turn flat and evanescent. So to enjoy young (kind of before 4 years) in a fast drink situation and I don´t know if worth it 15 bucks. I mean for 15 bucks you may find pretty complex malbecs around.
A 84 points malbec out of price level for 15. I remember previous vintages with similar struture and far more oaky which didn´t mean more attractive.

Numina 2007, high quality and value at a second line level

Numina 2007, By Salentein Wines, USD 25-30
A very good blend malbec (85%) based with a toach of merlot from Tunuyan, Uco valley, Mendoza. The blending of malbec with a splash of merlot is frecuently made to widen the palette of fruits and tannin toward a more sour and red flavor. This is the case here. Nice mix of fruits with a counterbalance of sourness to the more compoted and cooked quality of malbec fruits. Good chocolate and vanilla too. Very smooth and velvety with a nice persistence.Not as complex as 2005 vintage in terms of herbal and spicy notes. A 92 points red probably best after 6 years cellaring. A very good value too. 

The 2005 vintage was more delicious. Here the cellar factor may be the key.

Salentien Primus Merlot 2004, a supervalue

Salentein Primus, Merlot 2004, By Salentein Wines, USD 40-50 (overseas, in Argentina USD 100)



Great Merlot from Tunuyan, Uco Valley. Still not yet the best moment in maturation. The wine has strong and vivid tannins with a long persistence in memory once passed through the palate. Quite sour black fruits like boysenberries and plum. Many little black forrest berries like cassis and blackberries.A hint of allspice and mint.The chocolate and vanilla are smooth and delicate. No overexpression in any component. Just superbalanced.A wine to enjoy its best after 8 years of proper cellar. I´d say a 94 points merlot now in time. Lets see down the road. A supervalue.

I liked more the 2003 vintage probably because of both: the vintage richness and a longer cellar maturation. 

Espiritu de Argentina, Malbec Gran Reserva 2006, From Rivadavia Dpt , an acceptable value

Espiritu de Argentina, Malbec 2008 (gran reserva), By Bodega Monte Real,USD 9



A Malbec from Rivadavia Departament, Mendoza.
I.P. Mendoza (Indicacion de Procedencia) means a legal certification of source (this case anywhere in Mendoza). A fair malbec with wide middle palate in red fruits like cherries well balanced in freshness and ripeness. Not complex neither delicate. Some vanilla and chocolate to enrich the medium boby tannins. A 85 points Malbec with a good value component at less than 10 bucks.


There is another wine named ´Espiritu de Argentina´ but from Tupungato (Uco valley) and sold at around 15 bucks. Not the one I´m tasting now.

Reserva del Fin del Mundo, malbec 2007, a creole in Patagonia

Reserva del Fin del Mundo, Malbec 2007, By Bodega del Fin del Mundo, USD 15



A malbec from San Patricio Valley, Neuquen Province, Northpatagonia.
Quite balanced malbec with a typical sour red cooked cherries and a wide middle palate. Not complex though. Not strong as usual but  rather delicate for a Patagonian. Light notes of chocolate and toast. A malbec of 88 points with good life for 4 years or so.It may get interesting terciary notes after 6 years old though. Good value but I´d buy it twice if 12 bucks price.So I feel it a little bit, just a little bit overpriced.

Trumpeter Reserve, Blend 2007, Beautifull delicatessen

Trumpeter Reserve, Blend 2007, By Bodega La Rural (Rutini Wines), USD 15



A blend of Tempranillo, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon (even share of each) from Uco Valley,Mendoza.
Wide palette in the palate that makes this red quite interesting and attractive. Ripe black fruits with a cooked quality of compote.From smooth peppery to quince and plum you get an interesting middle palate. Soft chocolate and a hint of vanilla too.It pays what it costs. A 89 points red with a type of tannins to evolve well for 4-6 years for better. A good value. I´d buy it twice easily to make friends or my self happy at a confortable reunion.

