Malbec

Avatar Malbec is 100% Malbec.

Aged in 100% French Oak barrels for 4 months and then 6 months in the bottle beofre release

Presents a vibrant red color with glints of bordeaux. Great aromatic intensity. It expresses in a very fresh way, with red fruits and a remarkable sweetness. In the mouth it’s balanced with round and sweet tannins, rich and with a marked acidity.

Coming from Agrelo district. 
Average of the vines is 25 years old. 
Soil type: Alluvial and sandy soils with a big amount of rocks just besides the Mendoza river. This is one of the most prestigious terroirs in Argentina.
Winemaking: Crushing, destemming and maceration pre-fermentative at 11ºC for 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation in tanks. 4 weeks of skin contact maceration. Aged in French oak barrels for 4 months, Malolactic fermentation in contact with fine lees.
Wine was slightly filtered before bottling.

 Color: Deep ruby red with violet hints
 Nose: Complex and intense, features black berries, cherries and plum, with delicate floral notes and spices.
 Mouth: Balanced and fresh, full bodied with good length of spices.

Review:

"One of two Ayni Malbec releases in 2015, this is made in a fruitier, more approachable style with understated oak. Balanced, floral and elegant, it’s sappy and appealing, with notes of liquorice and black plums and a long, tangy finish. 2018-23"

- Tim Atkin (Argentina Special Report 2017), 95 pts

Ayni Vino de Parcella Gravas is 100% Malbec

Ayni Gravas was created show the diversity of wine profiles that can be derived from Paraje Altamira’s terroir. The goal with this particular wine is to show a markedly calcareous profile that derives in a more intense black fruit flavor profile and a chalky tannin structure with great age potential, as opposed to the more feminine and elegant style which is typical from Paraje Altamira wines.

Chakana plans to further develop this wine, increasing its accents through vineyard selection and oak aging. Over time, production can potentially increase to 10,000 bottles (maximum).

Ayni Gravas is produced from smaller plots of a 20 hectare vineyard in Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza. Paraje Altamira is a Geographical Indication (IG) located on the alluvial cone of the Tunuyan River. The Ayni vineyard has been planted on virgin soils on the upper (south western) side of the cone. The vineyard is crossed by numerous smaller river beds that once formed the river delta, and these create a pattern of different soil depths and gravel formations, imparting very different characteristics on the wine. Ayni Gravas is produced only with the sections of the vineyard where the calcium carbonated gravels come to the surface and the vines grow amongst them with no soil. Only a smaller percentage of the vineyard (approximately 20%) features these conditions.

Pairs well with grilled meats and stews.

Review:

"This limited release from Paraje Altamira is much more mineral than the other Ayni Malbec bottling. It’s a tad austere at the moment, as well as showing more oak, but there’s plenty of structure here, with savoury tannins, dense fruit and a chalky finish. Just needs more time in bottle. 2019-28"
- Tim Atkin (Argentina Special Report 2017), 94 pts

"The grapes for this wine come from Chakana’s Altamira vineyards, a selection of the property’s most stony/gravel soils (shallow). It’s aged in untoasted wooden vats (foudres) for a full year and today is the new brother of Ayni, Chakana’s traditional red. As seen in recent releases from this producer, especially in the last two vintages that we’ve tasted at “Descorchados”, it’s the red fruit, bracing, and with zip that predominates. Rather than make a more ambitious ripe & woody monster, they opted to lengthen it, to make in more linear, more vertical. This is a little stunner from one of the wineries to keep track of today in Mendoza."
- Descorchads 2018, 95 pts

Bressia Conjuro 50% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Merlot

Aged in 70% French oak (Taransaud, Mistral, and Radoux), and 30% American oak.

This wine is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from the Tupungato Valley, Mendoza, at 1,100 meters above sea level.
Its elegant, expressive aromas prepare us to drink a full-bodied, broad wine, very elegant and with a long, unctuous finish that leaves us with a seductive, pleasurable sensation. This wine comes from high quality grapes grown in the Uco Valley and was aged for 18 months in new French and American oak barrels, then in bottle for 24 months

Aged in French oak barrels. No filtration and no fining.  This wine is a blend from five parcels.
Monteagrelo Malbec is an attractive and intense red colored wine with purple tones.
It exhibits ripe red and black fruit aromas mixed with vanilla, chocolate and coffee nuances. Good concentration, great structure, delicate tannins, and a long, harmonious finish

Bressia Profundo is made from 50% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 10% Syrah

Intense red color with purple tones. Delicate strawberry, blackberry aromas intertwined with chocolate, tobacco, dulce de leche and vanilla nuances. Harmonious and elegant in the mouth, and a long finish.

