World Cup of Wine Watch Party England VS Argentina FREE Tasting Today 3-5pm
"Champagne, if you are seeking the truth, is better than a lie detector. It encourages a man to be expansive, even reckless, while lie detectors are only a challenge to tell lies successfully."
Graham Greene
We drink Champagne every day here at Wine Watch! We are not opposed to other sparkling wines that are made like Champagne and today there are many places making sparkling wines using the traditional method that was created in Champagne. The closest thing to Champagne today is the sparkling wines being produced in the south of England, they have the same Kimmerigian Limestone terroir as that of Champagne and Burgundy.
So, in honor of England making it to the semi-finals we have our favorite producer of English sparkling wines on the table for our fans of England to cheer on their soccer team.
Then, there are the wines of Argentina which are famous for the Malbec varietal, so we have four examples of this varietal; two that are vintage and two more current releases for our fans from Argentina.
This is a FREE wine tasting for Wine Club Members only!
Wednesday, July 15th
England VS Argentina
3-5pm
2020 Simpsons Wine Estate Canterbury Rose Sparkling England
Simpsons Wine Estate 'Flint Fields' Sparkling Blanc de Noirs, England
2018 Simpsons Wine Estate 'White Cliffs' Blanc de Blancs England
Simpsons Wine Estate 'Chalklands' Classic Cuvee Vintage Sparkling, England
2019 Clos de Los Siete Valle de Uco Mendoza
2020 Cuvelier Los Andes Malbec Uco Valley
2011 Puro Uno Malbec Gran Reserva Mendoza
2011 Puro Uno Mega Malbec Mendoza
A bit about the team from England:
I always say that climate change has been very good for some parts of wine country like Champagne and Burgundy as they had been so cold in the past that they had a hard time getting the grapes ripe enough to get the resulting wines to 13% alcohol, but it may be getting too warm as some have speculated that if the warming trend continues areas like Chablis will lose their unique character with alcohol levels that will be more comparable to the chardonnay of northern California.
The fact that they are making very good wines in Southern England is proof that the climate has changed over the last several hundred years. Roman soldiers first brought grape vines from England over 1000 years ago and at that time the weather was warmer like it is today. The English Channel was so shallow at that time that there were spots where they walked across. Over the next few hundred years the temperatures cooled down and viticulture became difficult in the south of England and although the terroir is the same as that of Champagne and Burgundy in France they did not have enough sunlight and heat to get grapes ripe enough to make a resulting wine that was over 10% without chaptalization (adding sugar to the fermenting must).
It's only in the last few decades that it has become possible to make high quality wines again in this area surrounding the city of Canterbury which is a sister city to Reims. Canterbury was also built by the Romans a few hundred years after they build Reims and also has an impressive cathedral in the center of the city.
Canterbury is only a one-hour train ride from London today as they now have a high speed rail that makes several trips a day making the 2 hour drive a lot quicker and allowing visitors from London a short trip for a daytime visit to wine country in England. We decided to spend the night to explore the nightlife as there are no cars allowed in the center of town making it a great place to walk. Many of the buildings here date back to the 1600’s and there are a lot of unique shops, restaurants, bars and exploring the cathedral is also a must while in Canterbury.
Join us as we welcome one of England’s top sparkling wine producers to South Florida on Friday May 9th. We have the owners of Simpsons English Wine Estate, Charles and Ruth Simpson at the wine bar for an evening of English sparkling wines and some remarkable still wines that you will be the first “Wine Drinking People” in the USA to experience as they are not available in the US market at this time. The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $225 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.
A bit about the Simpsons:
As a husband and wife team, we have been producing award-winning wines at Domaine de Sainte Rose, our stunning, southern French property, since 2002. From our 40-hectare vineyard we have created an eclectic range of wines that have won international acclaim and are sold around the world.
In 2012, attracted by the quality of the terroir and the opportunity to become part of what is one of the most dynamic wine producing regions of the world, we brought our expertise and savoir-faire back to the UK, establishing Simpsons Wine Estate with an aspiration to produce world class English wines.