Los Leones, Malbec 2008, standing ovation for this 9 bucks bright malbec

Los leones, malbec 2008, By Salentein Wines, USD 9



A supervalue for 9 bucks from Tunuyan, Uco valley, Mendoza.
A must try for the value and quality given. Nice structure malbec with friendly and at the time straight tannins. You get adorable fruit mostly cooked cherries and plum and an edge of vanilla and chocolate quite completing the roundness. Just mildly complex enough to keep it in memory up to the next sip. A malbec to enjoy in its 2-4 years old age. A very good value,like you will take it home twice and trice too. A 86 points malbec.


This Holland winery in Mendoza delivers great values at every price level you may pick, lets say 4-5 USD (Finca Portillo), 8-9 USD (Los Leones) 10-14 USD (Salentein Reserve) and 40-100 USD (Primus, Numina). Recently they changed winemaker chief, so lets see what follows.

Lavaque , Colección Varietales, malbec 2009, a nice compromise for 4 bucks !!

Lavaque, Colección Varietales, malbec 2009, By Viñas de Altura S.A., USD 4




Nice Malbec from San Rafael Valley, South Mendoza. Alcoholic but fruity and with friendly tannins. Good typicity for Malbec with wide and soft middle palate mostly red cherries and plummy. A wine to enjoy young and freshy like within 2-3 years born. No oak whatsoever clearly expressed. A 82 points malbec with more than nice value price. Given the strong alcohol basement it will match pretty well with sweet and sour or spicy mixed food like thai or indian dishes.

Andeluna , Chardonnay 2010, a great value from Uco Valley

Andeluna Chardonnay 2010, By Andeluna Cellars, Uco Valley, Mendoza, USD 10




Beautifull Chard from Tupungato with a green and withe fruit driven backbone in nice soft balance with buttery and cocconut elements.You may even say its got more of a Sauvignon Blanc than a traditional Chard given the grapefruit edge in the initial palate.Medium body excelling a balance with white flowers and some dominant green apple ripe and nicely acid. Soft white peach too. The middle palate may even give some minty eucalyptus with peppery note very soft and delicate. This exotic note adds up attractiveness.
I´d say a 89 points Chard to enjoy best before 4 years old and a great value.

Marcus, Malbec 2010, a good Patagonian starting point for no money et all

Marcus, Malbec 2010, By Bodega Canale, Rio Negro, Patagonia, USD 6




Good Malbec from Rio Negro, Northpatagonia. A balanced mix of fruit fresh and sour with nce alcohol. Not concentrated but reasonable so for the price.Nice as a table wine with a honest structure and easy palate. A 82 points mabec with good ratio to price.A wine to enjoy before 2 years born with friends talking along and grasping only a bit of patagonian character. Not colorfully expressive but typical and friendly.

Fabricio Oberto, Malbec 2007, to...forget

 


Fabricio Oberto, Malbec 2007, By Bodegas Alta Esperanza, USD 10




A poor malbec from Catamarca Province with only a bunch of elements not integrated in a fine malbec. Nice oaky chocolate and vanilla but it feels like diluted and unstructured. If you go to Alta Esperanza Malbec in February the quality and price value are the opposite. An 79 points malbec to forget (not forgive). Context and a very personal taste may transform this malbec into acceptable. I wound´t buy it twice for sure.

Doña Paula, Seleccion de Bodega, Malbec 2006, a malbec to dicover but bad value price ratio

Doña Paula, Selección de Bodega, malbec 2006, By Viña Doña Paula, USD 40




A concentrated and potent malbec made of blending Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley Malbec vineyards. Sweet ripe red cherries with nice alcohol and acidity. Good vanilla and black plummy notes too . Minty or eucalytus scent usual in some Uco´s reds (not necessarily malbecs). Wide middle palate and a nice aftertaste. A malbec of 89 points. I feel it too expensive given the standard around.You may get much better complexity and elegance at that price level. A Malbec to cellar 6-8 years to discover better. I´d buy it again many others rather than this one. Sorry but not a great Mendoza´s value.

San Pedro de Yacochuya 2007, from cafayate and Rolland and to forget this time

San Pedro de Yacochuya 2007, By Yacochuya S.A., Cafayate Valley, Salta, USD 30




A blend malbec based from cafayate Valley (1,700 mts, 5,000 ft). Strange red with ripe grape aroma and palate. Sweet and gentle but it doesn´t taste fine or delicate, even more so given the 30 bucks.Some chocolate and vanilla from oak not very impressive.It tastes like must not mature wine. It barely reaches 75 points. Bad value . I tasted previous vintages and were quite different overall.