Review:

"Profundo was the first wine that Walter Bressia made at his own winery and it’s still one of his best. Combining Malbec with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% each of Merlot and Syrah, it’s plush and intense with classic Agrelo texture framed by sweet oak and underpinned by acidity. 2019-26"

- Tim Atkin (Argentina Special Report 2018), 93 pts

We choose a terroir along the side of Los Andes in Tupungato, Gualtallary to grow this complex Cabernet Sauvignon.
Aged in French oak barrels for 8 months in our cellar. Lovely deep red color, with ripe blackberry fruit. The spiciness of the nose is echoed on the palate and combines well with juicy red fruit flavors. Well integrated oak and fine tannins ensures a long and classic finish.

Coming from a sustainable 50-year old plot, grapes are crushed, destemmed and go through pre-fermentative maceration at 11ºC for 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation in tanks. 4 weeks of maceration with must. Aged in French oak barrels for 8 months, Malolactic fermentation in contact with fine lees.

Casir dos Santos Estate Reserve  Malbec is 100 percent Malbec.

Presents an intense red color with glints of bordeaux. Great aromatic intensity. It expresses red ripe fruits and vanilla due to the well-integrated wood. In the mouth it’s balanced with round and sweet tannins, rich and persistent.

Coming from a sustainable 50-year old plot, grapes are crushed, destemmed and go through pre-fermentative maceration at 11ºC for 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation in tanks. 4 weeks of maceration with must. Aged in French oak barrels for 8 months, Malolactic fermentation in contact with fine lees.

Review:

"A tight and chewy wine with polished tannins and a savory finish. Lots going on here but in a reserved way. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (June 2017), 91 pts

Casir dos Santos Gran Corte Red Blend  is made from 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon

Presents an intense red color with glints of bordeaux. Great aromatic intensity. It expresses red ripe fruits and vanilla. In the mouth it´s balance, with round and sweet tannins, rich and persistent.

Coming from a sustainable 50-year old plot, grapes are crushed, destemmed and go through pre-fermentative maceration at 11ºC for 24 hours. Alcoholic fermentation in tanks. 4 weeks of maceration with must. At this point we blend the varietals for them to be aged together in French oak barrels for 12 months, Malolactic fermentation in contact with fine lees.

Pairs with Red meet, pasta, lamb, cheese.

Chakana Estate Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.

The color is deep purple, very intense, quite what you expect from Malbec. Plum, brambly berries, spices and an iris/violet note are apparent on the nose.  Intense fruity flavors with velvety tannins.

80% is coming from the Agrelo's vineyards, which is mainly clay and brings a lot of freshness in the wine. 

The other 20% are from Altamira's Vineyards, which gives riper fruit and allows a little more oak

"Combining 15% fruit from Gualtallary for the first time, this Paraje Altamira-based Malbec is getting better with every vintage. Stylish oak, floral aromas (with a dash of grassy Cabernet Franc) and tangy red berry fruit underpinned by fine tannins. 2018-25" 
- Tim Atkin (Argentina Special Report 2017),94 pts

Chakana Estate Red Mendoza is made from 75% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc

Deep red color with violet hints. Dark fruits and exotic spices with tobacco and mocha hints. Elegant, well balanced, harmonious, long persistence with chocolate flavors.

Vineyard: Gualtallary in Valle de Uco.

2 days maceration on skins in temperature controlled steel vats; 12 days fermentation with selected yeasts allowed to rise to a maximum of 28°C.
The 60% Malbec part of the blend is placed in 3,000 & 5,000-liter foudres and concrete vats, then this same wine is aged in old French oak barrels for 9 months ; While the 40% Cabernet Sauvignon part of the blend is all aged in new wood.