We laid down roots for Simpsons' Wine Estate in 2014 amid the pristine beauty of the Elham Valley – an unspoilt seam in the North Downs of Kent where the contours of the land, the climate and the soil could scarcely be improved upon for viticulture.
Occupying glorious positions on the sunny, sheltered slopes of the picturesque village of Barham, our vineyards are protected from the whimsy of the English climate by ancient woodland and anchored in the iconic chalky soils that are so highly revered in the world of both still and sparkling wine.
Located in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), the vineyards set an alluring scene, looking out over gently undulating English countryside towards the distinctive copper-green spire of the village Church.
We planted the first 10 hectares of Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir on our estate in 2014. This is our Roman Road Vineyard, situated alongside the route the Romans first marched when invading England in AD 43, bringing with them the first vines. A further 20 hectares of the same three grape varieties were established on the southern slopes of the village during 2016 and 2017. This is our Railway Hill Vineyard, so called because the Canterbury to Folkestone light railway passed through this site in the late 19th and first half of the 20th Century.
Our intensely lime-rich chalk soil, forming part of the same chalk ridge that stretches from southern England to the French Champagne region and on to Burgundy, is without doubt the most desirable for the cultivation of the time-honoured trio of grapes renowned for producing the world’s finest still and sparkling wines: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.
We have seen on our wine estate in France (Domaine Sainte Rose) how the most striking results in viticulture come from farming on the limits – providing the vines with just enough of what they need to survive but never too much. The contrary forces of a chalk soil support this task perfectly: it is free draining yet able to absorb water, protecting the vines from thirst even in the driest of periods.
The English climate may be marginal for viticulture but its relative austerity – where expertly handled - is ideally suited to creating still and sparkling wines with pure varietal flavours, elegant acidity and subtly sophisticated aromas, thanks to a long, cool ripening period.
Simpsons' Wine Estate is located in one of the sunniest corners of the British Isles, and we have further safeguarded our vines against extremes in climate by selecting sloping vineyards that face almost due south, ensuring heat accumulation in the day, and excellent cold air drainage at night. The maritime influence is also crucial to the success of our vines: we are less than eight miles from the coast on three sides, which helps insulate our fruit against intense variations in temperature.
With 30 hectares of vineyards now in production and a state-of-the-art winery situated just minutes from the vines, our exclusively estate-grown still and sparkling wines are increasingly heralded, both nationally and internationally, as some of the finest of their kind.
We have a very international, quality-focused team, who have gained experience all over the world and have come from a very diverse range of work environments. This includes an Estate Manager from New Zealand and we have one Assistant Winemaker from Australia and one from South Africa.
At Simpsons' Wine Estate, no aspect of viticulture or winemaking is outsourced – a reflection of our belief in balance, detail and integrity. Our winemaking methods have been carefully chosen to promote the purest expression of the fruit and our Kentish terroir, with as little intervention as possible. As winemakers working in, what we believe to be, the most dynamic wine producing region of the world, we are unhampered by the weight of old world tradition and take a fresher approach to our craft; handpicking from both time-honed traditions and modern technology.
In September 2016, renowned wine personality Oz Clarke opened our custom-created winery, located within walking distance of our two vineyard sites and equidistant between them. The proximity of the winery to the vines is crucial to ensure minimal transportation and manipulation of the grapes during the harvest period. Extended in 2019, the winery now houses two Vaslin Bucher Inertys grape presses, specially selected in order to protect the purity of the juice and expand the potential flavour spectrum of each grape variety.
The flawless combination of savoir-faire, perfect vineyard sites, meticulous farming and impeccable winemaking has allowed us to create a range of premium still wines at Simpsons' Wine Estate.
With a strong emphasis on provenance and exuding a true sense of place, these exceptional wines are made from still wine varietal clones and are designed to challenge the perception of English still wines both nationally and internationally.
The Estate's status in this category came to the fore in the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards, when the 2018 vintage of our flagship still wine, The Roman Road Chardonnay, was awarded a Platinum Medal and the highest accolade of “Best in Show”. This title is only bestowed upon the top 50 wines entered into what is the largest and most influential, international wine competition.
The bar is set high and we are committed to maintaining this exceptional level of still wine production, always seeking to deliver beyond expectations.
