Viñedos Altamira Valley 2010, a great Uco´s Value under 10 bucks

Viñedos Altamira Valley, blend 2010, By Vistaflores State, USD 8-10
www.vistafloresestate.com

A 65% merlot from Altamira district (San Carlos Department) and some Cabernet sauvignon and Franc
from Vistaflores District (Tunuyan Departament) in Uco Valley.
Beautiful red, sweet ,ripe and balanced keeping a great attraction to the palate.
Nice black little berries with a toach of sweet bell pepper all perfumed with chocolate and tabacco from oak.
Not a superpremium concentration even though the streght is quite appropiate.
I´d say an 87 point red that being from Uco adds a plus to 89 points. Great value. Probably better 2 to 4 years old when the fruit core is still strong.

Sophenia Synthesis Malbec 2009, impressive and punchy Malbec Tupungato

Sophenia, Synthesis Malbec 2009, By Finca Sophenia, USD 38
www.sophenia.com.ar

A malbec from Tupungato Valley,(part of Uco Valley) Mendoza
Quite concentrated with black fruits and much,much oak like cocconut and chocolate with a moderated toast. For sure attractive to the palate of almost anyone. I might say this is a oak saturated malbec but I must also recognize. I refilled my cup with this wine. A 92 point malbec easy to bash and probably the first empty bottle on the reunion. A good value though. I guess it´ll turn weird after 4 years old when the fruit level down a little bit.

Oceano, Gran Reserva 2008, A coastal (Atlantic) Rio Negro Valley red to admire.

Oceano Gran Reserva 2008, By Bodega Oceano, USD 15
www.bodegaoceano.com

A single vineyard Malbec (40%) blend with some Merlot a Cabernet Sauvignon from coastal (Atlantic) Viedma Valley (low Rio Negro Valley), Rio Negro Province, North Patagonia.
A beautiful red to my palate showing a balanced palette of attributes reaching clearly to an Argentina great value.Wide and ripe mix of red and black little fruits with a proper acidity and alcohol to it. Gentle and firm tannins at the same time. Quite attractive and original even softer than the usual red of cold low altitude of mid land (dessert plateau) Patagonia.
A 91 point red that should live quite well next 2 years (4-6 years from vintage). Great value and a beautiful and original Patagonian to my palate.  

Primogenito Malbec 2008, a San Patricio Valley son with all the terroir driven structure

Primogénito Malbec 2008, By Bodegas Patritti, USD 13-14
http://bodegaspatritti.com.ar/

A premium malbec from San Patricio Valley in Neuquen Povince, North Patagonia.
Very nice and expressive at the same time. Ripe black plum and blueberries with some red cherries too. Chocolate and toast notes quite balanced. Wide and palatable. A malbec that should live well 4 to 6 years. An 89 point malbec son of North Patagonia and a great value.

Alegoria Chardonnay 2009 By Navarro Correas, an expressive yet balanced white blending Mendoza

Navarro Correas, Alegoria Chardonnay 2009, By Bodegas Navarro Correas, USD 16
www.ncorreas.com

A Chardonnay blending grapes from different vineyards of Uco Valley and Lujan de Cuyo.
Attractive and balanced even not over expressing oak neither fruit. Green apple with kiwi fruit mostly and some ripe peach undertone. Soft, very soft buttery envelope. Very soft toasty far on the late palate. A 90 point Chard that doesn´t look to improve any ahead of now. Great value for a premium Chard.

Punta Corral 2011, A Malbec and Syrah blend from high Jujuy to stress out the tarrior

Punta Corral 2011, By Bodega Fernando Dupont, USD 15
www.bodegafernandodupont.com

A Melbec and Syrah blend with a little bit of Cabernet Sauvignon from Maimara Valley, Quebrada de Humahuaca, Jujuy Province.
A naturally concentrated red with tipicity of the high valleys of Jujuy (2,500 mts/8,200 ft).
Aromatic with expressive black plums, ripe and sour. Very nice tannins on the palate with clear reminiscence of cumin and a meaty add to it (that could actually be my own remembrance of Salta´s 'empanadas' full, I mean full of cummin).
Fairly friendly and round even not oaky at all. I don´t feel it like cellaring more than 4 years. I know very few Northwest wines nicely aged after 4-5 years old.
I´d say an 89 point red and a very good value at a premium shelf.

