Marchiori & Barraud Malbec 2010, By themselves, USD 15
A malbec signature wine from Perdrial District in Lujan de Cuyo Central Mendoza.
Nice and atractive premium malbec with nice elegance and typicity. Black ripe cherries and plum quite alluring and in adecautedly complemented with chocolate. Smooth and palatable Not overexpressed neither bombastic. A malbec to enjoy young at 2-4 years old. An 89 point malbec and a good value even though I think it could be a great value at 12-14 bucks price level.
See the constrast with 2008 vintage: Marchiori & Barraud Malbec 2008
Omnium Sparkling Wine, Extra Brut, n/v, By Viniterra, USD 10
A sparkling wine from mendoza made by methode Chaussepied (second controlled fermentation in stailess steel tanks). Quite interesting spark with a basic structure of a Champagne, nice ripe peach and pineapple with an palatable bitterness and those bubbles tingling around. Nice and elegant at a 10 bucks level showing a great value component. An 88 point sparkling ready to beat most at its price level.
Navarro Correas, Partida Limitada 2009, By Bodegas Navarro Correas, USD 14
A Malbec & Cabernet Sauvignon fifty each from Lujan de Cuyo Dpt Central Mendoza (a tribute to the new second winery launched in 2009).
Bright red from the sniff on. Delicate vanilla and sweet oak that turn bigger on the palate. Nice red fruits with plum and cherries. Sweet chocolate and an edge of toast too. Everybody likes it. Quite beautiful and attractive. A 91 point red and a great value to try. I hope this wine reach standart level at the retail. I mean, all too often most Argentinian wines are unsteady, changing in quality and unpredictable (to regret my self).
Andeluna Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, By Andeluna Cellars, USD 18
A Cabernet from Tupungato Valley, Mendoza.
Beautiful red plenty of complexity and attractiveness. Sweet black berries and cherries with astonishing chocolaty and toasty notes. Alcohol and acidity in balance. Nicely aged. You will palate all through this red. A 93 point Cabernet Sauvignon ready for prime time at an international level. Great value. A must to see a high level Cabernet may easily reach in Tupungato. Also walking its plateau for 1 or 2 years more.
see the tasting 1 year before: HERE
DV Catena, Pinot Noir 2005, By Bodega Catena Zapata, USD 28
A super Pinot from two vineyards of Tupungato (Finca Adrianna & Finca Domingo) Valley in highlands of Mendoza.
Wonderful Pinot Noir bringing all the beauty of the grape and the very imprint of this highland. From the start off the color shows an intriguing balance of brownish red with a ruby brilliant. The nose´s quite attractive giving room to a well balanced pinot. Red cherries for sure at the middle palate but spreading nice chocolate and sweet leathery tannins just amazingly. Red currant and a bit of strawberries overiped. Easy to drink but foremost attractive. A 92 point pinot and one of the top 5 no doubt. Delicate and smooth to give a lasting pleasure. It couldn´t be better given the soft and delicate tannins, so it looks like a red to enjoy its best between 6 and 8 years old. A great Argentina´s value that you may empty in 10 minutes.
FIN, Malbec 2007, By Bodega del Fin del Mundo, USD 25A beautiful malbec from San Patricio Valley, Neuquen, North Patagonia.
Tasted on August 2010 and now showing rounder tannins with red cherries and berries sweeter and nicely
oxidated as good wines go aged. I appreciate a soft coffee and cocoa dusty edge quite nice. Very attractive through smoothness and delicate tannins. A 92 point malbec and one of the top 5 from Patagonia no doubt. A great value at ultrapremium level.
Altosur Malbec 2010, By Bodega Sophenia, USD 10
A malbec from Tupungato Valley, Mendoza
A simple malbec with nice notes of fresh ripe black berries and boysenberries with no trace of oak.
Strong alcohol and enough acidity to enjoy. Not deep neither long lasting on the palate´s sense, just simple. As simple as it should´t be more than 8 bucks to be an Argentina´s value. An 86 point malbec with 1 above if proper aged next 2-3 years.
Vinorum Premium, malbec 2008, By Familia Altieri, USD 10
Malbec grapes from Agrelo distric of Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Central Mendoza. A wide palate and nicely balanced malbec top list at the premium level. An arrange of black cherries, plum and red cherries with a delicate chocolate and smoke toach. Probaly nicer a couple of years ahead when terciary notes dominate. An 89 point malbec with a classic quality of central Mendoza.
Carinae, Malbec Reserve 2008, By Carinae S.A., USD 13
A malbec blending two districts of central Mendoza: Perdriel from Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, and Cruz de Piedra from Maipu Dpt.
Nice and soft malbec with small if any oak components. Plum and black cherries ripe and sweet with nice alcohol and acidity. Well structured tannins with a bitter core. Smooth all through the palate. An 87 point malbec that doesn´t suprise me et all. The syrah brother was more attractive to my palate.