The Estate is going from strength to strength and now has the capacity to produce upwards of 250,000 bottles of English still and sparkling wine per year.
Each bottle of Simpsons’ sparkling wine is created according to the Great British Classic Method. Our base wines are expertly vinified and then bottled and sealed under crown cap, with their liqueur de tirage, (a carefully crafted combination of yeast and sugar), at which point the secondary fermentation begins, generating fine, perfectly formed bubbles.
Once the fermentation is complete, each bottle then matures for between fifteen months and three years (depending on the particular wine style), in the meticulously monitored conditions of our winery, thus achieving its peak complexity.
This time spent resting on its lees serves to soften the distinctive, racy acidity of English wine and allows the emergence and development of the highly desirable autolytic flavours. There is no place for impatience in the production of sparkling wine, thus we believe in waiting until the optimal moment to disgorge each bottle of Simpsons' sparkling wine.
They offer a range of experiences at the winery and if you would like to visit the Simpsons Winery you can contact them at: email: info@simpsonswine.com or call 01227 832200
All the Sparkling wines from the Simpsons on SALE!!
Simpsons Wine Estate 'Chalklands' Classic Cuvee Vintage Sparkling, England
Price: $49.00 Wine Club Member Price: $41.65 Tasting Notes: Created from Estate grown Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier grapes, our Classic Method Classic Cuvée is the epitome of English elegance. Pale gold in color, with a delicate mousse, it has a delightfully fresh nose with notes of crisp green apple and flint. These flavors are amplified on the palate, which has linear precision and impressive structure and length.
2018 Simpsons Wine Estate 'White Cliffs' Blanc de Blancs England
Price: $71.00 Wine Club Member Price: $60.35 White Cliffs Blanc de Blancs 2018 embodies English purity and style: Pale gold with a fine mousse, this wine has classic aromas of citrus and green apple, balanced with subtle, toasted brioche notes and distinctive minerality, ending in a rich, persistent finish.
Simpsons Wine Estate 'Flint Fields' Sparkling Blanc de Noirs, England
Price: $67.00 Wine Club Member Price: $56.95 Tasting Notes: With a golden hue and a fine, persistent bead, this wine has luxurious, pâtisserie and citrus peel aromas. On the palate it shows precision and poise, with quince and rosehip notes, perfectly married with hints of frangipane and wonderful savoury nuances. It is bone dry and has a smooth, elegant finish.
2020 Simpsons Wine Estate Canterbury Rose Sparkling England
Price: $56.00 Wine Club Member Price: $47.60 This wine is rose gold with a very fine, caressing bead. On the nose it has hints of citrus peel and rosehip with savoury patisserie nuances, illustrating both finesse and balance. On the palate there are vibrant grapefruit flavours layered with red berry fruit. The extended lees ageing has enhanced this wine’s elegant structure and its generous, lingering finish.
A bit about the team from Argentina
If you like Bordeaux, there is no better value in the world of Bordeaux varietals than what is coming from Argentina today. On this offering you can get a 10+ year old wine from a great producer that is only $50 dollars a bottle! And a wine made from 100+ year old vines that is under $100 a bottle and they only made 1588 bottles!!
We have followed this winery from the beginning and are sad to inform those that have been with us along the way that these are the last few vintages from this trail blazing producer of Malbec from Mendoza.
I will never forget the first time Frank Baroudi called on me some 20 years ago and he tasted me on these wines that were 10x the price of anything that I had ever had from Argentina. I looked at him and said: “The wines are very good but you are 20 years before your time, no one is ready to pay $200+ for a bottle of Malbec from Mendoza”.
I was only part correct as the top level wines from Mendoza are now over $200 a bottle but Frank still had a small stash of these tiny production wines that we can now offer at ½ the oringinal release price and now they are ready to drink!!
We just showed these wines at our first happy hour tasting last week and the two artist series wines were the biggest sellers of the evening!! They are drinking beautifully right now with a few hours of decanting but will last another 10 years in your cellar.
Vintage Puro Uno Malbec – The Last Vintages Now Drinking at their Peak!!
