Malma Reserva de Familia, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, By Bodega NQN, USD 14
A Cab from San Patricio Valley in Neuquen Province, North Patagonia.
Less concentrated than its Malbec cousin. Fuity, mostly red cherries and boysenberries, sour and peppery with undertones of smoke and vanilla. Very thin chocolaty edge. Less attractive than Malbec. Probably best close to 4 years old than now. An 88 points Cab and a good value.
Mantra, malbec 2008, By Secreto Patagonico , USD 13
A Limited Ediciton Malbec from San Patricio Valley at Neuquen Province, North Patagonia.
Beautiful expression of North Patagonian Malbec. Balanced and wide in palate with straight and fresh red berries and plum. Only an edge of chocolate and vanilla. Lacks some lasting finish and complex tannins. Even so it ´s an 89 points Malbec expressing at a premium level (lets say less than 15 retail bucks) the Patagonian character. Not better after 4 years old.
Gerome Marteau, Rose 2009, By Marcelo Marteau, USD 12
A malbec based Rose from Fernandez Oro district in High Rio Negro Valley.
Good Rose with soft floral and plummy aromas widen in palate by small red fruits (like red currant). Sweety and gentle with a little bitterness like from grape stems help to balance it up. An 85 points Rose to drink before 4 years old. Good value.
Finca Abril ,Once Acres (de 1922) Malbec 2005 ,Bodega Finca Abril, USD 28
A Malbec from La Consulta, Uco Valley, Mendoza
Not even close to what you expect from La Consulta district. A weakened malbec with only memories of typicity even though you may still grasp balance. Plum and black berries lightly expressed. Not even a dash of black currant neither that jammy fruit from one of the holyground to malbec grapes. Quite minimal chocolate.
I´d say an 85 points Malbec that looks like it was better before 4 years old. Not a price level for a Malbec that shows its best in 4 years ! If this was a 10 to 15 bucks malbec it would be a good value.
Malma Reserva de Familia Malbec 2009, By Bodega NQN, USD 14
A Malbec from San Patricio Valley in Neuquen Province, North Patagonia
Great and structured malbec with strong backbone and not overconcentrated. Ripe dark plum mixed with black cherries and blueberries. Only a dash of chocolate and toast or smoke. Wide palate as you should expect from a North Patagonian. A malbec to best enjoy somewhere between 4 and 6 years of proper cellar.
A 90 points Malbec with all the medals of Patagonia.
Fincas Notables, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, By Bodega El Esteco, USD 30
A CS from a single vineyard named Cuartel 9 `La Urquiza´ in Cafayate Valley, Salta (Nothwest Argentina). A regular Cab with nice black berries and a much bigger peppery note. The concentrated fruit lessen the herbal dominance a little bit. Agreable by the palate with a toach of toast and chocolate. I wound´t go far from 85 points because of the unbalance and wound´t pay 30 bucks twice either. Cafayate Valley altitude makes it realy hard for CB grapes to fully ripe.
Aya, Malbec 2008, By Bodega Borbore, USD 9
A Malbec from Tullum Valley in San Juan Province.
Basic malbec with few to acknoledge other than a barely legal Malbec.
Weak plummy and some fruity jam mixed. Soft chocolaty too. Uneventful passage through the palate. While not akward or unbalanced it doesn´t give striking notes. A 79 points malbec uneventful.
Cinco Sentidos, Extra Brut Sparkling Chardonnay (Charmat methode) n/V,By Finca Algarve, USD 10
A blanc de Blanc (Chardonnay only) from somewhere in Mendoza. Pure green apple with hints of unripe pineapple. Simple and not quite elegant even though drinkable. It looks more like a Spanish Cider with bubbles.An 79 points sparking with few sticking out and to tell.
Cahuin Malbec 2009, By Andean Wineries (Antis Wines), USD 10
A Malbec from Rodeo del Medio district in Maipu (or somewhere between Maipu and Vistalba), Central Mendoza.
Simple and straight Malbec with all the name on it. Fresh and sweet red cherries and plum ending with a toasty end of palate quite nice. Soft chocolate in the middle palate add up to the fruiy core. An 87 points Malbec to enjoy before 4 y/o. Good value too.
