Soigne Brut, a Tupungato Sparkling with classic Champ beauty and appropiate value ratio

Soigne Brut, By Bodega J.A. Cicchitti, USD 20
A Chardonnay and Semillon based with some Pinot Noir from Tupungato Valley in Uco Valley, Mendoza .
Good sour and sweet peach and lemon with a white floral entrance aroma. Also a beautiful small bubbly sensation of finesse that encharms the palate from the beginning. Soft buttery and toasty quite elegant. Lacks some backbone of Pinot quality. An 87 points sparkling nice and fine. Close to a Champagne style classic. Even so, It shows an appropiate price/quality bottom line. 

Alfredo Roca, Cuvee Especial, nice and attractive but far from Champagne tradition of excelence

Alfredo Roca, Cuvee Especial Brut Nature, By Bodega Alfredo Roca, USD 13
A white blend (blanc de blancs) 60% chardonnay and 40% chenin from San Rafael Valley South Mendoza.
A nice sparkling without the magic Pinot Noir brings to any sparkling. Ripe peach and apple with a delicate roundness. But lacks the bone and balance bitter/cherries of a prime time Champagne style sparkling. An 85 points sparkling I won´t buy twice, as any that doesn´t follow the equilibrium settled down by the northern France tradition . We may live peacefully if you dont´t agree.

Riglos, Gran Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, an astonishing Cab from Tupungato you shound´t miss

Riglos, Gran Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, By Fincas Las Divas, USD 23
A single vineyard Cabernet from Tupungato Valley part of Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Wonderful Cab with an astonshing balance. This proves that a well ripe and equilibrated Cabernet Sauvignon reaches where malbec can´t, not even close. Quite elegant black little fruits like cherries and berries with nice global balance including chocolate and smoke at the right place.Smooth and elegant all through the palate which continues to complete in the aftertaste time. Acidity and alcohol go delicate. A 93 points red, not bombastic neither shoking as some other well priced fashion reds. I feel it to improve next 6 years given the bone of the tannins. Great Argentina´s value. A must red to know this terroir´s potential to imprint some grapevines.

Deumayen (Trez), Malbec Reserve 2007, a superpremium Malbec from Alto Agrelo

Trez, Malbec reserve 2007, By Deumayen Wines, USD 23
A malbec from Alto Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Central Mendoza.
Juicy and dark balanced malbec with nice undertones of chocolate and smoke. Vivid and bright plum ripe and black. Blackberries and quince jam tyical. No better alcohol and acidity for this. Very fine malbec even not like those above all and on top. A 90 points malbec probably showing the best for a couple of years more. I feel it appropiate for a price range of 15-20 bucks .

Antucura , Blend Selection 2005, a very nice blend from Vistaflores in Uco Valley

Antucura Blend Selection 2005, By Bodega Antucura (Caviar Blue SA), USD 19
A 50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Malbec from Vistaflores district in Tunuyan Dpt (part of Uco Valley). Quite nice blend. Ripe sweet and sour black fruits typical of Vistaflores and Uco Valley at large well entangled with this blend. Not over expressed chocolaty and toasty note. Thin and sharp with  strong dark ripen fruits. Probably on its best now. An 89 points blend ending its plateau. A very attractive red.

Aguma Reserve Tannat 2010, a simple and fruity red to enjoy just now

Aguma Reserve Tannat 2010, By Guma Casa Vinícola, USD 12
A Tannat from San Juan Province close by Mendoza. A very hot weather with wines close to south Australia in imprints.
Likable blueberries and boysenberries very ripe and almost minimal acidity percieved. Strong alcohol to pair well with almost any food around, even chocolate. Not an impressive neither a memorable premium. I feel even with it. It may settle down nex couple of years but won´t get much better than this. An 84 points red fruit driven and fresh to enjoy simple with any food like just now. 

Salentien Reserve Malbec 2010, keeping the correct place of quality but more short lived than before

Salentein Reserve Malbec 2010, By Salentein Wines, USD 14
A malbec from los arboles in Tunuyan Departament part of Uco Valley, Mendoza
A young malbec and ready to drink now. Ripe blackberries and boysenberries more friendly than previous vintages (and chief winemaker too). Fruit driven with soft oaky notes.This time probaby won´t get better after 4 years (as oppose to previous when 4-6 years was desirable). An 88 points malbec well priced and valued. Attractive and easy but less complex and concetrated than before.