Intimo Malbec 2009, this time a better value and quality wine

Intimo, Malbec 2010, By Bodega Canale, Rio Negro, Patagonia, USD 10




You may find a good palette of nice flowers and sweet mature tannins in spite of the young age by vintage.Well cooked quince and red sour berries wih a beautiful vanilla at the beginning and chocolate at the end.Attractive balance only lacking some concentration typical of a Northpatagonian. However better global attrativeness than the 2008 & 2010 vintages. A 87 point malbec with good value component. A malbec to enjoy 4-6 years plenty of life.

Picada 15, Malbec 2009, what a northpatagonia malbec say

Picada 15, Malbec 2009, By Bodega Nqn, Neuquen, Northpatagonia, USD 6
Nice and potent (compared to Mendoza´s) Malbec from San Patricio Valley.  A hint of red roses aroma begins the show. Sweet red cherries with softly emerged chocolate and vanilla  and a clear acidity & alcohol make this red adorable..Short end although enough aftertaste to step forward another sip. I´d say a 86 points malbec with a very good value component to price. To enjoy less than 4 years young and delicate 

Otello Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, an unappropiate winery answer to a single consumer

Otello, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, By Bodega Sottano,USD 10
I guess it could have been a very good Cab from Perdriel District in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza.
(agrelo,vistalba and perdriel are the best districts of Lujan de Cuyo for mendoza´s malbecs) I bought a six bottle case and all of them were corked. After a closer look the synthetic cork was the maximal source of anisole odor. Again after a while the red came up clearer and showed some interesting notes of black cherries and boysenberries with nice peppery and herbal notes.This spoilage halted any further evaluation. The point to mention is what the winery´s consumers relation guys told me: sorry. And on top of that they blamed on the dealer for the spoilage. Unbelivable. Unfortunately it´ll take some time to try again this winery´s bottles. The correct answer would have prevented this negative prospect.

Canale Classico, a table wine for good riddance

Canale Classico, By Bodega Canale, Rio Negro, Patagonia, USD 3-4 (no vintage)

Nice red blend pinot noir & merlot based. Cherry red brilliant and freshy fruity aroma right off the cup. Good mouth feeling with enough acidity and alcohol. Good value for a table wine with typical Patagonian character. A 79 points red. Its a basic red, well done and balanced, also nice character in it.

Tierra de Luna, malbec 2010 By JF Lurton, a good Tunuyan boy

Tierra de Luna, malbec 2010, By JF Lurton, Tunuyan, Mendoza, USD 8

Good Tunuyan Malbec by a Uco Valley based French winery. Atractive mix of sour plum and cherries with sweet tannins. Good acidity and alcohol make it round and mouth filling. You enjoy every sip. Equilibrated all palate passage.No a great neither an unforgetable malbec A malbec with typicity for Tunuyan and gentle. I´d say a 85 points red with good value for the money payed. To enjoy before 4 years at its best.

Primus Malbec 2003, one of the top 10

Primus, malbec 2003, By Salentein Wines, USD 52

Astonishing Malbec from Uco Valley (Tunuyan),Mendoza. A high altitude vineyard (1,100 mts or 3,600 ft) gives this exceptional vintage. A Malbec ripe and showing all the virtues a high quality Malbec may give. Ripe cherries and jam of black plum. Almost perfect equlibrium of chocolate,tabacco with vanilla and all the fruit. It may get even better the next few years. I prefer this point in time, where fruit and maturity balance each other. I don´t enjoy more a terciary dominant wine. This is a 95 points malbec with unbeatable value for the price. A close to perfect Tunuyan Malbec and one of the best Argentina´s.