Terza Volta, Blend 2005, By Bodega Terza Volta, USD 25
A secret blend from vineyards of Carrodilla district of Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Central Mendoza.
Nice red with a sour balance of somehow compoted fruits that reach a basic roundness. Not an astonishing neither very attractive wine in terms of strong structure and finesse. I enjoyed its basic backbone. But I wound´t buy it twice neither pay even 15 bucks for it. An 86 point red far from an Argetina´s value even not undrinkable.
Saurus, Pinot Noir Late Harvest 2008, By Bodega Familia Schroeder, USD 14 (500 ml, 50 cl)
A sweety from San Patricio Valley, Neuquen , North Patagonia worthwhile to enjoy. Quite smooth wine from the pale red brownish color to its final hotty alcohol. I get a nice aroma of compoted and dry cherries with a nice hint of dry figs. Buttery and alcoholic at the same time which brings opposite sensations on the palate. I prefer this cup alone, but some less sweeter food, lets say dessert, dark chocolate,coffee aromas, figs and dry fruits, will go properly.
An 89 point late harvest and a very good value. To try several times with friends and a palette of foods and dishes (I can´t forget a beautiful Patagonian smoked trout with a local mix of mushrooms!).
Melipal, Malbec 2007, By Bodega Melipal, USD 14
A single vineyard malbec from Agrelo District in Lujan de Cuyo Departament, Central Mendoza.
www.bodegamelipal.com
A wonderful Malbec expressing all the beauty of central Mendoza. Mostly black cherries and boysenberries with a plummy toach typical of high Mendoza. Nice coffee aromas with dark chocolaty note quite alluring. Nice middle palate and short ending which doesn´t leave to misunderstood: you drink a premium malbec. A 90 point malbec and a great value. To enjoy 4-6 years after vintage wich is most consistent with an above premium value (lets say 15 to 25 bucks). Don´t miss it. I´ll drink it more than once too.
Luigi Bosca, Brut n/v, By Bodegas Arizu ,USD 20
A sparkling wine blending Chardonnay 60% and Pinot Noir 40% from Carrodilla district and Maipu Departament in Central Mendoza.
Great sparkling worthwile picking it up more than twice to chear with friends a great night. Wonderful mix of dry damasks (apricots) and apples with a sweet toach of ripe acidity. A champagne styled with beautful local typicity. A 13,5 % alcohol is easily sensed and well appreciated. A gentle bitter edge with a toasty envelope. A 90 point sparkling ready to impress anybody. Great value too.
Raza Argentina, malbec 2010, By La Riojana, USD 10
A malbec from Famatina Valley, La Rioja Province. A premium malbec with basic structure but without attractiveness. You won´t feel a steal but the wine lacks fine tannins. A common malbec with burnt coffee and dry dark chocolate. Only some plum and red cherries in a balanced structure. An 86 point malbec that I wound´t cellar in any posible way. If 8 bucks it would be an Argentina´s value. Not bad but basic and rather simple.
Esmeralda Fernandez, malbec 2010, By Bodegas Esmeralda (Catena Group), USD 8
A malbec blending dnformation ififferent terroirs of Mendoza. I don´t know if this label is exported. It´s part of Esmeralda´s portfollio with ' Dos Lomos', 'Tilia',' Canopia' and 'Retamo'. See bodegasesmeralda.com.ar/ . A basic red with barely any beauty. Red berries and cherries with a toasty note is all I found on a on the edge of table wine. Table wine means I shound´t pay more than 4-5 bucs a bottle. An 79 point malbec that shound´t be priced more than 5 bucks to be somehow a value.
I wound´t cellar this wine.
Malma Merlot 2010, By Bodega NQN, USD 6
A merlot from San Patricio Vallley, Neuquen Province,North Patagonia
Rather simple but straight merlot with tipicity for both land and grape variety. Good red cherries, boysenberrires and a bit of toast on a nice acidity and alcohol all kept in balance. A lightweight merlot and red wine overall. I´d say 85-86 points for a red I feel even at 6-8 bucks level. I found it nicer at 20-22 celsius (68 to 71 F)than coller It´s lighter and less solid than malbec from the same winery.
Mundo Reves Malbec 2010, By Mundo Reves , USD 22
A small production of malbec from La Consulta, San Carlos Dpt, Uco Valley
Very young malbec yet impressive. Ripe boysenberries and black cherries. Chocolate and soft toast to round it up. Really smooth and sweet tannins not overconcentrated yet expressive and very attractive too.
A 90 point malbec with all the beauty of San Carlos at an adecuate retail price. Surely much better next few years.
