Country: | Argentina |
Region: | Mendoza |
Winery: | Otaviano Bodega & Vinedos |
Grape Type: | Malbec |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Penedo Borges Icono Malbec is 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:
Icon is a selection from the winery, that is, of the best barrels of the year, basically with Malbec that occupies 85% of the final blend. The selection is made after a year of aging in barrels. The fruit of this selection is a wine of great depth of flavors, with spicy and herbal touches and with firm, sharp and penetrating tannins. In addition, there are earthy notes that project throughout the palate. An old school wine with an austere structure. One for the Cellar.
-Descorchados 94 Points
"Ripe berry and cassis aromas come with a blast of potent oak, but overall the nose on this Malbec is appealing in a bold manner. Airing is vital to smoothing out the tartaric bite this brings, while flavors of blackberry, dark plum, vanilla and mocha finish long and smoother than the palate. Drink this fully oaked and powerfully built Malbec through 2027. - MICHAEL SCHACHNER"
- Wine Enthusiast (July 2021), 93 pts
Penedo Borges Icono Malbec is 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.
Penedo Borges Icono Edicion Aniversario is made from 31% Cabernet Franc, 27% Petit Verdot, 18% Malbec, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 9% Syrah.
This red blend is made to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the launch of Penedo Borges Icono. It is a tribute to 10 years of learning, effort, dedication and passion for what they do. For this reason, they have chosen a blend of Cabernet Franc, Petit verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah as a faithful representation of teamwork, where each team member highlights with their best version. Penedo Borges Icono Anniversary Edition is a complex and elegant wine, with great structure and volume and a long finish, thus making the trajectory of the winery and their History.
Deep red color with violet hues. On the nose, it presents balanced notes of ripe fruit, with spices and herbal aromas that give great complexity. Its aging in oak finishes harmonizing aromatically the wine with notes of vanilla and chocolate. In the mouth, the sweetness of its tannins give a complex and long finish.
Review:
"This has dark, chocolatey character with notes of black fruit, vanilla, pinewood and hazelnuts. Medium-to full-bodied, compact and a little tight with a firm texture and bright acidity. Layered. Needs time to open and soften. Cabernet franc, petit verdot, malbec, cabernet sauvignon and syrah. Drink now."
- James Suckling (May 2022), 92 pts
The Rubus Project was created by Fran Kysela as a way to source & sell incredible wines at value prices. All wines in this international project are hand-selected by Fran Kysela. Rubus wines are fruit driven, true-to-type values that over deliver - a true representation of quality for the consumer at an excellent price.
Sourced from ten-year-old vines in Paraje Altamira.
This Icon Malbec is suave and rich, offering loads of dark plum, currant and dried blackberry flavors supported by notes of soft spices. Molten chocolate notes emerge on the mid-palate, with Asian spice accents. The finish is long and ripe with a loamy character.
Pairs with grilled red meats, roast lamb, marinated chicken, pizza and pasta dishes, Asian cuisine.
Review:
- Wine & Spirits (October 2021), 92 pts
The Rubus Project was created by Fran Kysela as a way to source & sell incredible wines at value prices. All wines in this international project are hand-selected by Fran Kysela. Rubus wines are fruit driven, true-to-type values that over deliver - a true representation of quality for the consumer at an excellent price.
Sourced from ten-year-old vines in Paraje Altamira.
This Icon Malbec is suave and rich, offering loads of dark plum, currant and dried blackberry flavors supported by notes of soft spices. Molten chocolate notes emerge on the mid-palate, with Asian spice accents. The finish is long and ripe with a loamy character.
Pairs with grilled red meats, roast lamb, marinated chicken, pizza and pasta dishes, Asian cuisine.
Keermont Amphitheatre Red is made from 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Cabernet Franc, 22% Merlot, 17% Petit Verdot, 5% Malbec and 1% Syrah.
Starting with the 2015 vintage, this new cuvée replaces the Keermont Estate Reserve. It is now the winery's flagship red blend. With this blend they aim to bring to life the nuances of both the terroir at Keermont Vineyards and the particularity of each vintage. Venetian red in color, this wine exudes complex aromas of dusty, ripe strawberry complimented by hints of baked pudding, vanilla, and sweet citrus blossom.
Review:
"The maiden 2015 Amphitheatre has an intense bouquet of dark cherries, star anise, camphor and wild heather scents, all well defined and expressive. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and fleshy ripe red fruit laced with white pepper and sage, fanning out wonderfully toward the finish. This is a beautiful maiden release, exuding breeding and class, from Alex Starey at Keermont. - Neal Martin"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (November 2021), 95 pts
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:
- Wine Enthusiast Magazine (February 1st 2020), 93 pts
". - Michael SCHACHNER"
The winery was born in 2004, when 4 friends, passionate about wine and Argentina, decided to enter the wine world by choosing one of the most elegant and distinguished terroirs for red wine in the province Lujan de Cuyo, best known as the land of Malbec.