Cicchitti blend 2008, an impressive and delicate blend by a quality mind

Cicchitti Blend 2008, Edicion Limitada, By Bodega J.A. Cicchitti SA, USD 15

A blend of even parts of Pinot Noir and Sangiovese with 20% of Merlot from Uco Valley and Lujan de Cuyo vineyards in Mendoza.  Just an impressive wine. Ripe fruits mostly black little cherries and berries round and clear with adicting palate. Delicate and elegant tannins with balancing acidity and alcohol. Very smooth all through the palate, mostly the middle although perfuming all over. Nicely invasive. A 90 points red hard to get by 15 bucks which place the label close to any top list where money counts. Probably on its plateau even it sholud be bright at 4-6 y/o.

Elementos Syrah 2010, a great value from Cafayate Valley ready to beat whatever close by

Elementos Syrah 2010, By Bodega El Esteco, USD 6-7
A syrah from Cafayate Valley, Salta Province, Northwest Argentina.
This Syrah made me smile and enjoy. This is what Cafayate Valley makes on a Syrah: black balanced fruits with eucaliptus and very soft pepper ground on a good alcohol and acidity backup. A smooth yet rich and complex enough red. Nice and appropiate aftertaste. An 87 points red hard to reach at this price level. Great Value and two thumbs up for a fairly complex, balanced, and attractive red. Probably best first 4 years.

Calafate Colección Malbec 2010, a dense and concentrated northpatagonian malbec

Calafate Colección Malbec 2010, By Bodega Dos Andes, USD 12
A malbec from Añelo district in Neuquen Province, North Patagonia.
A rich malbec with a typicity of Northpatagonia. Ripe and sweet red cherries and plum slightly compoted and kind of hot with chocolaty notes in it. A little bit overconcentrated and dense. It may need cellaring kind of 3-4 years to show the best balance. An 87 points malbec and a good value. It wound´t suprise me if reaches an astonishing balance anfter 6 years of proper age.

Villa Atuel Malbec 2008 & Villa Atuel Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, you won´t believe the quality for less than 5 bucks

Villa Atuel, Malbec 2008, By Bodegas Pueyo Echevarria, USD 4
A Malbec from Villa Atuel town in San Rafael Valley, Mendoza
Good and straight malbec. Pure california plum and quince marmalade. Not concentrated but balanced and attractive. An 8 bucks value bought by 4. Great deal, isn´t it ? An 82 points malbec, low cost and good pleasure. It fullfils my expectation from San Rafael Valley, Atuel river and town in the deep south Mendoza.

Villa Atuel, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, By Bodegas Pueyo Echevarria, USD 4
A Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards of San Rafael Valley (Villa Atuel town) , Mendoza.
As many times happens, the CS reaches a better balance and attractiveness than Malbec in San Rafael (see the case Bianchi´s wines as paradigmatic). More complex and wide than the same vintage and vineyard Malbec. More balanced palate with red and black cherries with toaches of quince, ripe plum and chocolate. An 83 points red very good value for 4 bucks. This is a true Argentina´s Value for less than 5 bucks. Both have structure and tannins to endure 4 years old nicely.

Piuquenes Malbec 2010, a nice value from San Carlos in Uco Valley

Piuquenes, malbec 2010, By Bodegas y Viñedos San Polo, USD 8
A malbec from San Carlos Dpt part of Uco Valley.
Strong blue with nice aromas that enlarge in the palate. Mostly blackcherries and berries with sweet ripeness. Soft chocolaty. Good typicity for San Carlos imprint. Probably best before 2 years old.
A 83 points malbec with good value on it.

Paisaje de Tupungato 2008, a complete red from Tupungato Valley

Paisaje de Tupungato 2008 , By Finca Flichman, USD 25

A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Tupungato Valley in Uco Valley.
Rich and quite complete red. Nice aromas of ripe fruits and soft vanilla. The palate displays a richer wine with a wide palette of red and black berries, boysenberries and plum. Good alcohol and acidity to the end. Better middle palate and aftertaste. One of those wines to enjoy better from the middle palate on. A 92 points red quite mature now and no doubt better in 2-4 years from now. A very good value, competitive and appropiate (*).


