Argentina Wine Tasting at WWWB

“He looked as if he had been beaten to death with a wine bottle, but by doing it with the contents of the bottle.”
― Richard Brautigan, The Abortion: An Historical Romance, 1966

If you have been following me for even a short length of time you have heard me say- “you just can't get a better value when considering Bordeaux varietals than what is coming from Chile and Argentina today”. That is why we spend the month of August studying the new releases from these two South American wine producing countries.

Argentina is the fifth largest wine producer on the planet today but it was not until recently that the wines have been highly regarded by wine drinkers outside of Argentina. They consumed most of the wine produced here over the last few hundred years as the population of Argentina were also among the largest consumers of wine in the world.   It was not until the late 1980’s when they started to look to export their wines as the population started drinking less wine and some people in other parts of the wine world started to notice the potential of the wines from areas like Mendoza and Patagonia.

Superstar consultants like Michele Rolland from Bordeaux and Paul Hobbs from California started working with Argentina’s biggest names in the wine industry and the rest of the the wine drinking people outside of Argentina began to take notice of Argentina’s wines.

Today, the wines of Argentina are on par with the best wines produced anywhere in the world. I have been touting the wines from this country for the last decade saying that “You can’t find a better value if you like Bordeaux varietals than Argentina.”  Malbec is the star here but the blends are the best wines to me and when you look at the top end of the quality range today these wines can also hang with the best made anywhere in the world.

Join us as we taste through a few dozen of the best wines from Argentina available in South Florida at the new Wine Watch Wine Bar.   This is a walk around tasting and is limited to 35 tasters, the fee for this tasting in $45+ tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

Argentina Wine Tasting at Wine Watch Wine Bar
Wednesday, August 9th
7:30pm

Twenty One Wines

2013 Cuvelier de Los Andes Malbec Colleccion Mendoza
Price: $24.00   Sale  $21.12    Case $245

They produce 50-60,000 bottles per year of this wine which is the largest production for the winery. On the most this wine has a bit of a smoky meaty character complimenting the dark berry fruit blackberry and blue berry. A big and chewy wine with lots of blackberry and blueberry fruit, a bit tannic with violet floral notes and nice complexity for a wine at this price. Finish 45+. Excellent

2010 Cuvelier de Los Andes Gran Vin Mendoza
Price: $37.50   Sale $33.00     Case $383

The Grand Vin contains the best wines from each harvest aged for 18 months in 50% new French Oak barrels. this wine has a big aroma of smoked meat licorice and an intoxicating array of blackberry blueberry fruit, blackberry fruit, violets, dark chocolate and more very complex, notes of mocha and fig with lots of fruit here coming out as the wine opens. They produce 300,000 bottles per year and they make 30,000 bottles per year of the Grand Vin. Finish 45+ Most Excellent

2014 DiamAndes Perlita Malbec-Syrah Mendoza
Price: $15.00   Sale $13.20     Case $153

A blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Syrah this is the entry level wine with 6-8 months of oak with lots of ripe delicious forward fruit blackberry and black cherry with a good amount of pretty floral violets and licorice spice. Finish 35+ Very Good

2014 DiamAndes Gran Reserva Chardonnay Valle De Uco Mendoza
Price: $35.00   Sale $30.80     Case $357

Barrel fermented aged for 14 months with a nice rich toasty oak spice vanilla, cinnamon spice and lemon drop candy, a smooth and creamy texture with a good amount of fruit with a nice compliment of lightly toasted oak spice. Finish 40+. Excellent

2009 DiamAndes Malbec-Cabernet Gran Reserva Uco Valley
Price: $35.00   Sale $30.80     Case $357

Gran reserve means 3 years in oak this wine has a good punt of dark berry fruit blackberry jam, violet, black licorice and more very complex bouquet, nice structure with a lot of fruit well built with a long layered finish. Finish 50+ Most Excellent

Southern Wine & Spirits

2015 Michel Torino Torrontez Reserva
Price: $18.50   Sale $16.28     Case $189

“The 2015 Don David Torrontes has delicate floral and rose aromas, with orange peel and toasted bread notes. On the palate, elegant and fresh citrus, peach and anise flavors are shaped by bright acidity and a ripe character.” -Importers Notes