Winery Acreage: 48 hectares (119 acres)
OTAVIANO WINERY:
The winery has a very modern design and was built with material from the region. It is surrounded by the vineyards and overlooks the Andes Range.
Traditional and cutting-edge techniques are mixed in our production in order to obtain high quality wines.
The winery has stainless steel fermentation and conservation tanks with temperature control, an underground cellar perfectly conditioned for wine aging in oak barrels and a storage room where bottles finish their maturation process.
LOCATION:
Otaviano Winery and Vineyards is located in the highest part of Alto Agrelo, Luján de Cuyo, 300 meters south of the International Route 7 (Km 8)
The estate has 48 hectares of vineyards with the winery in its centre. The place has an incredible view of the Andes Mountain Range and it is ideal to enjoy our sunsets.
ELABORATION:
Our Wines are designed from the vine. There is a thorough work carried out through the different varietal sectors. The vine load is carefully regulated to obtain the perfect balance of the plant and in so doing, get wines that express the maximum potential of our terroir.
In the winery, the grapes are carefully selected with traditional and cutting-edge techniques. By keeping strict control of all the process variables, we are able to preserve and enhance the quality of our wines. These are characterized for being honest, expressive wines with a perfect balance between the fruit of each variety and the ageing in oak.
Our vineyards are located at 1,050 mts above sea level, at the foot of the Andes, where the thermal amplitude and the perfect sunlight give way to a well balanced and high quality harvest. Different grape varieties are selected from the native land, which has deep ground and sandy characteristics. The crops are carefully handled with accurate viticulture techniques and the environment is well taken care of with low impact agrochemicals. The grapes are harvested in 18 kg cases when the vines express their maximum potential.
MALBEC (24 HECTARES)
This variety from the Southwest of France is the one that has experienced the best adaptation to the Argentinean soil, providing exceptional wines of intense aroma, very concentrated purple color and pleasant taste. Without any doubt Argentina produces the best Malbec specimens in the world. Malbec is made as a light young red wine with fresh fruity aromas or as a wine with good body and storage capacity with highlighted ripe berry aromas. It is grown in every viticulture region in the country and provides the best samples in Mendoza, in the regions of Lujan de Cuyo and Maipú. Because Malbec is an emblematic and standard variety, the wineries in Argentina experience an interesting growth in the international market and it is very well positioned among the best wines in the world.
CABERNET SAUVIGNON (12 HECTARES)
Historically associated with the Grand Bordeaux region, it is the most widely recognized red variety in the world. This is due to the particular adaptation of this vine in different winemaking regions, without losing its essence. It produces a wine rich in tannins and color that blends with other less tannic varieties, such as Merlot or Cabernet Franc. These young wines are rough and hard and this is the reason why they are better aged in oak or in the bottle to tame their consistent structure. They are powerful wines, with pleasant aromas and notes that remind us of berries, green peppers and spices.
SYRAH (6 HECTARES)
Of French origin, it is mainly found in the Rodano Valley and is part of great blends, such as L’Hermitage, Chateauneuf du Pape or Cote Rotie. This grape provides very vigorous, solid wines which are rich in tannins and have long conservation. Aging in wooden casks and bottles suits them really well. These wines have intense aromas which remind us of berries, spices and leather. Just like Malbec, Syrah or Shyraz has adapted quite well to the Argentinean soil, giving excellent varietal and blended wines.
PETIT VERDOT (1.5 HECTARES)
It is a high quality red Wine grape, whose origin is unknown. It was first planted in France, mainly in Bordeaux as a complement to the wines of the region. Its late ripeness did not call the attention of the winemakers at first and was eventually left unnoticed by the middle of the XX century. The name comes from the French and means “small green”, referring to its size and the problem this grape endures when the berries fail to develop properly. Not long ago this grape had a comeback and has become more and more popular, especially in Australia, Chile, Argentina, USA and the original region of Bordeaux. These grapes provide very good color and aromas of berries, spices, chocolate and figs. On the palate, the wine is characterized by strong tannins, good volume and acidity.
CABERNET FRANC (1.5 HECTARES)
Cabernet Franc is a red grape From Bordeaux. Its origin goes back to the XVII century where it was mostly grown for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to obtain wines in the Bordeaux style. Genetically speaking, it is the father of Cabernet Sauvignon and this makes them perfectly compatible in winemaking terms.
Cabernet Franc produces intense red wines with more aromatic, herbaceous and complex notes than Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate, it is also lighter, softer and less acid.