This `Paisaje de Tupungato´ 2008 and `Enamore´ 2009 were tasted blindly with `Fetish´ 2008 a shiraz from Barossa and within a close range of price. I scored `Fetish´ 91 points (as well as my partners).

(*) There is another wine in this series called ´Paisaje de Barrancas´ named after the district of Maipu Departament. To better appreciate the contrasting beauty of those terroires you should definitedly try both. Enjoy!

Enamore 2009, a magical blend from Lujan de Cuyo with `appasimento´ technique

Enamore 2009,By Bodega Renacer, USD 25

A blend Malbec based with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from Lujan de Cuyo Departament in Central Mendoza.
A wine made by the Italian technique of ´appasimento´or sundrying before fermenting the grapes.
Very good red with straight fruits, mostly black little cherries and beautifull tannins round and ripe. Chocolate quite appropiate. A delicate note of mint and bayleaf too. Some ground pepper mostly on the palate. Quite impressive balance and attractiveness. A 92 points malbec based blend with potential to enjoy 4-6 years. An appropiate and competitive value too.

Zuccardi Q, Chardonnay 2010, quite balanced and attractive white from Tupungato Valley, high Mendoza

Zuccardi Q ,Chardonnay 2010, By Familia Zuccardi, USD 22
A char from Tupungato Valley (parto of Uco Valley), Mendoza.
Beautiful and balanced chard with floral ,fruity and a pinch of citric aromas nothworthy from the very beginning. Nice peach and pineapple sweet and ripe. Balancing acidity that seems to make brighter the tannins. Appropiate toasty and buttery envelope. The tannins also show a nice bitterness quite balancing too. I picked up a hint of soft herbal greens like mint or closer to wild thyme sprouts at the same low level of citrics. A 90 points Chardonnay and a great value too. Better before 4 years old.

Konantu, Malbec 2008, fair and straight malbec from Northpatagonia

Konantu, Malbec 2008, By Bodega Chacras del Sol, USD 10
A malbec from Rio Negro Valley, Rio Negro Province, Northpatagonia.
A strong malbec like only northpatagonia may bring around. Some cooked notes from oxidation and temperature not quite alluring (*). Black cherries and boysenberries sweet and deeply scented.
No oaky stuff other than a weak chocolaty note. A naturally concentrated malbec by terroir. An 84 points malbec fair and straight. Probably best up to 4 years old.

(*) this quality is frecuently found in some wines from Rio Negro. I don´t know if these unproper oxidation and temperature come from the Bodegas itself or the distribution or both. What I know for sure is that,unfortunately, the wine´s quality step down a couple of points

Agrestis Chardonnay 2011, a basic Chard from Northpatagonia

Agrestis, Chardonnay 2011, By Bodega Agrestis, USD 9-10
A chardonnay from Rio Negro Valley, Rio Negro Province, Northpatagonia.
A pale green with yellowish shade. A basic chard with nice floral and white fruits aromas. Not a complex palate but enough to like it. Mostly white peach and a weak pineapple. No buttery or toasty adds on. A basic white without much attraction. An 83 points chardonnay probably better before 2-3 years at the most.

Alma Negra Blanc de Blancs 2008, a nice chardonnay based saprkling

Alma Negra, Blanc de Blancs, By Puerto Ancona (almanegrawines.com.ar), USD 17
A chardonnay based sparkling fron Agrelo and Tupungato vineyards 2008 vintage. 
Good balance of white peach ripe and sweet with a balance toach of pinapple. Nice bitter base. Some buttery note too. An 88 points sparkling not as attractive as a traditional Champagne blend and balance.