Reviews

"The blend of this wine used to change every year, but has now settled on Malbec with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, combining elements from Paraje Altamira, Gualtallary and Chacayes. Fresh, elegant and beautifully balanced, it’s another triumph from Chakana. 2018-25." 
- Tim Atkin, Argentina 2017 Special Report, 94 pts

"Bright, dark red with ruby highlights. Pure but subdued scents of dark raspberry, pepper, chocolate and menthol. Fine-grained, savory and fresh; an alluring, delineated midweight with spicy and floral high notes to its raspberry and currant fruit flavors. The peppery quality carries through the wine and perks up the finish. The tannins are firm but harmonious. This impeccably balanced, structured wine finishes with firm but harmonious tannins and subtly palate-staining spicy length. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (July 2017), 92 pts

Cueva de las Manos Red Blend is made from 70% Malbec, 29% Bonarda, 1% Cabernet Franc

Opaque in color, this saturated Malbec-led blend exhibits coconut and cola aromas along with fully ripe blackberry notes. This is massive in the mouth, with a solid foundation. Maximum berry expression and a jammy, deep-fruited finish give this power and content beyond its price point.

El Ganador Malbec is made from 100% Malbec, hand-harvested vineyards.
10% aged for 6 months in new French oak; then 6 months in the bottle.
The wine boasts is a rich ruby-purple color, and displays elegant flavors of black berries, ripe plum and robust spices with good balance and structure.

El Ganador Malbec is made from 100% Malbec, hand-harvested vineyards.
10% aged for 6 months in new French oak; then 6 months in the bottle.
The wine boasts is a rich ruby-purple color, and displays elegant flavors of black berries, ripe plum and robust spices with good balance and structure.

Maipe Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.

This Malbec has a deep purple color with violet tints, complex plum, fig, strawberry, spices and floral aromas; rounded and velvety tannins, excellent length with a distinguished character.

Excellent when paired with game, roasted red meats, pasta or pizza.

Maipe was the Lord of the Winds for the ancient Andean Indians. He is still called upon to clear the skies after heavy rain, or to temper the summer heat.

The nose reveals dried plum and dark fruits, exotic spices, with hints of violet and chocolate. Round and fleshy, with enticing crushed plum and boysenberry fruit enlivened by a liquorice snap note. Fresh acidity lies buried on the medium-weight, juicy finish.

The grapes are carefully chosen and fermented in small lots to preserve the vineyard identity. Alcoholic fermentation for 12 days with indigenous and selected yeasts, at temperatures of 26 and 30°C, combining, remontage, pigage and delestage in order to obtain the best quality of tannins and structure.

Maipe Malbec Rose 2011 is made from 100% Malbec. Manual harvest.
35 year old vines.
1 day maceration in temperature controlled steel vats; 10 day fermentation with selected yeasts at 14°-16°C; 
30 days of batonage (stirring of the lees).

Intense pink color with violet hints.
Fresh red fruit bouquet, strawberry and cherry flavors, balanced acidity, dry and lingering finish.
Excellent with tuna or green salad, pasta, spicy Asian dishes.

Maipe Malbec Rose is 100 Malbec.

Intense pink color with violet hints.
Fresh red fruit bouquet, strawberry and cherry flavors, balanced acidity, dry and lingering finish.

Excellent with tuna or green salad, pasta, spicy Asian dishes.

The Malbec is round and fleshy, with enticing crushed plum and boysenberry fruit enlivened by a liquorice snap note.

The grapes are carefully chosen and fermented in small lots to preserve the vineyard identity. Alcoholic fermentation for 12 days with indigenous and selected yeasts, at temperatures of 26 and 30°C, combining, remontage, pigeage and delestage in order to obtain the best quality of tannins and structure.

Delicate dark fruit aromas, plum, cherry, candied fruit, bay leaf, earth, hints of spice. The wine is rich on the palate, well-balanced, with notes of fresh fruit and licorice. A long finish.

Made from 85% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot

Dark purple color.
Complex aromas of predominent ripe red fruit such as plum, cherry and raspberry with spicy notes.
Chocolate and vanilla flavors from barrel ageing which provide complexity and elegance.
Wine of great lenght.

Red meats, lamb, beef stew, strong cheese.

Review:

"Full medium ruby. Brooding aromas of blackberry, bitter chocolate and violet, along with some superripe suggestions leavened by floral lift. Suave, plush and rich, showing attractive oaky complexity and a firm shape to the dark berry, pepper, herb and spice flavors. Classically dry for a wine with such inviting sweetness of fruit. Balanced to give early pleasure but has the stuffing for positive development in bottle. - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (Argentina The Cool Years, March 2016), 90pts