2012 The Mega Malbec Company Artist Series Blend by Puro Uno Mendoza
Price: $100.00 Wine Club Member Price: $85.00
Dark black and black plum fruit here on the nose with notes of black olive tapenade, dried herbs and violet floral notes, nice evolution and complexity here on the nose. A very balanced wine on the tongue, big and chewy with lots of ripe plum and cherry fruit with sweet herbs and an array of that spice and nuance from the nose coming through on the finish, lovely freshness and balance, this wine is drinking beautifully but will still last for a decade or more in your cellar. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
Composition: 50% Malbec, 40% Syrah, 10% Cab. Franc
Location of Grapes: Lujan de Cuyo and Tunuyán, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina. Altitude 3280-3450 feet.
Aging: 18 months in French oak barrels.for the Syrah and Cab. Franc, 36 months in New French Oak for the Malbec
Average Yield Tons/ Ha: 6-8 tons per hectare
Days of Maceration with skins: 45 days
Malolactic Fermentation details: Fermentation in French oak barrels.
Filtration and Fining: Filtration ok. No clarification.
Acidity: 5,99
Ph: 3,26
Residual Sugar: 2,97
Alcohol %: 15,5
2012 The Mega Malbec Company Artist Series Malbec by Puro Uno Mendoza
Price: $100.00 Wine Club Member Price: $85.00
Dark cherry and black raspberry fruit here on the nose with notes of black olive, black licorice and violet floral notes nice complexity here on the nose. A very balanced wine on the tongue, big and chewy with lots of ripe plum and cherry fruit with sweet herbs and an array of that spice and nuance from the nose coming through on the finish, lovely freshness and balance, this wine is drinking beautifully but will still last for a decade or more in your cellar. Finish 50+ Most Excellent
2011 Puro Uno Mega Malbec Mendoza
Price: $60.00 Wine Club Member Price: $51.00
Technical Data: Location of Grapes Single Vineyard Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza
Average Yield in Tons/ Acre 6 tons per hectare = 2.4 tons per acre
Date harvested Second Week of April 2011 Harvested and Sorted 100% by Hand
Aging 36 Months in 80% New French Oak and 20% New American Oak.
Filtration and Fining 100% Fine
Age of the specific vines harvested 100+ Years
Time of Maceration 25 days with skins and 5 days post
Fermentation. Malolactic Fermentation details 100% with indigenous yeasts.
Chemistry Acidity g/lt 5.42 ph 3.75
Residual Sugar 3.05 g/l
Alcohol 15.3%
Production 1734 bottles of 750ml
Philosophy A true mouthful of MEGA malbec that is fresh with ripe fruit aged with finesse and super well integrated oak and alcohol that will linger on and on and age beautifully.
2008 Puro Uno Malbec Gran Reserva Mendoza
Price: $60.00 Wine Club Member Price: $51.00
2011 Puro Uno Malbec Gran Reserva Mendoza
Price: $60.00 Wine Club Member Price: $51.00
The Gran Reserva is a stunning example of what the most serious old vine Malbec can become when everything comes together the right way. Produced from a Single Vineyard located in Lujan de Cuyo. Lots of dark blackberry fruit, fig and dark spices with notes of toasty oak and some dark earthy highlights on the nose. A big and chewy wine on the tongue but with ripe round tannins big but still quite fresh and a long-layered finish. This wine should age for another decade or more in your cellar but it is starting to drink very nicely with a few hours in a decanter. The 2008 and 2011 vintages in Mendoza are classic in style with excellent freshness, they have the concentration and depth of a Mendoza wine but the balance of Bordeaux.
A bit about Puro Uno:
This project started in the head of Frank Baroudi over 30 years ago, while attending college at USC, Los Angeles. During his freshman year, Frank's roommate’s grandfather passed, and he being a connoisseur of all things fine, left him a 45,000 bottle wine cellar and a few hundred boxes of pre-embargo Cuban cigars to enjoy. The boys learned quickly about first growths as that was 90 % of the cellar and discovered the best of Lafite, Latour, Margaux, Petrus, Haut Brion & Y’quem – the great vintages – 29’s, 45’s, & 61’s. This was only 1976 and little did they know, they still had the 82’s to discover. Although Frank's buddy had a few extra years of exposure, Frank quickly caught up. He enjoyed concerts at the Hollywood Bowl with bottles of fine vintage Champagnes followed by magnums of ‘45 Petrus… not too tough to take. This was Franks's early exposure to the rarefied world of fine vintage wine and cigars that started his yearning to create his own extraordinary wines and cigars. At the time, Frank was in college to become an engineer and that is indeed what he accomplished. After five years at USC, he left with a Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and Computers and went out to tackle the real world. Frank eventually worked for one of the largest computer companies in the world, had an amazing expense account and was extraordinarily successful at his job.
