Cuvelier Los Andes Wine Tasting with Special Guest Baptiste Cuvelier

"The great evil of wine is that it first seizes the feet, it is a crafty wrestler."
-TITUS MACCIUS, 190 BC

We have a full calendar of events already in September but when I heard that Baptist Cuvelier was coming to town I immediately added this tasting to the calendar.  Cuvelier Los Andes was one of the wineries that I visited on my trip to Mendoza and it was one of the most memorable visits so naturally I wanted to return the hospitality and we have five vintages of the Grand Vin on the table for this event. 

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.  There are 5 producers in this group 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 and 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.  Where can you find top level wines from great producers like this for under $50 per bottle?   Argentina!!

Join us as we welcome Baptist Cuvelier to South Florida for a tasting of new releases and five vintages of the Grand Vin.  The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $125 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

Cuvelier Los Andes Wine Tasting with Special Guest Baptiste Cuvelier
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
7:30 PM

Reception

Cuvelier Los Andes Rosado 2018
Price: $15.75    Sale $13.86
This is the lightest rose Malbec they pick the grapes early and this is the same vineyard as collection Malbec cut the press when the color gets too dark, watermelon very fresh and clean with a bone dry finish.  Finish 35+. Excellent 10,000 bottles

Tasting Line-up

Cuvelier Los Andes Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza 2015
Price: $21.75    Sale $19.14

Only 10,000 bottles produced, this wine has black cherry and dark currant berry fruit on the nose with espresso and soy like notes. A very elegant wine with 13.5% alcohol finishes with black olive, espresso and licorice spice, smooth tannins a note of dryness at the end.  Finish 40 +. Excellent

Cuvelier Los Andes Malbec Colleccion Mendoza 2013
Price: $23.50    Sale $20.68

50-60,000 bottles per year 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

Cuvelier Los Andes Grand vin Mendoza Magnum 2009
Price: $87.00    Sale $76.56

A blend of 70% Malbec, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, 5% merlot and 3% Petite Verdot, a typical Bordeaux blend 19th century style, 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

Cuvelier Los Andes Grand vin Mendoza  2012
NA

Cuvelier Los Andes Grand vin Mendoza  2013
Price: $37.50    Sale $33.00

Cuvelier Los Andes Grand vin Mendoza  2014
Price: $37.50    Sale $33.00

Cuvelier Los Andes Grand vin Mendoza  2015
Price: $37.50    Sale $33.00

Cuvelier Los Andes Grand Malbec 2014
Price: $60.00    Sale $52.80

(Tank Sample) Spectacular bouquet blackberry fruit 1 and 1 year in bottle.  Violet very aromatic very big and still has freshness and balance.  Lots of sweet blackberry liqueur like fruit - very seductive

Cuvelier Los Andes G“El” Cuvelier 2013
Price: $135.00    Sale $118.80

This is the new Iconic wine from Cuvelier Los Andes and they taste barrel by barrel only 3000 bottles or 10 barrels.  A blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon, a big wine with 15.5% alcohol this is the first vintage of this iconic wine from Mendoza, a good amount of sweet fruit toasty oak, very complex, with aromas of crushed violets, dark chocolate and more very well endowed with layers of fruit, toasty oak spice and still has a freshness and balance despite its size.  Graphite and fresh earth notes coming out as this wine opens very big but still balanced.  Killer+

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Baby Peppers with Fontodi Olive Oil and Quail Egg

Beef Shortrib Empanadas with Mole Sauce

Pancetta Wrapped Pork stuffed with grilled corn, mushrooms and peppers served over Black Bean Puree

Dulce de leche

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $125 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

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.

Everything is gravity flow at this state of the art winery.

Tasting line-up at the winery in Mendoza

WINEMAKER | GENERAL MANAGER: Adrián Manchón

Me Hard at Work