Calypso, Malbec 2009, an unbeatable value

Calypso, malbec 2009, By Monteviejo, USD 10

Great value malbec with all the virtue of Vistaflores, Tunuyan (Uco valley), Mendoza.
Close to perfect balance of fresh fruits with nice acidity and alcohol.Plum, blackberries, boysenberries altogether ripe and fresh. Quite attractive dark chocolate and vanilla. An inviting wine to enjoy 4-6 years plenty of yought. I wound´t go less than 93 points with this malbec. An unbeatable value for the price.


Re-tasted by the end of November 2011 with consistent values. Let air for half an hour to open up the virtues. Like few times in Argentina´s wines this one leaps 2-3 points ahead after a while open.

Diamandes, malbec Gran Reserva 2009, a good value for a high quality malbec

Diamandes, Malbec Gran Reserva 2007, By Bodega Diamandes, USD 35

Very good Malbec from Tunuyan, Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Atractive wine from the bordeaux shade first contact. Beautiful balance of fresh fruits mixed with dominant cooked plum and marked chocolate and vanilla from oak barriques. Strong alcohol percieved that goes a little akward to my palate. All in all good balance and a very good wine. I´d say a 91 points malbec which could be enjoyed 6-8 years of proper cellar. A good value.

Pura Sangre, 9 Lunas 2009, I don´t feel it worthy

Pura Sangre, 9 Lunas 2009, By Domaine St Diego, USD 30

Nice Malbec 80% & Cabernet Sauvignon 20% from Lunlunta district, Maipu Departament, Mendoza. Balanced fruit, mostly sour and sweet with a touch of itchy movement in the tong´s tip that bothers me a little bit. Nice chocolate and toast too. Not very attractive. I would´t go more than 85 points. I don´t feel its gonna get any better by cellaring. No good value. Not a bad wine but it doesn´t seduce me nor get I what I´d expected from this winery.

Saurus, Malbec 2008, a good and beauty Patagonian

Saurus, Malbec 2008, By Familia Shroeder, USD 9

Attractive Malbec from San Patricio Valley, Neuquen, Northpatagonia.
Sour red cherries and plum with quite evolving chocolate and hot alcohol. Not very complex rather than straight and potent. All virtues of a typical Northpatagonian Malbec. Not the delicate structure and softness of mendoza. The natural potency is what I feel the winery should keep expressed in a terroir wine (lets say any wine!). It looks like you may enjoy this malbec for
4-6 years with some increasing maturity and so forth more terciary notes. I´d say a 85 points malbec with very good value for the price. Good Patagonian.

Trapiche Malbec Oak Casc 2009, a typical Maipu value

Trapiche Malbec Oak Casc 2009, By Bodega Trapiche, USD 10

Nice and delicate Malbec from Maipu Departament in Central Mendoza. All the simplest thing together make a good and easy enjoyble malbec at hand. Ripe fruity notes mostly red cherries and black plum fresh and bright. Only hints of chocolate. No minty or spiciness found in more concentrated and high lands malbecs of mendoza. The ´primera zona´(Maipu & Lujan de Cuyo Dpts) gives this typical Malbecs with enjoyable balance and elegance in a very good value price. A 86 points Malbec to cellar less than 4 years for the best.

To learn more about the winery go to Argentina Wines: http://www.winesofargentina.org/

Intimo Malbec 2010, again closer to a good value

Intimo Malbec 2010, By Bodega Canale,Rio Negro, Patagonia, USD 10

Well, a malbec with Patagonian character and typicity but lacking concentration which at the end makes it lose weight (and so go that character!) . Like palating a wine distant to the tongue, something in between the wine and the tongue. Good balance of fruit and alcohol. Sour fresh ripe red and black fruits no doubt. A little toach of chocolate and a toasty edge quite balancing. A 83 points malbec complex and balanced in struture and poorly concentrated which is sad. I dont´t feel it a value for the price.