Primmo 2008, By Bodega J.A. Cicchitti, USD 10
A blend of Malbec & Merlot 40% each,and a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Grapes routed in Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley, Mendoza. Beautiful blend with sweet cooked and jammy plum and black cherries. All in a firm alcohol and acidity.Thin chocolate and coffee skin quite attractive and balanced. The red cherriess sour and sweet make it rounder in the middle palate. A beautiful 89 plus red Malbec based for an unbeatable local retail value. It reminds me some contemporary Italian, Spain and Portuguese reds (probably after some american and aussie classics) fresh, rich, mouth filling and very price competitive.
Fond de Cave, Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, By Trapiche Winery, USD 30
A Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipu Departament in Central Mendoza, close to Trapiche Finca Las Palmas sold international. A nice and mature Cab without outstanding structure. Ripe fruity and chocolaty with some vanilla edge. Wide in palate and nice memory. You won´t keep it in memory as a great Cabernet Sauvignon (as usual when you read ´gran reserva´) even it´s easy to drink and go along with most simple situations. An 89 points Cab kind of expensive locally, but this may be a local distortion too. I still find some local Cabs 20-25 bucks same or better quality.
Tercos, Sangiovese 2009, By Bodega y Viñedos Lunlunta, USD 10
A pale red with undertones of light brown. Good nose of red compoted cherries and quince. Very soft oak mostly milk chocolate. Nice acidity and strong palate typical of the grape. An 84 points red straight and simple with fidelity to this grape´s basics. Good red to enjoy. Not even close to Malbec´s quality and versatility in these lands.
Domados, Malbec 2009, By Bodega Domados, USD 9
A malbec from La Consulta Departament in Uco Valley.
Beautiful Malbec at its level. Ripe and seductive with black cherries, currants and boysenberries. A delicious toach of plum jam with a soft chocolaty note. A very attractive even simple Malbec
showing all the beauty of its terroir. A Malbec to best enjoy before 4 y/o aged. A great value too. I´wound´t go less than 88 points. Close to the highest I conceive for a less than 10 bucks wine of the real world. One of the top 5 below 10 bucks.
Auka, Don Alfonso Malbec 2008, By Bodega y Viñedos San Polo, USD 20
A malbec from La Consulta District, San Carlos Dpt, Uco Valley, Mendoza and a single vineyard.
Mature and sweet black cherries and black currant quite attractive and typical from La Consulta. Round and delicious with vivid tones of chocolate, coffee and vanilla. Not very complex now ,needing some 2-4 years of cellar to make it. An 89 points malbec to enjoy the best after 4 years of ageing.
Punto Final, Sauvignon Blanc 2011, By Bodega Renacer, USD 14
A Sauvignon Blanc from Casa Blanca Valley, Chile (I know, not Argentina, but close by anyhow and by a winery working both sides of the Andes Montains).
Nice aromas of grapefruit and a toach of pineapple. The palate is thin and weak with new notes of rude plant. It feels quite mineral. Not a high quality SB, just barely good to very good. An 84 points white overpriced at 14 bucks here.
Riglos , Gran Malbec 2006, By Finca Las Divas S.A., USD 40
A wonderful Malbec from Tupungato in Uco Valley, Mendoza.
This malbec offers typical black cherries and black currant sweet and ripe all with nice acidity and alcohol. Nice vanilla and chocolate from new oak barrels. Long aftertaste of a high quality Malbec. This time a 94 points malbec with astonishing price value. Best 4-6 years from vintage.
You may see in the blog: 92 points the 2005 vintage, 91 points the 2006 & 2007 vintages tasted 4 years of cellar. This is the farthest ever, so close to 6 years it shold bring even better maturity. By 8 or 10 years some people even might like it best.
Prodigio, Malbec Reserve 2005, By Alessandro Speri & Attilio Pagli, USD 15
A limited edition of 14.000 btts mostly to Italy. A malbec claimed to be from Uco Valley. Nice wine with mature fruits a mix of red & black cherries, plum sweet and jammy with a beautiful chocolaty and sweet coffee line quite alluring. A little bit short in the palate, certainly not what you expect from the nose on. A 90 points malbec pobably best before 4 years aged when it could reach easily 92-93 points.