2015 Antigal Uno Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: $15.75   Sale $13.86     Case $161

2015 Antigal Uno Malbec
Price: $15.75   Sale $13.86     Case $161

2008 Antigal Winery Aduentus Mediterraneo Mendoza
Price: $28.50    Your Price: $25.08     Case $291

Black spices toasty oak molassis black plum and light smokey notes to the nose. Big and chewy on the tongue with lots of both red and black berry cherry and plum like fruit with a good amount of spice on the finish smooth and polished tannins and good freshness through the finish. Finish 45+ EXCELLENT

2010 Antigal Winery Aduentus Classico Mendoza
Price: $28.50    Your Price: $25.08     Case $291

Thick black currant black cherry berry fruit notes of toasty oak spice fresh black earth dark coco a fairly complex bouquet. Smooth and polished red and black berry currant like fruit excellent concentration and balance of toasty oak spice ripe round tannins a well balanced wine fresh on the finish with some dry tannins showing up on the finish but lots of juicy fruit to match. Finish 40 EXCELLENT

2015 Amancaya Malbec Cabernet Mendoza
Price: $21.50    Your Price: $18.92     Case $220

Amancaya, like its older brother, presents a harmonious balance between the Argentine and Bordeaux styles. The wine is more fruity due to the higher percentage of Malbec and shorter ageing. The word AMANCAYA is the native Indian name of a flower found at high altitudes in the Andes in the Mendoza area.   A blend of 60% to 70% Malbec, 30% to 40% Cabernet Sauvignon.

2015 Noema Alisa Patagonia
Price: $20.25   Sale $17.82     Case $207

(93 Points) "The 2015 A Lisa is mostly Malbec with some 9% Merlot and a 1% pinch of Petit Verdot, a wine that shows the potential of Río Negro in Patagonia and the style of Noemía at a very attractive price and at the same time is easy to drink. 2015 seems to be an excellent vintage in the region, and this wine, which only saw 30% of its volume in neutral, well-seasoned oak barrels while the rest was kept in stainless steel for some nine months, shows a balance and freshness that can compete with the fines vintages produced. In his search towards elegance, finesse and drinkability, this vintage shows a profile that would be somewhere between Burgundy and southern Rhône, with a mixture of flowers and red cherries, insinuating, whispering, with a polished palate. It's sapid, tasty, almost salty, with ultra-elegant tannins and superb balancing acidity that makes it extremely harmonious; this is only 13.5% alcohol, one of the lowest--if not the lowest ever--but the thing is the balance, not the alcohol, which is unnoticeable in all the wines. This may very well be the best A Lisa ever, but from what I hear, 2016 could be the best harvest for Noemía as a whole, so I'm dying to taste the wines in bottle... One to buy by the truck load! 90,000 bottles were filled in early 2016. He's going to change the bottle to a Burgundian one from 2017, as he thinks it would better represent the character of the wine."

2014 Noemia Alberto Patagonioa  The Wine Advocate
Price: $51.00   Sale $44.88     Case $521.00

(93 Points) "Much more to my liking in 2014 was the 2014 J. Alberto, produced with the grapes from a vineyard interplanted with Malbec and some 5% Merlot in Mainque, in Río Negro dated in 1955. The destemmed, uncrushed grapes fermented in small cement vats and the wine matured in French oak barrels for some nine months. The nose is quite heady and aromatic mixing wild berries, herbs and flowers. There is only a hint of very fine oak in the nose that is nicely folded into the fruit. The palate is medium to full-bodied, has lush tannins and good concentration without being heavy as it has very good acidity. A noteworthy J. Alberto." The Wine Advocate

Red Schooner Voyage 4
Price: $45.00   Sale $39.60     Case $459

This Malbec is made from grapes grown in the Andes Mountains, shipped chilled to Napa Valley and produced with the same techniques as our Caymus Cabernet. Falling outside standard labeling rules, it does not include a vintage date but is known by the voyage from which it was produced (Voyage 4 is the 2013 vintage). Offering scents of ripe plums and cherries, this wine is powerful and supple, with flavors of French oak and soft tannins.