Riglos Gram Malbec 2006, re-tasting a great malbec from Uco Valley

Riglos, Gran Malbec 2006, By Finca La Divas SA, USD 40
A malbec allready tasted several times. The 2006 vintage was 91 points on 2010 and 94 points on Sep 2011. Now the fruit quality is persistent even though the aok vanilla is lessen. The black fruit itself is not as complex as before giving more black cherries without currant complexity. This time a 91 points score means this sample seems not better than the 6 y/o tasted recently.


the antecedent: here

El Enemigo, Malbec 2008, a bombastic malbec made to impress

El Enemigo, Malbec 2008, By Puerto Ancona, USD 40
A malbec small production made for Alejandro Vigil (chief winemaker of Catena) and Adriana Catena.
Rich and bombastic on the nose. Middle body  with overt chocolate and bretty leather sweet and attractive. Somehow short and not quite complex for the price. Very seductive mostly by the syncronous chocolate and black berries compose. A 92 points malbec that looks like from Uco Valley and probably not better after 6 years old. Competitive and appropiate sample of Argentina´s malbecs made to impress most palates with chocolate and black fruits. 

Aguma, Malbec 2011, next in line to its Carmenere brother

Aguma, Malbec 2011, By Aguma Casa Vinicola Rivadavia,
USD 6
A red wine from San Juan Province, close by Mendoza by the Andes Cordillera.
You should read this after the Carmenere note close by in line. Both wines are pretty much similar,this time more shifted towards black cherries and less delicate even keeping the samle and straight style.
Easy and fast to enjoy. Same time of cellar and price/quality ratio as Carmenere brother. You may give 82 or 83 points to anyone depending the fruit enphasis you appreciate the most. I prefer these wines while enjoying pizza or any sweet bell peppers and eggplant dish with or without beef.

Aguma ,Carmenere 2011, a nice under 10 from San Juan

Aguma, Carmenere 2011, By Aguma Casa Vinícola Rivadavia, USD 6
A Carmenere from San Juan Province.
Nice yet kept simple red with thinny red little fruits like ripe cherries with a toach of red cooked and sweet quince (like red membrillo). A red ruby color artfully anticipates a stronger wine than it really is. Delicate and balanced. Easy yet pleasant.A good value for less than 8 bucks. An 82 points carmenere worthwhile. And to drink before 2 years old.

Herencias del Sur, Sparkling Wine, Extra Brut, sound but unattractive to my desires

Bodega Herencias del Sur, Extra Brut Sparkling , N/V, USD 14A 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sparkling wine (Champenoise) from General Alvear,south Mendoza.
A weak sparkling with sweety palate and nose mostly ripe white plum and cherries.No backbone structure that I like of sparklings Champenoise style. No toasty or buttery notes either.Not bad but not attractive whatsoever.An 80 points sparkling soft and sound even weak to my desires.

Escorihuela Gascon Pinot Noir 2010, don´t waste your time

Escorihuela Gascon Pinot Noir 2010, By , USD 13
(probably sold international as Gascon wines or Don Miguel Gascon)
A Pinot fron Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Central Mendoza. Unprovoking red with flat fruits like washed strawberries and red cherries barely picked up by palate. A bitter end and a sound acidity and alcohol. A 70 points barely drinkable Pinot to forget.

Zuccardi Serie A, Chardonnay & Viognier 2010, hard to keep on long lasting memory

Zuccardi, serie A, Chardonnay & Viognier 2010, By Familia Zuccardi, USD 14
A white blend of Tupungato vineyards (Uco valley).
Nice floral white type not impressive. Soft palate with peaches and melony edge. Again not memorable.
Kind of easy to forget (like the Malbec 2010 from this series). Correct and likable even simple. Again I wound´t buy it twice.
An 81 points white and not a great value neither a competitive wine at this price level.

Zuccardi Serie A, Malbec 2010, A basic and uneventfull red

Zuccardi, serie A, Malbec 2010, By Familia Zucardi, USD 14
A malbec blending La Consulta (Uco Valley), Agrelo (Lujan de Cuyo), and Vista Flores (Tunuyan).
A basic malbec with nice plummy core enriched with red cherries. A little chocolaty note too. Soft palate smooth and kind of short like thin of somehow flat. Basic even not memorable and I find hard to buy twice. An 83 points Malbec that I feel not a good value even likable. I wound´t cellar it more than 2-4 years.

Telteca, Malbec Oak 2009, a good Malbec under 10 bucks

Telteca, Malbec Oak 2009, By Telteca Wines, USD 8
A good malbec from Barrancas District in maipu Dpt, Central Mendoza.
Nice balanced red with most of the virtues of a good central mendoza (for the most ,Maipu & Lujan de Cuyo Dpt)
Nice chocolaty note. Easy to drink and enjoy. Not very complex neither concentrated which is realistic at this price level.
Looks like young vineyards with correct yields and field management by the producers. A young yet adecuate and attractive malbec under the premium level but with very good performance. A typical Argentina's value.
An 86 points malbec and very good value. I guess better drunk before 4 years old.