Saurus, Patagonia Extra Brut, Sparkling Wine, By Bodega Familia Schroeder, USD 10
A good sparkling from San Patricio Valley, Nequen, North Patagonia, made 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir.
Green apple and barely ripe pear dominate the beginning and then a fresh palate of herbal bitterness.It lacks some sweetness in ripe fruits I look for in a sparkling. Anyhow an 86 points sparkling with nice typicity to North Patagonia.
Nomade, Reserve 2005, By Nomade Wines (Tomás Achaval), USD 30
A single vineyard (Finca Las Mulas) malbec & Syrah blend from La Consulta District in San Carlos Departament, Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Great malbec, fine and concentrated with black ripe berries in a chocolaty envelope. Typical balance from Uco Valley with sharp fruit and attractive ripeness. Not complex enough to be a top race malbec as others. A good value. A 92 points malbec to enjoy the best at 6-8 years from vintage.
Umbral de los Tiempos, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, By Bodega Cruz de Piedra, USD 14
A colorful Cab from Cruz de Piedra distric in Maipu Departament, Central Mendoza.
Good assamblage of ripe chocolaty black plum with a toach of herbal and peppery adding close distance to typical a CS. Less adorable than the Malbec counterpart. I wound´t cellar it much more than 4 years, up to 6 years.An 88 points CS and a good value too.
Goulart Malbec Reserva 2007, By Finca Lugilde Goulart, USD 17
A malbec from somewhere in Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Central Mendoza. A too acid wine, highly unusual for an Argentinian Malbec. If you like acid and malic wines
you will find some good samples in Europe and even they may be good enough to drink. This is not the case for this Goulart Malbec Reserve 2007. Completely ugly and unbalanced. Coarse black fruit with harsh taninns. A 74 points red that doesn´t worth any bucks over 5.
Marchiori & Barraud Malbec 2008, Perdriel, USD 15
A signature Malbec from the partners of Paul Hobbs in Cobos Winery in Perdrial district of Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Central Mendoza
An impressive malbec by quality and equilibrium. Much better than the Cab Sav counterpart in terms of beauty. Delicate and straight fruity core with jammy red and black cherries with sweet plum and quince. An 92 points malbec and a great mendoza´s value from one of the best district for balanced malbecs. Better before 6 years old.
Domiciano de Barrancas, malbec 2009, By Bodega Domiciano, USD 9
A Malbec from Barrancas District of Maipu Departament ,Central Mendoza.
Beautiful malbec with all the plum and ripe strawberries with a nice envelope of chocolate and smoke. Balanced and very attractive to the palate all through. Sweet and jammy. One sip after another is the best way to describe it simple. An 90 points malbec, great value and one of the top five under 10 bucks (if not the top 2). To enjoy best before 4 years.
Altos del Plata, Malbec 2009, By Bodega Terrazas de los Andes, USD 8-10
A malbec claimed to be from high vineyards settled in Mendoza. A Winery joint venture of Moet Hennessy and Chandon. A delicate malbec with beautiful notes of ripe sugary black and red cherries, sweet and jammy. A nice chocolaty envelope absolutely charming. Smooth palate all within the fine and gentle tannins. Quite balanced and alluring malbec. An 89 points malbec to enjoy the best before 4 y/o of age. A great value. One of the top five under 10 bucks. A typical Mendoza´s and Argentina´s value.
Auka, Malbec 2009, By Bodega y Viñedos San Polo, USD 9
A malbec from La Consulta district, San Carlos Dpt, Uco Valley, Mendoza
Beautiful value with all the tipicity and attractiveness of La Consulta. Dark black cherries and boysenberries with a toach of ripe plum quite alluring. Good chocolaty and smoke too that go along pretty well. Not concentrated as normal for this price range: a premium malbec. I ´ve tasted few international at this price, mostly go upper to 15 bucks. A great value with great personality and attrativeness. An 89 points malbec to enjoy better before 4 years old.