2014 Bodegas Caro Mendoza
Price: $63.00   Sale $55.44     Case $643

(93 Points) "In their quest for elegant wines, the 2014 Caro was aged in "only" 60% new French oak, down from 100% in the "good old times," and they have seen that this percentage is the one that works for what they are looking for. In 2014 I saw cleaner, more focused aromas, and the animal notes of the past are absent. The blend this year was two thirds Malbec from Las Compuertas and one third Cabernet Sauvignon from Altamira. This is quite classical, with aromas of lead pencil and cigar box, a core of blackberries and a very polished, elegant palate with ultra-fine tannins. It's an approachable, elegant and easy to drink red blend. It seems like the Caro team is finding their way... 30,000 bottles produced." The Wine Advocate

2008 Antigal one Malbec La Dolores
Price: $99.00   Sale $87.12     Case $1010

“We produce wines that express in every bottle its terroir. Our philosophy is a gentle treatment of our hand-picked, high-elevation fruit, meticulously sorted to achieve the highest quality and characteristics from our vines” Miriam Gomez Winemaker

Artisanal Wines/SWS

2016 Punta de Flechas de los Andes
Price: $11.25   Sale $9.90       Case $115

The historic partnership between Baron Edmond de Rothschild, owner of Château Clarke, and Laurent Dassault, owner of Château Dassault, is proud to present Flechas de los Andes Gran Malbec. A 100% Malbec wine from Mendoza, Argentina, the vineyards were planted in 1999 at a density of 5,500 vines per hectare

Fiechas de Los Andes Gran Malbec
Price: $21.00   Sale $18.48     Case $215

Lovely floral lift with intense, smooth, chocolatey black fruit. The wine has plenty of nice mouth feel and presence, with plenty of richness on the finish

Breakthru/Augustan

2015 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Terroir
Price: $20.25    Sale $17.82    Case $207

(89 Points) "The juicy and unoaked 2015 Malbec Clásico represents the variety in the Mendoza province, with bright red fruit, approachable and easy to understand through sourcing grapes from different zones, but looking for cooler soils rich in sand and with some clay and lime. 2015 represents a big change for this bottling, which has a higher percentage of grapes from the Valle de Uco. The destemmed grapes fermented with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and the wine was kept in concrete vats for one year before bottling. The fruit is ripe, fruit-driven, with a juicy palate, with fine tannins and subdued minerality. The wine is subtle and balanced, easy to drink. An improvement over past vintages. This has to be one of the best values in Mendoza. There are eight different lots, totaling some 750,000 bottles." The Wine Advocate

2014 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Reserve
Price: $31.50    Sale $27.72    Case $322

(93 Points) "There is quite a jump in price for the 2014 Malbec Reserve. Here the grapes are grown on chalky soils with round stones in Altamira, Gualtallary and a touch of Vista Flores (that they are not using anymore) that fermented with indigenous yeasts and without any acid correction. The wine was aged in untoasted 3,500-liter oak foudres for 16 months. There is also a jump in quality, a serious wine where the minerality and freshness rule. This wine will please more advanced drinkers, with its subtle minerality, its balance and tasty, almost salty finish. This is a sleek, fine and elegant representation of the limestone soils of the Valle de Uco. To me this wine should be the one called terroir, and the previous wine should be the 'reserve'—this feels purer. But there you go. " The Wine Advocate

2015 Allamand Cuvee St. Jeannet Mendoza
Price: $18.75    Sale $16.50    Case $192

A blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Saint Jeannet.  The Saint Jeannet is a very rare grape – grown in just a couple of places around the world (yes, seriously, just a couple)!

Floral and citrus on the nose with a touch of anise. The palate is medium bodied with a touch of spiciness, some tropical fruits and more anise with a touch of nuttiness on the finish.

Menu

Poached quail egg in grilled baby peppers

Sausage Stuffed Green Olives with Avocado and Garlic Roasted Red Pepper Puree

Beef Short Rib Empanadas with Pepper aioli

Chorizo, Cheddar and Mole Flatbread

This is a walk around tasting and is limited to 35 tasters, the fee for this tasting in $45+ tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.