Friday Sips
FRIDAY SIPS
Mendoza Malbec
Today January 15 from 1:30 - 6:30
Mendoza Malbec
Today January 15 from 1:30 - 6:30
Drop by today to explore four different Malbec wines from Argentina's most famous and prominent growing region.
2013 ALTOS LAS HORMIGAS
MALBEC 'TERROIRS'
$16.99 BTL./$203.88 CASE
MALBEC 'TERROIRS'
$16.99 BTL./$203.88 CASE
Back in the mid ‘90s, five prominent Italian winemakers set up this operation in Argentina and quickly became revolutionaries in the rise of the quality in this nation's wines. Having always been very forthright and hedonistic wines, the Altos wines often were masked with a bit more oak than was necessary.
Wine aficionado Thomas Jefferson once said, "I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing…" This sentence has often been misquoted, as "every generation needs a new revolution"; either way there is something new brewing with Altos las Hormigas. Beginning with the 2012 vintage wines are now aged in concrete and large, untoasted wood foudres, providing the real mission, a renewed focus on terroir.
Captivating nose. Lots of creme de mure and serious minerality to go along with the vibrant cherry pit aspects. Lovely underlay of nutmeg, turned earth and subtle coffee notes. Quite dense and very old-viney with high elevation freshness for most excellent balance. Takes off like a rocket on the superb, saturated finish. This is top-notch, undervalued juice that will drink well for 4-6 years.
Wine aficionado Thomas Jefferson once said, "I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing…" This sentence has often been misquoted, as "every generation needs a new revolution"; either way there is something new brewing with Altos las Hormigas. Beginning with the 2012 vintage wines are now aged in concrete and large, untoasted wood foudres, providing the real mission, a renewed focus on terroir.
Captivating nose. Lots of creme de mure and serious minerality to go along with the vibrant cherry pit aspects. Lovely underlay of nutmeg, turned earth and subtle coffee notes. Quite dense and very old-viney with high elevation freshness for most excellent balance. Takes off like a rocket on the superb, saturated finish. This is top-notch, undervalued juice that will drink well for 4-6 years.
2013 DECERO MALBEC
'REMOLINOS VINEYARD'
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE
'REMOLINOS VINEYARD'
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE
From Mendoza’s Agrelo region, Finca Decero has only been around since 2000 and have been receiving heaps of praise for their delicious wines since day one.
Commencing with dramatic aromas, the tasty 2013 displays scents of blackcurrant, blueberry, coffee and underlying mineral along with a well-woven shroud of smoky, spicy oak. Layered, mouth filling and velvety in the mouth, there is plenty of lift and freshness to go along with the bold core of fruit. The finish soothes with licorice-laden energy. Extremely accessible now, it can easily age for 4-5 years, too.
Commencing with dramatic aromas, the tasty 2013 displays scents of blackcurrant, blueberry, coffee and underlying mineral along with a well-woven shroud of smoky, spicy oak. Layered, mouth filling and velvety in the mouth, there is plenty of lift and freshness to go along with the bold core of fruit. The finish soothes with licorice-laden energy. Extremely accessible now, it can easily age for 4-5 years, too.
2012 ZORZAL MALBEC
'GRAN TERROIRS'
$22.99 BTL./$275.88 CASE
'GRAN TERROIRS'
$22.99 BTL./$275.88 CASE
Zorzal is located at 4500 feet in the sub region of the Uco Valley called Gualtallary just outside of Tupungato. Being at this elevation, Zorzal is the highest winery in all of Mendoza. The high portion of chalk in the soil combined with the elevation gives this killer Malbec an insane amount of energy. Aged 12-18 months in 2-3 year old French barrels, this wine never departs from its origins.
Handsome with an abundance of raspberry, pekoe, chocolate, fig and red earth aromas that keep coming on as the wine unfolds in the glass. In the mouth, it has voluptuousness buffered by cool, zesty tones along with a vertical backbone and a very vinous, broad and seductive finish that soars. Drink this very real Malbec over the next 8-10 years.
Handsome with an abundance of raspberry, pekoe, chocolate, fig and red earth aromas that keep coming on as the wine unfolds in the glass. In the mouth, it has voluptuousness buffered by cool, zesty tones along with a vertical backbone and a very vinous, broad and seductive finish that soars. Drink this very real Malbec over the next 8-10 years.
2013 MENDEL MALBEC
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
One of the blazing, relative newcomers is Mendel. Owned by wine enthusiast and successful businesswoman, Annabelle Sielecki and with wines made by superstar Argentine maker Roberto de la Mota, this estate has launched themselves into Mendoza’s upper echelon.
Made from grapes grown in the Mayor Drummond section of Mendoza’s Lujan de Cuyo, the vine average for this wine is 85 years old and it is elevated in 40% new French oak. An attractive "velvet monster" that unveils lively aromas of strawberry, plum-pepper, allspice, cinnamon, violet and hot rock, one smell reveals that it is from old vines at a high elevation. Sexy, saturated, chewy, polished, and a real mouthful of red wine. Through all of this, it maintains freshness which calls you back for another glass and another and another, etc., etc. The finish is penetrating and dense revealing chocolate-covered raspberry tones and lingering around for a long time. Drink through 2023.
Made from grapes grown in the Mayor Drummond section of Mendoza’s Lujan de Cuyo, the vine average for this wine is 85 years old and it is elevated in 40% new French oak. An attractive "velvet monster" that unveils lively aromas of strawberry, plum-pepper, allspice, cinnamon, violet and hot rock, one smell reveals that it is from old vines at a high elevation. Sexy, saturated, chewy, polished, and a real mouthful of red wine. Through all of this, it maintains freshness which calls you back for another glass and another and another, etc., etc. The finish is penetrating and dense revealing chocolate-covered raspberry tones and lingering around for a long time. Drink through 2023.