Fast forward thirty years…Frank finally had the opportunity to realize his lifelong dream… to make incredible, world class wines by blending varietals that had never before been combined. Frank used the best grapes possible and considered the individual virtues of eachvarietal and how these attributes would be affected by combining them as he created his blends.
By that time, Frank had been to all the well-known growing and production regions in California, France, Italy and Spain to learn the secrets of “wine making”. It all came together just over a decade ago when he went to investigate the Chilean and Argentinean wine culture. Frank discovered Mendoza, Argentina – a place that really turned him on. It had such an intriguing environment, with rich, complex fruit of amazing depth and quality and an economy that would not take millions of dollars to start a modest winemaking project.
Cuveliere De Los Andes
In 1998 Bertrand Cuvelier made the happy choice of personally accompanying Michel Rolland in his great Argentine project, which was to become the« Clos de Los Siete »group. In this group there are 5 producers and seven investors all French and they have Michele Roland as their consultant. Diamandes, Cuvelier Los Andes, Monte Viejo, Flechas de los Andes and Roland they have central administration 850 hectares Cuvelier Los Andes has 55 hectares of the pie.
Three years later, Jean-Guy Cuvelier decided to join his cousin Bertrand in the joint aim of building a Winery and producing fine wines worthy of the family tradition. The agreement between Bertrand and Jean-Guy Cuvelier was symbolically signed in the great office of their common ancestor, Henri Cuvelier, in Lille-Haubourdin, in the north of France. Since then, the Winery has been built and each year the vines of Cuvelier Los Andes have contributed 50% of their production to « Clos de Los Siete », the wine signed by Michel Rolland. The success of this wine is worldwide due to the exceptional value for money it offers.
Everything is estate grown here their first harvest was 2003 and the first edition of the estates top wine Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin was 2004. I have stated many times that Argentina is one of the best areas in the world for value in the Bordeaux varietal section but today the iconic wines from wineries like Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin offer the highest quality available and where can you find top level wines from great producers this for under $50 per bottle? Argentina!!
I had a chance to visit the winery during my trip to Mendoza last summer and the tasting notes are all from the wines tasted during my recent journey. The Grand Vin is one of the top Bordeaux blends made in Argentina and we have the cheapest price in the country on this wine!!
A bit about the Cuvelier family:
The story begins in 1804 when Henri Cuvelier set out to share his great passion for fine wine with his friends of the grand bourgeoisie residing in the rich and dynamic towns of the North of France, (Lille, Boulogne Sur Mer, Arras, Valenciennes…) To this aim, he created H. Cuvelier And Fils, a wine Merchant company whose rapid success continued to develop throughout the 19th century.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Paul Cuvelier and his young brother Albert, anticipating the inevitable rise in « château-bottled wines » to the detriment of the « tailor-made » blends of the wine merchants, decided to purchase top quality estates in the Bordeaux area. They bought Château Le Crock in 1903, then Château Camensac in 1912 and finally the prestigious Château Léoville Poyferré in 1920. It is interesting to note that, in early 1914, Paul Cuvelier had already come to Argentina, to discover the wines of Mendoza. He found them « pleasant to drink » although not adapted to the French taste at that time. He recommended a watchful eye be kept on their development. In 1946, the family group asked Max Cuvelier to create a second Fine Wine Merchant’s based in Bordeaux. It was, as it transpired, essential to have an address in the Pavé des Chartrons if one wished to be part of the Bordeaux wine world. This company has since flourished both in France and around the world.