To learn more about the winery go to Wines of Argentina: http://www.winesofargentina.org/

The soft and elegant structure with easy to drink balance is a typical Mendoza´s virtue for Malbec. Patagonia gives a stronger Malbec and likable just that way. They´re hard to go delicate. Rather they turn distant and less expressive if not let be the way they tend naturally. So even people may like a soft and delicate malbec (like a mendoza´s),this style fail to express the typicity and beautifull originality of Patagonia. Just the way I understand the thing. And that´s why 83 insted of 87

La Chamiza (Polo Amateur) Malbec 2010, what Central Mendoza Malbec should say forever

La Chamiza Polo Amateur Malbec 2010, By Finca La Chamiza, Maipu, Mendoza,

USD 6

This is a beautiful Malbec and a great value for the money. It´s got the fruit ripe and without overt component. Nice red cherries well mouth filling without the fruit punch overexpression. Adorable alcohol and acidity make it round and sound. Very smooth and elegant throughout the palate with good aftertaste. I get a touch of chocolate very soft. Few wines that I know of has this components at thos price level. An 85 points malbec for 6 bucks! That´s a value and a typical Maipu red (lets say high Mendoza river, or First Zone = 'Primera Zona' as they name it). This malbec is what makes Central Oasis Mendoza unique. Not only price value but also typicity and terroir driven product with a vinification that excel the juice harvested. Probably best first 4 years of born.

You may find starting information about this and others Wineries at Wines Of Argentina http://www.winesofargentina.org/ in español, english, portuguese,chinese, japanese and russian.

Misterio Mabec 2009, the mistery revealed...

Misterio, malbec 2009, By Finca Flichman,Mendoza, USD 6

Just a barely fair malbec for the money payed. Basic red cherries and sweet plum with a lactic acidity that goes well if food keeps the saltyness and acidity too. Otherwise it turns annoying. A soft red easy to go with pizza and burgers. A 76 points malbec with barely acceptable price value. Don´t ask it for more. You may get better malbecs for 6 bucks for sure. I don´t feel it competitive.

To learn more about the winery go to Wines of Argentina: www.winesofargentina.org

La Celia, Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, not even close to far back vintages

La Celia, Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, By Finca La Celia, Uco Valley, Mendoza,

USD 15

Barely basic Cabernet Sauvignon with some typical blackberries and candied boysenberries (if that´s posible!) from high Uco Valley. No herbal or peppery notes that I´d expect.Very soft chocolate and toast from almost no new oak at all. Some sour and hot tannin (like a spicy or akward sourness) that I don´t like much. It doesn´t seem a fault but I feel it personally ugly. Bottom line a basic CabSau with barely any virtuosity. A 78 points red far too overpriced. I´d drink it if given to me but I wound´t buy it twice. I´ve tried the reserve series La Celia before (like 2004 as I remember right off the top of my mind) and they were quite good; What happended? Different vineyards? A winery should change the label when the vineyard (an the grapes) shifted. That´s honest and fair trade too.

to learn more about the winery go to Wines of Argentina: www.winesofargentina.org

Alamos Reserve Tempranillo 2006, a rather basic tempranillo from Mendoza. Hard to buy twice.

Alamos (de Mendoza) Reserve Tempranillo 2006, By Bodega Catena Zapata, USD 12

Soft red with typicity of Mendoza for a sweet and good balanced red. Ripe blackberries and boysenberries that remind a Spanish tempranillo. Far less acid than the spanish ones. Medium body with gentle tannins and a tiny sweet chocolate. A 82 points red with barely acceptable value to price. Probably best before 6 years born.

To learn more about the winery go to Wines of Argentina: www.winesofargentina.org

Oneus, Malbec 2004, a top quality malbec with great value component too

Oneus, Malbec 2004, Lunlunta District,Mendoza, By Domaine St. Diego, USD 65


An absolutely gorgeous malbec from Lunlunta distric in Maipu Departament, Mendoza and made by Angel Mendoza (former chief winemaker Trapiche Winery). Unbelievable finesse and smoothness with layers and layers of delicate cherries and boysenberries with soft quince jam. A hint of spice and very fine vanilla and dark chocolate round completely this malbec. I mean, you may even drink the whole bottle alone in a bunch of minutes. A 94 points malbec to enjoy for a long time (Don Angel Mendoza says 10 years). A great value. A top quality malbec with a delicate and complex finesse.