Alfredo Roca, Dedicacion Personal, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, a pure San Rafael Valley value

Alfredo Roca, Dedicacion Personal, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008,USD 13
A very nice Cab Sau from San Rafeol Valley, South Mendoza.
Ripe and round with black cherries and boysenberries. Good chocolate envelope,soft and finely webbed.
A delicate CS with almost no herbal and peppery notes although wide and solid from middle palate to aftertaste. A 90 points red tha should improve next 2 to 4 years, A great value comprehensive and balanced 
from its land of birth.

Argento, Pinot Grigio 2010, a simple and attractive white from Rivadavia Dpt

Argento, Pinot Grigio 2010, By Bodegas Esmeralda (Catena Group), USD 12
A Pinot Grigio (Gris) from Rivadavia Departament, East of Mendoza.
Nice and striking PG fresh and crispy envolving aromas of peach and apricot. Kept simple yet straight. Quite balanced in acidity and alcohol. Good and smooth palate passage. No oak stuff whatsoever. An 87 points pinot grigio delicate and balanced. Good value.

Luca ,Pinot Noir 2006 vintage, an atypical Pinot with no attraction

Luca, Pinot Noir 2006, By Luca Winery Altos de Mendoza, USD 40
A Pinot Noir from Gualtallary district of Tupungato Departament in Uco Valley.
A black cherries and berries based Pinot with tons of chocolate. This high altitude Tupungato vineyard may give this kind of typicity that departs from the usual. Just a good red with a fine oak complement, altough not a very good pinot. I didn´t catch any flaw or fault and the cork was fine.
An 89 points red expensive and not worth half the price paid.

Cruz Alta, Blend Reserve 2009, a Tupun driven basic premium red quite nice

Cruz Alta, Blend Reserve 2009, By Bodega La Rural (Rutini Wines), USD 10
A Cabernet Sauvignon blend (50%) with some Malbec and Merlot complimenting.Vineyards from Altamira and Tupungato in Uco valley. The winery itself is one of Catena´s group.Nice red easy and sweet like most Tupungato´s reds. Ripe blueberries and blackcherries on a delicate acidity and alcohol. Some basic complexity in terms of fruit palette. Soft chocolaty note and almost no herbality or peppery notes. An 86 points blend nice and basic at a premium level with most of Tupungato imprints.
Good value and a young to drink before 4 years old.

Km 1120, Malbec 2011, a standard premium level great value from Rio Negro Valley

Km 1120, Malbec 2011, By Angel Moschini e hijos. USD 10
A malbec from Ingeniero Huergo (Rio Negro Valley), Rio Negro Province, Northpatagonia.
Nice and complete malbec at a premuim level that testifies what a ´Estepa Patagonica´ malbec may bring on.
Red opaque color with no shade of violetes but a sad bright that won´t astonish the eye. Much better nose that displays completely itself after a couple of sips. Round and sour red cherries and boysenberries slightly cooked and keeping fresh anyway. No more than a touch of chocolate and toast. Strong alcohol and big backbone altogether.
An 87 points malbec and a standard for this Rio Negro Valley at a premium level. It might lose fruit after 4 years. Great value at 10 bucks ( and at 15 too!).

Finca Perdriel, Colección Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, describing its terroir quite complete at a premium level

Finca Perdriel, Colección 2007, Cabernet Sauvignon, By Bodega Norton, USD 14
A Cabernet Sauvignon from Perdriel District in Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Central Mendoza.
One of those balanced and fully ripe Cabernet Sauvignon that I admire from Perdriel District,even more complete and attractive than Malbec, No peppery neither herbal notes. Only dark cherries and berries with only a hint of red fruits to make the palate wider. Sweet and delicate far from overexpression. Strong alcohol that doesn´t bother at all.
Beautiful chocolaty component. This type of red reaches close to and is hard to differentiate from Tupungato and La Consulta imprints (Uco Valley). An 88 points red to get the best between 4 and 6 years old and a good value at a premium level.