Manos Negras, Malbec 2009, stone soli select, An Altamira red to impress most palates

Manos Negras, malbec 2009 stone soil select, By Manos Negras SA, USD 20
www.not found whatsoever

A malbec from Altamira District of La Consulta, San Carlos Departament, Mendoza.
Impressive malbec with ultraripe black fruits typical of Uco´s wines. Only Barossa´s reds go closer in terms of such a natural concentration and balance. Ultra charged with coffee and dark chocolate too.
Hard to get away from it. Few palates will turn their back to this malbec. A 91 point malbec a little bit overcharged
by oak to my palate. To enjoy up to 4-6 y/o. Great value.

Leo, Premium Malbec 2010, a punching malbec from San Rafael

Leo, Premium Mabec 2010, By Bodega Bianchi & Leo Mezzi Foundation, USD 12-14

www.casabianchi.com.ar/leo

A single vineyard malbec (Doña Elsa, San Rafael Valley), South Mendoza.

Dark and concentrated with strong fruits ,mostly ripe blackberries and black california plums and

a strong chocolaty and coffee driven oak. The kind of malbec that strikes hard on the palate with all the pieces x 2 the usual strength. A 90 point malbec conceived to impress and call for a second bottle soon. The wine gets my taste buds close to saturation. In any case a very attractive malbec and a great value at the premium level. It should gain complexity 3-5 y/o from vintage but given the concentrated structure it looks better to enjoy before 2-3 y/o.  

Innovacion, Aglianico 2011, very nice and attractive under 10, #2

Innovacion, Anglianico 2011, By Bodega Santa Julia (Familia Zuccardi), USD 6-7

www.santajulia.com.ar

A red wine from Santa Rosa Vineyards East Mendoza from a grape known to be born in Greece and widely produced in south Italy. 

Gentle and nice red. Reminds me the Barbera grape in Mendoza. Quite balanced and delicate with dry red cherries and a toasty note to round it up nicely. An 86 points and great value too. This well balanced and attractive decent red is a great value at the retail price offered. A young to drink young before 4 y/o

Innovacion Arinarnoa 2010, nice and attractive under 10, #1

Innovacion, Arinarnoa 2010, By Bodega Santa Julia (Familia Zuccardi), USD 6-7

www.santajulia.com.ar

A Santa Rosa Vineyard (east Mendoza) from a grape made of merging Merlot and Petit Verdot (INRA, France).

Fruity and nicely sour giving a very nice palate with tasty notes. Attractive and quite appropiate for any fast

food or appetizer. I got gladly surprised given the attractive and gentle price. The price band (say 5 to 9 bucks) is the one

Argentina´s  wine got a great say to show off. A great Argentina´s value at this price range. I´ll go 86 points. Don't expect more

after 2-4 y/o age. 

  

Portal Andino, Gran Malbec 2009, basic and nice but hard to join with 15 bucks price

Portal Andino, Gran Malbec 2009, By Frutal Genetica SA, USD 15
no www. what so ever

A single vineyard malbec from General Alvear (Lower Atuel River Valley), South Mendoza.

A nice malbec with the basics in there. Plummy and a good deal of red and black berries ripe and sweety. 
Mild oak notes mostly toasty and chocolate. An 88 point no to remembrer malbec with some remembrance of virtued south mendoza
A good malbec but hard to join with the 15 bucks to pay.