In 1998 Bertrand Cuvelier made the happy choice of personally accompanying Michel Rolland in his great Argentine project, which was to become the« Clos de Los Siete »group. Three years later, Jean-Guy Cuvelier decided to join his cousin Bertrand in the joint aim of building a Winery and producing fine wines worthy of the family tradition. The agreement between Bertrand and Jean-Guy Cuvelier was symbolically signed in the great office of their common ancestor, Henri Cuvelier, in Lille-Haubourdin, in the north of France. Since then, the Winery has been built and each year the vines of Cuvelier Los Andes have contributed 50% of their production to « Clos de Los Siete », the wine signed by Michel Rolland. The success of this wine is worldwide due to the exceptional value for money it offers.
The 2003 yield has also allowed the production of the first edition of «Cuvelier Los Andes-Coleccion». Then the 2004 harvest saw the arrival of our first edition of «Cuvelier Los Andes – Grand Vin ». With the 2005, Cuvelier Los Andes S.A., aside from its significant contribution to «Clos de Los Siete», can now present three wines, produced with the help and advice of Michel Rolland: Coleccion – Grand Vin – Grand Malbec. The quality of these wines, produced from young wines, is well beyond our original hopes. Will the Argentine cousins rival in the future with the fine wines of Bordeaux. It is for the consumers to decide. Time will tell.
Tasting line-up at the winery in Mendoza
WINEMAKER | GENERAL MANAGER: Adrián Manchón
Me Hard at Work
2020 Cuvelier Los Andes Malbec Uco Valley
Price: $24.00 Wine Club Member Price $20.40 Quantity in Stock: 53
Winery Notes Until our youngest vines are mature enough to produce grapes with enough complexity to qualify for our top wines, we use these grapes in our Varietals range. With our Malbec we offer the distinctive flavors and purest expressions of the emblematic varietal of Argentina. We produce this wine using the same process, care and love as per our Colección.
2023 Cuvelier Los Andes Rose
Price: $17.25 Wine Club Member Price $14.66
2021 Cuvelier de Los Andes Rose
Price: $19.00 Wine Club Member Price: $16.15 Quantity in Stock: 2
2019 Cuvelier Los Andes Cuvée Nature Blend Valle de Uco
Price: $24.50 Wine Club Member Price $20.83 Quantity in Stock: 10
2018 Cuvelier Los Andes Coleccion Red Blend
Price: $25.50 Wine Club Member Price $21.68
2019 Cuvelier Los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $24.00 Wine Club Member Price: $20.40
2019 Cuvelier de Los Andes Coleccion Malbec Valle de Uco Mendoza
Price: $25.50 Wine Club Member Price $21.68
2015 Cuvelier Los Andes Coleccion Blend Valle De Uco Mendoza
Price: $27.00 Wine Club Member Price $22.95
2018 Cuvelier de Los Andes Coleccion Cabernet Sauvignon Valle De Uco Mendoza
Price: $24.50 Wine Club Member Price $20.83
2018 Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Vin
Price: $42.00 Wine Club Member Price $35.70
2013 Cuvelier Los Andes El Cuvelier Mendoza
Price: $136.50 Wine Club Member Price $116.03 Quantity in Stock: 3
2012 Cuvelier Los Andes El Cuvelier Mendoza
Price: $150.00 Wine Club Member Price $127.50 Quantity in Stock: 2
Clos de los Siete
Clos de los Siete is a world-class emblem of acknowledged international success. It is a compelling human story of passion for a piece of land in Argentina.
An unprecedented challenge and a unique, novel concept: 850 hectares (2,100 acres) of vines at the foot of the Andes Mountains, in the Uco Valley near Mendoza. Four bodegas run by four passionate Bordeaux families.
One single wine named “Clos de los Siete”, blended by Michel Rolland, the originator of the project.
There are good places to grow wine everywhere, but Argentina
is especially blessed. Its position in relation to the Andes Mountains means you can play with altitude and benefit from milder weather in a very sunny country. The soil types made up of gravel and stones that have washed down from the mountains are also particularly conducive.
Michel Rolland first went to Argentina in 1988. He immediately fell in love with the country, the atmosphere there, the people, the beautiful landscape and the culture, as well as its fantastic winegrowing potential.
