Tiza Mendoza Malbec 2015

SonVida Malbec is made from 95% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon

SonVida Malbec is a single vineyard wine, the supreme expression of the award-winning zone of Altamira, in Argentina's Uco Valley. Altamira's smooth tannins shine through, and the combination of acidity and minerality lead the wine to a long, integrated finish.

"The wine is proud to be ripe and generous. Aromas dominated by smokey mulberry and blueberry. It's plush and coats the palate with bramble, blueberry and liquorice and the scent of vanilla. Immediately muscular and broad-shouldered in the glass, with a savory note, perhaps tapenade, running through the dense palate with mint and dried herbs on the finish. The oak will integrate over time, mixing its spice with the warm spice of fruit. - Joe Fattorini - The Wine Show"

Sunny Summer with moderate nighttime temperatures, followed by an early Fall.
Grapes come from the Mendoza region, in the Paraje Altamira area.

YIELD: 35 Hl/HA
MACERATION: Total 25 days, first cold-soaked 5 days, 14 days fermentation at 24° C, plus 7 additional days. No filtration.

SonVida Malbec can be enjoyed on its own, and matches perfectly with meats, chicken, turkey and hard cheeses. It is enjoyed best in good company. ‘Would you like another glass?’ The answer, almost always, is ‘yes’.

Review:

"Former diplomat and journalist David Smith doesn’t make much wine, alas, but the quality is extremely good indeed. Subtle, refreshing and marked by the chalky terroir of Paraje Altamira, it’s a nuanced, skilfully oaked Malbec with precision, focus and impressive palate length. 2020-25"
- Tim Atkin, Argentina Special Report 2018), 93 pts

"A gorgeously rustic, complex wine packed with blossom, dark fruits and Christmas spices. Rich and satisfyingly rounded with soft tannins."- Decanter World Wine Awards 2018, 93 pts - SILVER MEDAL

"The 2015 Malbec has an old-world style in its balance, elegance and smoothness but with the chalky texture of the Altamira soils. It's very harmonious and young, as classic as it gets, medium-bodied and very drinkable. It has developed some extra complexity in the bottle and comes through as complex and layered. Terrific right now. 4,800 bottles were filled in 2017. - Luis Gutiérrez" - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #245, October 2019), 92 pts

Vibrantly red, with blue and purple glints. It has complex aromas of plum and ripe fruit, evoking dry fig. In the mouth, it is velvety, long, with a rich aftertaste, full of fine, sweet, ripe tannins.

Vineyard information:
Location: Perdriel, Luján de Cuyo, on the highest area of the Mendoza river - Mendoza.
Altitude: 950m above sea level.
Soil: sandy.
Year of plantation: 2000
Plant density per hectare: 3500
Wine production per plant: two 750cc bottles, approximately.
Yield: 80 qq/ht.

4 Gatos Locos Malbec is made from 100% Malbec.

4 gatos locos is a project created by Gabriel Bloise, Facundo Bonamaizon, Mariana and Juan Pelizzatti, winemaker, viticulturist and founders of Chakana (respectively), and it is based on a 20 ha vineyard in Alto Gualtallary, the most prominent growing region in Argentina.
 
The vineyard is located at 1360 mts a.s.l on a 10% slope on the Sierra del Jaboncillo, a relatively old geological formation near the alluvial fan of the Las Tunas river, in the Tupungato area, in north western Valle de Uco. The long exposure to arid conditions of calcium rich gravel has allowed microbes to develop one of the areas richest in calcium carbonate in Mendoza. The altitude, the slope, the gravel and the calcium carbonate create unique deep, textured wines which have become distinctive of this area. Moderate high temperatures controlled by high altitude in sunny conditions produce perfectly ripe grapes of unusually intense color and great vitality, balanced by the mineral freshness of calcium carbonate. Local aromátic plants naturally occurring in native vegetation areas interspersed in the vineyard give the wine a unique herbal touch that underline the character of the place.
 
4 Gatos locos is packaged with 4 different labels, reflecting the different personalities of the partners in this project. In an industry dominated by narcissistic efforts of self promotion and luxury, 4 gatos locos (a popular frase in argentina to represent “nobodies”) represents an authentic collective effort to develop outstanding wine that captures the personality and the potential of a place, which we strongly believe it is the best Mendoza has to offer.

Residual sugar: <1,8 g/lPh: 3,8
Acidity: 5,7 g/l
Aged in new french oak 500 liter barrels and 5000 liter foudre for 18 months. Then aged for 12 months in bottle.
Fermented with natural yeast, macerated for 28 days.

Review:

"Made with fruit from ten-year-old vines in Gualtallary on soils with a high calcium carbonate content, this new wine is spicy and highly perfumed, with notes of rosemary and oregano, dense, compact tannins and a firm, chiselled finish. 2022-30"

- Tim Atkin (Argentina 2019 Special Report), 93 pts

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:

"Planted on the younger, southern side of Paraje Altamira on poor soils, this is an outstanding Malbec from the richly talented Gabriel Bloise. True to his philosophy of avoiding the use of small new oak barrels, it’s a large foudre-aged red with bright red berry fruit, granular tannins, a hint of anise aniseed and engaging palate length."

- Tim Atkin MW (March 2020), 95 pts

55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec.

The color is deep dark ruby. limpid and brilliant. The nose is intense and complex with hints of blackberries, sweet spicies, noble plain chocolate and Vanilla. The palate is full bodied, very long with well integrated tannins. The finish is very fresh and luscious with toasted notes in the background.

Average age of the vines is 30 years.
Manual harvest from September 21th to October 7th 2015.
Upon arrival at the winery, only the best grapes were selected using a sorting table.
Skin contact maceration during 2 weeks in temperature controlled vats.
Aged 12 months in Oak barrels. (1/3 new oak, 1/3 1 year old and 1/3 two year old barrels). They use 60% French Oak and 40% American Oak.

Served with red meat (beef filet, sirloin),  pork tenderloin, roasted duck breast with honey&orange sauce, roasted lamb with thyme, poultry and fine cheese.

Review:

"Based on 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Malbec, the 2015 Chateau Brule Secaille Grande Reserve Cotes de Bourg spent a year in 40% American oak, with one-third being new. Black fruits, spicy oak, underbrush, and cedar notes all emerge from this medium-bodied, nicely textured, balanced 2015 that has solid mid-palate depth and ample fruit. It’s a fleshy, charming effort that has loads of character."
- Jeb Dunnuck (March 27th 2019), 90 pts