Pannunzio Malbec 2010, a delicate yet attractive Malbec from somewhere Mendoza

Pannunzio Malbec 2010, By Giovanni Vincenzo, USD 12
http://www.laspiedraspuravid.com

A malbec balanced and delicate with very nice and fine mixed red and black fruits with a admirable palate. Nicely aromatic and floral with a violet edge. Midly oaky keeping the complexity on the palate.
I´d say an 89 point malbec that reminds me some Uco´s and some Central Mendoza´s (like 'primera zona') virtues mixed in one bottle.
I wouldn´t cellar it more than 4 years given the delicate structure showing off. Great value, no doubt. A wine to enjoy several times now and then.

Zorzal ,Pinot Noir 2012, from Gualtallary a very competitive red

Zorzal, Pinot Noir 2012, By Zorzal Wines, USD 10
www.zorzalwines.com

A young Pinot Noir from Gualtallary District of Tupungato Departament, Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Nice aromas of red fresh fruits cherry type. The redish with a shade of violet tell the earliest stage this red is on. Good balance of fruit and just a mild toast and chocolate finish. Attractive toach of blue/black little fruits like blueberries. An 87 point Pinot, nice and round. Probably better before 4 years old. Great value at a premium level, very competitive.

Viniterra Pinot Noir 2011, an easy and smooth Pinot from Agrelo

Viniterra Pinot Noir 2011, By Viniterra Wines, USD 
www.viniterra.com.ar

Pinot Noir grapes from high Agrelo district in Lujan de Cuyo Dpt, Central Mendoza.
A light red with typical red cherry sweety marmalade floral and smoky. Easy to drink  and enjoy without much question to it. The wine is smooth and delicate with a nice soft bitter undertone.
An 86 point Pinot worthwhile the price and the try by the same way. Good value and I wouldn´t cellar it more than 4 years.

Finca Intimayu Malbec 2009, A San Rafael Valley malbec with all the basics

Finca Intimayu Malbec 2009, By Finca Intimayu SRL, USD 12
www.fincaintimayu.com

A Malbec from San Rafael Valley, South Mendoza.
Reaching what I expect from that wine country, red cherries with wide palate and smooth oak toaches like
toast and chocolate. Nice and balanced, attractive and typical. An 88 point premium level malbec fulfilling what you should expect from San Rafael Valley´s malbec. Very good value though.

Surcado Malbec 2011, a south mendoza basic at a gentle price.

Surcado Malbec 2011, By Santa Rosa Agro SRL, USD 7
no www. so far

A 100% malbec from Alvear Departament of South Mendoza
A soft and ligh weigh malbec but all the basics in there. Plummy and red berries (typical of south mendoza) with nice balance in between. Good touch on the palate. An 84 points malbec and a good value for 7 bucks. To drink up to 2 years from vintage.  

Stradivarius, Port de Magoas 2005, a fortified port style from San Rafael Valley

Stradivarius, Porto de Magoas 2005, By Valentin Bianchi SACIC, USD 34
www.casabianchi.com.ar

A Port styled red well matured and aged in casks from San Rafael Valley, South Mendoza. Dense and dark brownish. Toasty and figs from the nose out.
Nice and balanced with some complexity and a palette of dry fruits and confitures. A chocolaty note stiks out too. Some dry leaves notes that I didn´t expect Eighteen and eight per cent vol/vol of alcohol. An 89 point fortified red wine and a good value.

Callia Magna Terroir Selection, Shiraz 2010, From Tulum Valley a basic value

Callia Magna Shiraz 2010 (terroir selection) , By Bodegas Callia (Salentien Family), USD 10
www.bodegascallia.com

A shiraz from Tulum Valley in San Juan Province.
Nice and easy red with timid pushes of a tipical shiraz. Fruit driven with notes of spice without lossing the sweet caramel and marmalade. A couple of oak descriptors like chocolate and cinnamon. I woulnd´t go more than 86 points and cellar more than 2-3 years either. Barely a good value for the price/quality relation.