In his frequent return trips, Michel Rolland quickly became convinced that all the conditions were right in Argentina to grow a very great wine..
After searching around for a while, about 100 kilometers (62 miles) south of Mendoza, the last city before reaching the majestic Andes he and Jean Michel Arcaute, a winegrower from Pomerol in the Bordeaux area, found an ideal plot of land at an altitude of 1,100 meters (3,600 feet). There were more than 800 magnificent hectares (nearly 2,000 acres) uniquely exposed with soils made up of pebbles, clay and sand in which sparse semi-desert vegetation grew with here and there enormous boulders that have lain there since prehistoric times. The story of the Clos was about to begin.
The two originators were joined by friends, also winegrowers, passionate about wine and curious about this country at the other side of the world.
They adopted a unique, inventive concept and took up the enormous challenge of contributing together to producing one single wine under Michel Rolland’s supervision.
Four bodegas were then built. A part of the production of each is used to make and blend the shared wine “Clos de los Siete”. The rest goes into the wines of their own respective ranges: Monteviejo, Cuvelier los Andes, DiamAndes and Bodega Rolland.
In the name “Clos de los Siete” there are two ideas: the amazing unique challenge and a single block vineyard forming an enclosure called Clos en french. This name is also used for the wine, Clos de los Siete.
The wines of the Clos gain their success from the favorable combination of four key elements, which are hard to find all in one place, except here in Argentina.
Michel Rolland was quick to apprehend the incredible potential of these soils made up of pebbles, clay and sand. One meter (3.3 foot) down, the vines’ roots penetrate a bed of gravel, which provides natural drainage. Water, which is indispensable in this sun-bathed country, comes from springs fed by melting snow and glaciers up in the Andes Mountains.
The weather here is very dry with widely varying temperatures between daytime and night, which is especially beneficial for concentrating tannins and color in the fruit.
he vines grow at an altitude of 1,200 meters (3,800 feet). Apparently this suits them perfectly and they are cultivated with all the care of a great Bordeaux estate with manual pruning and canopy management, and controlled yields. Altitude is a key factor, because the substantial diurnal range of temperatures produces very high quality tannins.
Malbec, which is the king of all grape varieties in Argentina, is an obvious choice for these soil types. It occupies more than half the total area of the estate and is planted at an unusual density of 5,500 vines per hectare.
To add complexity to the blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and a little less Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc are used alongside the Malbec. Each variety contributes its characteristic personality to the final blend.
Perfectionism and an unwavering quest for the best are everywhere: the fruit is harvested manually, it comes exclusively from the Clos (also called 'Estate Wine'), it is transported in wooden trays, screened on a sorting table and fed by gravity only to the most recently designed temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine is later aged in French oak casks.
All the conditions are set for Clos de los Siete to be entirely unique. The 2019 Argentinian vintage is already receiving rave reviews.
A cold winter moved into a chilly spring which was also relatively dry but cool breezes helped to keep frost and disease mostly at bay and instances of hail were also, fortunately, rare. A hot summer then set in, particularly in Mendoza where temperatures regularly reached 40 degrees plus. The tail-end of the summer noticeably cooled which helped preserve the grapes’ acidity and aromatic character, however, it did cut yields as certain varieties struggled to ripen.
For most, the harvest was a very smooth affair and quality looks to be excellent. The cool spring and autumn bookending the summer kept alcohol levels moderate and many of the wines are likely to exhibit a fresh character with the on-point acidity typical of a cooler climate.
It is likely many of these wines, both reds and whites, will drink well young while also having the elegance and depth to age in the cellar. Although, of course, more time is needed for a definitive assessment.
2019 Clos de Los Siete Valle de Uco Mendoza
Price: $20.75 Wine Club Member Price $17.64 Quantity in Stock: 40
(91 Points) The 2019 Clos de Los Siete comes from a very good, ripe and complete vintage. The wine is 50% Malbec, 24% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot with similar alcohol as other years (14.5%) but with less ripeness sensation. It's floral, aromatic, expressive and showy, juicy, fresh and balanced, tasty, with full flavors and round tannins. Seventy percent of the wine matured in 225-liter French barriques, one-third new, for 11 months. Best after 2022. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
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