To learn more about the winery go to Wines of Argentina: www.winesofargentina.org

Cabo de Hornos, Malbec (Gran Reserva) 2009, bombastic names for a regular Mendoza´s Malbec

Cabo de Hornos, Malbec Gran Reserva 2009, By Bodega San Huberto, USD 14


Here we´ve got a regular malbec from Mendoza well overpriced and overnamed with neon. Fruity light with sound balance although some herbaceous edge that I don´t see quite well in a ripe Malbec. No fine oak whatsoever. But I enjoyed the red anyway. Not to remember even the basics are there. A 84 point malbec overpriced to appreciate best before 4 years old.


To learn more about the winery go to www.winesofargentina.org

Calafate, Malbec 2009, a standard Northpatagonian

Calafate Malbec 2009, By Universo Austral, USD 14
Nice malbec from Añelo, Neuquen, Northpatagonia. A bunch of red sour cherries with a nice sweety edge that balances quite well the tannins. Good dosis of ripe cooked quince. A hint of chocolate in the end. Better initial and middle palate with short end and aftertaste. I´d say an 86 points malbec with good typicity for Añelo ,Northpatagonia. A malbec to enjoy probably 4-6 years with growing virtue if properly cellared. Good value too.

Nieto Senetiner Malbec DOC 2009, good value even not typical

Nieto Senetiner ,Malbec DOC 2009, By Nieto Senetiner, USD 15

Nice Malbec from Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Mendoza. (DOC: Denominación de Origen Controlada) Good and fresh red cherries and raspberries with a dash of red ripe plum. Much ,I mean much, red & green bell pepper and a herbaceous note quite unusual for a malbec. More like a typical Cabernet. I don´t feel its a typical Malbec of LCd even the D.O.C label (certified source and vinification).I think it´s a 84 point red with a good value component. I don´t feel its a typical Lujan de Cuyo or even a mendoza ´s ripe and gentle malbec. Nice to enjoy before 4 years I guess. 

Quieto 3 Malbec 2009, nice malbec blends of Mendoza´s terroirs

Quieto 3 Malbecs 2009, By Montequieto, USD 10

Good malbec blends of three souces: Ugarteche (900 mts or 3,000 ,ft Lujan de Cuyo Dpt) Vista Flores (Uco Valley 1,000 mts or 3,280 ft) and Agrelo ( 1,200 mts or 3,900 ft, Lujan de Cuyo Dpt). Typical Mendoza Malbec with wide palate of dominant sour red cherries, red plum and red quince jam sweet and sour. Small touch of ripe juicy black plum like California Plums. Hint of smoke and chocolate. Not even a dash of vanilla. Nice aftertaste. I feel an 87 points malbec with very good value for the price to enjoy 4-6 years quite sure. As I said before I feel much richer a good pure Agrelo (high agrelo the better, lets say a Pulenta Estate or a Las Perdices or Chakana ) malbec than a blend.

Humberto Canale Estate, Malbec 2009, nice delicate from Northpatagonia

Humberto Canale Estate, malbec 2009, By Bodega Canale, USD 16
Well balanced malbec from Rio Negro, Northpatagonia. Quite round and delicious fruit and acidity typical from Rio Negro. The alcohol is quite confortable. Nice dark chocolate and vanilla in carefull balance. An easy to drink malbec although not memorable. Knowing the local typicity this malbec has all the virtues but lacks concentration rendering a rather soft malbec. I guess many consumer may like it a lot. From my point I miss the strong tannins this terroir
gives off. A 88 points malbec with good value component. Round as it is I wouldn´t cellar more than 4 years for best richness.

Salentein Reserve, Malbec 2009, not what it was in previous vintages

Salentein Reserve Malbec 2009, By Salentein Wines, USD 16
Good malbec from Tunuyan, Uco valley, Mendoza. Nice balance of mixed berries ripe and sour. Not as concentrated neither complex as previous vintages (diferent vineyards or vintages feature?) reflecting diferent backbone tannins. Nice soft touch of oak chocolate and vanilla.Easy to drink with nice palate and aftertaste. I´d say 87 points malbec overpriced at 16 bucks. This malbec at 12 bucks goes good value. Far down in quality value from previous vintages. It doesn´t feel like a vintage matter but rather a vineyard one.