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.

Deep ruby-red in color with violet hints. Complex and intense bouquet, features blackberries, cherries and plums, with delicate floral notes and spices. Balanced and fresh mouth, full-bodied with good length of spices.

The grapes come from the fantastic area of Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley, Mendoza.
Irrigation: Drip 
Harvest: Manual 
Maceration: 4 days cold soaking below 10°C in stainless steel tanks 
Alcoholic fermentation: 80% of the wine in stainless steel tanks for 15 days with wild yeasts, 20% of the wine in 225-liter closed French oak barrels 
Malolactic fermentation: Yes

Pairs well with grilled meats and stews.

Review:

The single-vineyard 2017 Ayni Malbec comes from paraje Altamira, and the wine was bottled with 13% alcohol and moderate acidity that made it feel soft but not bland, with enough freshness going through its core. Many wines are now matured in large oak containers, and that certainly helps with the integration of the oak with the fruit, as is the case here. The tannins are fine-grained, and the finish is dry and long. 10,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in September 2018. - Luis Gutiérrez"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #245, October 2019), 91 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:

"Dark medium ruby. Enticing violet lift to the aromas of boysenberry, blackberry and licorice; wild but not excessively so. Juicy and fine-grained, with penetrating chalky minerality enlivening the flavors of crushed blackberry, flowers and spices. In a very savory, almost salty style, finishing dry and firm, with fresh, fine-grained tannins and lovely energy and length. (just 12.5% alcohol; from the same vineyard as the Ayni Vineyard Paraje Altamira but from a selection of soils) - Stephen Tanzer"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (June 2019), 91 pts

"There is a new 2017 Ayni Parcela Gravas, a selection of Malbec from their Ayni vineyard in Paraje Altamira from very shallow plots with a high content of limestone. The nature of the soils might have resulted in some stress in a warm and dry year like 2017, and the wine felt a bit ripe and with harsher tannins than the regular Ayni. For the rest, the production and élevage remained more or less the same. I look forward to seeing the results in a cooler year. For now, the tannins need a little bit of time in bottle. 3,000 bottles were filled in March 2019. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #245, October 2019), 91 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

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

"The pricey 2013 Conjuro is an impressive blend of 50% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot that felt lighter and more balanced than in previous years, with sweetness from the tannins and oak-derived flavors and aromas. It has herbal and spice notes from the Cabernet and Merlot and round, juicy tannins after 18 months in new French barriques. I wonder how this blend would be with less new oak... 3,500 bottles were filled in December 2016.- Luis Gutiérrez"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #237, June 2018), 93 pts

"This year, Conjuro is 50% Malbec, grapes from Agrelo and Vista Flores, Bressias’s preferred and primary sources for this variety. Where Cabernet and Merlot are concerned, they went to the higher parts of Gualtallary to get the grip that’s clearly present here. It’s pretty impressive to see how this wine has evolved: from a heavy, very ripe red to where it is today, a red fruit focused blend, best defined as medium to light bodied, but at the same time with enormous length, which is, at the end of the day, what matters. Wines with length more than breadth. and enough acidity to brighten a meal, that’s what it’s all about."
- Descorchados, 94 pts

"(14% alcohol; aged for 18 months in new Taransaud barrels): Healthy red-ruby. Complex, sexy aromas and flavors of black fruits, mocha, brown spices, tobacco leaf, licorice and flowers. Wonderfully broad and savory on entry, then ripe and sweet in the middle palate; not especially fleshy or outsized but intense and aromatic in the mouth. The very long finish features firm but well-integrated tannins and sexy spices. Classic Gualtallary energy here--and the spine to evolve gracefully for another decade. - Stephen Tanzer"

- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (Argentina’s Wines Enter The World Stage, July 2018), 93 pts

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 Monteagrelo Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.

Aged in French oak barrels. No filtration and no fining.  

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

Review:

"Wines from Vista Flores, in the Tunuyán area, tend to be riper, with less sharpness and minerality than other high elevation zones. We’re not really sure why, we only go by the wines we’ve tasted from there, like this Monteagrelo which, despite the name, comes from viñeyards in Vista Flores. This wine shows good ripeness, flavors of sweet red fruit, but is not as it was a decade ago in Vista Flores. Today, the new generation blends this sweetness with fresh tense acidity that changes the profile, without losing the essence."
- Descorchados 2018, 92 pts

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.

Review:

"Serious ripeness and structure as well as a good freshness for the vintage. An impressive Cabernet. The balance of generous tannins, fullish body and black cherry fruit is very convincing. Drink now or hold."
- James Suckling (April 2018), 92 pts

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.

Review:

"A good introduction to Argentine cabernet sauvignon, thanks to its vibrant blueberries and fullish, supple body. The soft tannins have a chocolatey edge and fill out the medium-full body nicely. Drink now."
- James Suckling (March 2019), 90 pts

Casir dos Santos Estate Reserve Malbec is 100 percent Malbec.

Aged 8 months in French oak barrels and then 6 months in the bottle.

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.

Review:

"The 2014 Gran Corte is a blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipú that fermented separately before being blended and put in barrel to mature for 12 months after malolactic in contact with the lees. It's a classical well-oaked and generous red, with plenty of ripe fruit, smoke and spices and a full-bodied palate with abundant, slightly astringent tannins in the style of the late 1990s. For fans of the style. It was bottled in December 2016. 6,000 bottles produced. - Luis Gutiérrez"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #237, June 2018), 90 pts

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 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.

Review:

"Full ruby-red. Aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, licorice, minerals and fresh herbs, lifted by a violet topnote. At once seamless and bright, with its black fruit, violet and pungent herbal flavors conveying excellent chalky, saline lift and penetration. This Malbec is still quite young but is more pliant than a sample of this wine that I tried a year ago shortly after the bottling; sharply delineated like my earlier bottle but not dry on the finish. In fact, this wine reminds me of a '16 for its saline minerality and energy, and is has the tightly coiled spring to last very well.. - Stephen Tanzer" - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (June 2019), 90+ pts

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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

"Chakana made some lovely wines in 2016, making the most of the cool conditions to produce reds with real finesse. This Malbec with Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc blend is light, elegant and focused, with floral aromas, red berry sweetness and nuanced tannins. 2019-24"

- Tim Atkin, Argentina Special Report 2018, 93 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.

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.

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.

Classic Malbec aromas of blackberry, cherry and chocolate lift from opaque juice. The juice is heavy with soft tannin and high acidity allowing for a layered and structure mouth-feel. Dark berry and cherry flavors converge on the slightly peppered finish. 

Lexicon Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.

Classic Malbec aromas of blackberry, cherry and chocolate lift from opaque juice. The juice is heavy with soft tannin and high acidity allowing for a layered and structure mouth-feel. Dark berry and cherry flavors converge on the slightly peppered finish.