CHARDONNAY (3 HECTARES)
Chardonnay takes its name from the small French town in the Burgundy area, and is certainly one of the most appreciated varietal wines in the world. It is an easy to grow grape because of its remarkable ability to adapt to different climatic conditions. The grape from cool climates provides predominant fruity notes, such as apple and pineapple whereas the grape from warmer climates in characterized by tropical fruit notes. It takes part in the elaboration of the best sparkling wines in the world. Chardonnay wines take good level of fermentation and aging in oak and therefore provide aromas such as vanilla, butter and honey. Due to the versatility of the grape, it can be found in Argentina in many possible ways, being either fresh and light or very complex.
SAUVIGNON BLANC (3 HECTARES)
It is the main white grape from Burdeaux and the Loira Valley in France and the world. It has adapted very well to different viticulture regions in the world, such as the Northeast of Italy, Chile, Argentina, and the coast valleys of California and Australia. However, it is the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand which outstands in the world. It offers herbal and citric aromas, sometimes with smoked or wild notes. In Argentina, this grape has gained an important place among the fine white wines and has a very promising future
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is made from 80% Roussanne, 10% Grenache Blanc and Clairette, 10% Piquepoul Blanc, Picardan and Bourboulenc
The story :
The production of white wine at Beaucastel is limited as we only have 7 hectares of white vines planted. The main variety is Roussanne, representing 80% of the blend.
The vintage :
The 2020 vintage in Southern Rhône was favoured by very good weather conditions, it is a generous vintage, both in terms of quality and quantity. Not as hot as in 2019, this year was very windy, throughout the growing cycle, with light rainfalls. After a fairly mild winter (one single episode of frost was noted during the night of March 24, but only the early ripening plots were very slightly affected). The spring was radiant, quite warm and very windy, which allowed the soils to preserve their freshness. Flowering began on May 18, under very healthy conditions. The good weather continued in June, July and August, with plenty heat but lower temperatures than in 2019, cool and humid nights and wind which continued to blow, preserving the freshness of the vines and maintaining perfect sanitary conditions for the grapes. The harvest, which was fairly early, therefore began under these very good conditions on August 26 with the white Côtes-du-Rhône and continued until the end of September with the Mourvèdre. September was warm at the beginning of the month and then more temperate, offering idyllic harvest conditions and allowed each plot to be harvested at perfect maturity. The harvest was very healthy with beautiful juicy and very ripe grapes, reasonable alcohol levels, good acidity and already a great balance. Yields are slightly higher than 2019 and the first tastings predict a very nice vintage.
Location :
Château de Beaucastel has 7 hectares of white varieties.
Terroir :
Molasse seabed of the Miocene period covered by diluvial alpine deposits (rolled pebbles).
Ageing :
Handpicked in small cases, sorting of the grapes, pneumatic pressing, settling of the juice, fermentation (30% in oak barrels, 70% in tanks) for 8 months. Bottling after 8 months.
Review:
Honeycomb oak on the nose, then quite a broad and generous palate. Sappy acidity, although not as high as some white Châteauneufs this year, and a long finish. This has a good sense of lightness, drinkability and balance. The oak is quite forthright for now, so give this some time to come together. 80% Roussanne, 10% Grenache and Clairette, plus 10% of Piquepoul Blanc, Picardan and Bourboulenc. Part of the blend was matured in two- and three-year-old barriques for a year.
-Decanter 96 Points
Robert Mondavi Winery The Estates Red Blend is made from 49% Cabernet Franc, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot.
Robert Mondavi’s vision was to elevate Napa to the world stage. In celebration of his achievement, our Napa Tier wines are sourced from distinctive vineyards throughout the Napa Valley and truly emulate a classic Napa Valley style.
Aromas of blackberry, cherry, toasted almond, bay leaf and mocha. Luscious ripe cherry and cassis, with savory notes of dried herbs and toast. Rich, weighty, and mouth-coating, with classic fine To Kalon tannins.
Review:
This has a pretty fragrance of violets, green peppercorns, salted olives, blackcurrants and black raspberries. Creamy, salted dark chocolate and praline to follow. Medium-to full-bodied with fine-grained tannins. Delicious and superbly balanced. 50% cabernet franc, 47% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot.
-James Sucking 94 Points
The 2019 Red Blend Estate comes all from the To Kalon Vineyard and is close to an even split of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. It's a clear step up over the base Red Blend and offers terrific, full-bodied aromas and flavors of darker fruits, dark chocolate, violets, and a kiss of spring flowers. With silky tannins, terrific balance, and outstanding length, it's going to evolve for 15 years or so.
-Jeb Dunnuck 94 Points