Umbral (de los tiempos) Malbec 2008, Bodega Cruz de Piedra (Familia Alonso), USD 9
A malbec from Cruz de Piedra district in Maipu Departament ,Central Mendoza.
An impressive malbec with round ripe plum and cherries, mostly red ones like slowly cooked in sugar. Nice chocolaty and smoky note that makes it more complex. Beautiful palate well balanced. An 89 points malbec absolutelly equilibrated and beautifull. A great value under 10 bucks, probably the best I tasted lately at this price level.
Malma Pinot Noir (Finca La Papay), By Bodega NQN, USD 10
A Pinot Noir from San Patricio Valley, Neuquen, North Patagonia.
A ripe and sweet fruity Pinot with all the red cherries and red plum with nice acidity and prominent alcohol which goes savory drinking the bottle a little cooler at 15-17 Celsius (60 F). The red ruby softly lucent imprints from the beginning. Good middle palate, wide and delicious. Only and edge of chocolate and coconut. An 88 points Pinot Noir, now too young and much better in 2-4 years old from now.
Sudoeste Pinot Noir 2010, By Bodega Sudoeste, USD 20
Southeast mentions the wind flowing cold in Northpatagonia year round. This Pinot comes from
Fernandez Oro city in Rio Negro Valley, North Patagonia.
Good typicity for Pinot and Northpatagonia too. Soft red and brownish shade keeping some brightness and young ruby edge. Nice sour red berries and raspberries ripe sweetness with beautiful and equilibrated chocolate and toast. Good now but probably better in 2-4 years less fruity and a bit more complex. An 88 points Pinot and a good value too. Far in quality from most mendoza´s Pinot
Viamonte, Malbec Reserva 2009, By Bodega Viamonte, USD 12
A nice and typical Vistalba district Malbec from Lujan de Cuyo Dpt in Central Mendoza. Wide palette of red fruits with a toach a black cherries ripe and mixed with a chocolaty note quite appropriate. All well balanced keeping the soft finesse and mature tannins in line. To note the nice aftertaste. A standard value of 89 points to enjoy first 6 years of maturity. This beauty is optimal to contrast with Patagonian malbec, both adorable along the continuum Argentina´s Malbec may bring. This is a ' pure vistalba ' grape : born, raised, harvested and made wine in there; Some others ' Vistalba ' are actually blends of different terroirs. Good to know the ' true nature ' of this terroir. Blending multi-terroir Malbecs is good but I enjoy much tracing down to the original terroir Malbec and discover the many faces it shows.
Sudoeste Malbec 2010, By Bodega Sudoeste, USD 15
A brand new release from Rio Negro (Fernandez Oro City, Alto Valle) expressing quite clear the core structure of a North Patagonian. Deep ruby with shades of violet. Beautiful aromas of red sour and sweet cherries. Red Plum ripe and slightly acid too. Wide palate as proper of northpatagonia´s malbec. Only a delicate oak entangled. I love this style terroir based Malbec. An 89 points malbec which expresses both variety and Patagonia quite straight. A strongly pronounced Malbec far from the delicatessen and finesse of mendoza´s.
Finca Roja, Pinot Noir 2010, By Universo Austral, USD 9
A Pinot Noir from Añelo, Neuquen, North Patagonia and also sold international as Ruta 22 and Calafate series. A good structured Pinot lucent and transparent with nice shade of red brownish.
Better aromas pop up easily and inviting. The palate however, goes under the promise in terms of poor fruits show. Even though red cherries and raspberries emerge, there is no big standing. Good chocolaty note pretty good entangled. A weakened and undernourished pinot of 84 points and barely acceptable value. A shame for a terroir that may give outrageous pinots.
Marchiori & Barraud Malbec 2007 Cuartel 2 , USD 30
A signature Malbec from Perdriel District of Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Central Mendoza.
A super malbec with adorable balance of fruits and a delicious chocolate and coffee not overexpressed at all. Sweet ripe plum and cherries well sustained by acidity and alcohol. Inviting sip after sip. A standard attraction and a great value from Mendoza. Probably best some point the first 6 years old to keep all the beauty together. A 91 points malbec to enjoy young.