Viejo Isaias Clasico, malbec 2010, By Viejo Isaias, USD 8
A malbec from somewhere Mendoza. Some writen information locates the vineyars in Perdriel distric of Lujan de Cuyo (Central Mendoza), but actually it seems to be more from Uco Valley than central Mendoza.The fruit´s ripe and mostly blackberries and blackcherries. Nice chocolate and sweet coffee in a balanced acidity and alcohol. I´ll be surprised if this malbec gets into 5-6 years of age without a core lose. An 89 point malbec plenty of quality value and hard to beat.
Navarro Correas, Sparkling Wine Extra Brut ,N/V, By Bodega Navarro Correas, USD 12
One of the, lets say 50, sparklings picked up from any local supermarket doing decently at a gentle price. These sparks don´t have vintage label and usually go remarcably standard year after year.
Mostly Chardonnay based and some other white grape with a dash of Pinot Noir. The wine shows white ripe peach or green apple with a little bit of bitter stuff but keeping the sweet dominance (that may even give the resemblance of ripe pineapple). Only a far sighted toasty aroma almost imaginary. Round and easy. Not better than 84 points. I feel even.
Humberto Canale Estate ,Pinot Noir 2009, By Est H. Canale S.A., USD 16-18
A Pinot Noir from Rio Negro Valley (Rio Negro Province) Northpatagonia region. A balance between the sweetness of Saurus Patagonia Select 2006 and the bitter tannins and oxidation of Edwe 2010 or many others.
Nice cherries with balanced sweetness and good backbone with strong alcohol and acidity. It may get better 4-6 years of cellar (from vintage). I´d say an 87 point attractive pinot and and a good value.
the best rated: DV Catena 2005: HEREone of the top, Barrandica 2010 HERE
Malma 2010 great value under 10 bucks: HERE
one of the best, Alfredo Roca, Family Reserve 2002:HERE
or Padrillos 2010: HERE
But if you type Pinot Noir in the search box you´ll get the full list covering a nice palette of Argentina´s Pinots
Melodia, Malbec 2007, By Jorge Benites, USD 12.
A malbec vineyards from Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Central Mendoza. Basic central mendoza structure of mostly red cherries, raspberries and a plummy edge. Soft chocolaty note. I feel a light acidity that I taste it like not pleasant as it was overripe plum in the fridge (trying to find words to describe what my senses toach). An 84 point malbec tasted twice. A good value if less than 6-8 bucks (as payed locally) I guess.
Melodia, Blend 2007, By Jorge Benites, USD 20
A signature wine blending 50% malbec and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% merlot, 10% Bonarda and 5% Syrah from Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo Departament ,Central Mendoza. Attractive red with a nice complexity of fruits and oak elements like sweet chocolate and smoke. There is a mix of red and black little cherries and a red rose aroma quite nice. I taste a bit of disturbing acidity that might compete with the proper aging after a few years. I´d say an 88 point malbec based blend. I wound´t cellar it more tha 6 years. Good value.
Altos del Plata, Syrah 2010, By Terrazas de los Andes, USD 10
A syrah from central Mendoza with a basic varietal structure. Black cherries and a noteworthy herbality slightly layedred with a black/green peppercorn note. Nice but basic and too herbal. An 85 point red not even close to its malbec brother. May be drinable 2-3 years from harvest. I wound´t say a good value. Acceptable if less than 7-8 bucks.
see its malbec 2009 brother HERE
Primogénito Blend 2008, By Bodegas Patritti, USD 23
A blend from San Patricio Valley of 40% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec with 20% Merlot.
Neuquen Province in North Patagonia: the land of wind. This time showing a great blend, plenty of several fruits like small red and black cherries, raspberries, currants and sour plums. Good chocolaty note and atoach of toast. Good balance and attraction for a superpremium value. A 91 point red good now, but better a couple of years ahead. Good value at this price level and quite competitive for sure.
La Puerta, Gran Reserva Malbec 2007, By Valle de La Puerta S.A., USD 30
A Malbec from Famatina Valley, Chilecito distrct, La Rioja Province.
Impressive malbec with dominant fruit expression and a beautiful leatherly edge quite appropiate. A slight peppery spice with toasty component as a side of dark evolved fruits. Wide palate and nice aftertaste. A 91 point malbec that may toach the its own sky in a couple of years gaining a couple of points more. Great value.
Alfredo Roca, Family Rserve, malbec 2007, By Roca Wines, USD 23
A superb malbec from San Rafael Valley , South Mendoza
Pure ripe black plum with black patagonian cherries in a delicious balance. Round and smooth tannins keeping the beauty of malbec. Sweet smoke and dark chocolate. Not too long though. Very attractive malbec. A 92 point malbec that will evolve nicely 3 to 5 (2015-2017) years ahead. A supervalue genuine Argentina´s south.