Tupun, Bonarda 2009, By Bodega Tupun, USD 30
A Bonarda from Tupungato in Uco Valley. A red brilliant bonarda as expected. No way this bonarda could impress your palate with simple red cherries and boysenberries. Even though there is
nice acidity and alcohol there is no deepness or attractiveness to buy it twice. Discrete oak mostly chocolate.No a bad red but unimpressive and uneventful in every pinch. I wound´t go more than 84 points and never pay that number again.
Palo Alto, malbec 2006, By Bodega Palo Alto, USD 24
A malbec from Tupungato ,Uco Valley. Overexpressive oaky malbec with sweet core of ripe black berries
Nice plummy edge but overly oaked with vanilla and toast. Not a bad malbec even most of its essence is covered and diluted in borrowed savory notes from oak. A 84 pointsmalbec not worth the price.
Some tasters may like but not at this price level.
Mara, Merlot 2006, Selection by Ernesto Catena (Puerto Ancona), USD 15
A beautiful merlot sweet and soft but expressive. Fruity, mostly red compoted and sweet fruits with nice envelope of chocolate. No herbal at all and a minimal spice in it. It doesn´t have strong tannins to age more than 6 years without loss. Delicate and typical of variety.An 87 point red and a good value no doubt. A wine to enjoy with soft food.
Territorio (de Salta),Cabernet Sauvignosn 2010, By Bodega Amalaya, USD 12
A Cabernet Sauvignon from Cafayate Valley, Salta, Northwest Argentina
Soft boysenberries and a stronger peppery note which shifts it to a bit annoyance. Just fruit and only a minimal chocolaty note. Nice acidity and alcohol perceived. A simple and too herbal/peppery cab that push it to a 82 points red. No way any ageing would improve any balance.
Rivus, Reserva Mabec 2008, By Bodagas y Viñedos Patagonia Valley, USD 16
A malbec from Darwin, Middle Valley of Rio Negro, North Patagonia.
A fair malbec with typical notes of both variety and northpatagonia. Balanced but thin and unimpressive. Well composed with chocolaty and toasty notes that add some completeness. An 86 points malbec nice and basic probably best before 4 years old.
Rivus, Reserva Pinot Noir 2007, By Bodegas & Viñedos Patagonia Valley, USD 10
A nice pinot noir from Rio Negro ,North Patagonia.
Red opaque classic of Pinot walking along a number of years. Nice muturity with compoted red cherries and a plummy edge quite alluring. Good, good acidity and wide middle palate, usual for Patagonian reds. Fruity and sweet it may go better some 2-4 years more down the road given the well balanced chocolaty and toast undertones. An 88 points Pinot and a good value.
Alfredo Roca, Reserva de Familia,Malbec 2008,By Roca Wines, USD 20
A malbec from San Rafael Departament in South Mendoza.
Nice malbec with red cherries and plum with a strong herbaceous note not quite wonderful to my taste. Good oak envelope like chocolate and vanilla. Long lasting red. An 88 points red, not quite typical neither attractive even though somehow complex. Overpriced to my taste. I don´t feel time´s going to improve the basic structure.
Las Perdices, Malbec 2009 , By Viñas Las Perdices, USD 10
A malbec 2009 already posted by 08 vintage from Agrelo District of Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Central Mendoza. Beautiful Malbec, fresh and young, with red cherries ripe and jammy, wide in the middle palate. Almost no oak. Great balance and an attractive balance. A 89 points malbec and a great value. To enjoy better before 4 years old.
Kaiken, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, By Kaiken Wines , USD 12
A Cabernet Sauvignon harvest from Perdriel, and Agrelo districts (Lujan de Cuyo Dpt) and Lunlunta district (Maipu Dpt) from Central Mendoza. Beautiful red with sweet fruits, smooth envelope of chocolate and great balance of every component giving a very attractive and complete red. I guess it won´t be better after 4 years old A 90 points CS and a great value, as every one fro this winery.
