2014 AltaMana Contanza Single Vineyard Malbec Maule DOC Chile

(92 Points) This search started in 2008 and culminated with the release of this 2012 Malbec Constanza Vineyard, a single vineyard Malbec from a vineyard in Botalcura planted in 1923, where they have 2.2 hectares of Malbec within some nine hectares of vineyards. The vineyards are dry-farmed and head-pruned in the old-fashioned way on granite soils with some alluvial material on top. The grapes are fermented in cement vats and aged in exquisite Taransaud barrels, which for this first vintage were all new, but that amount should be reduced in forthcoming vintages. The wine is quite dark and has plenty of smoke, peat, shoe polish and graphite aromas. In a way it reminds me of a Priorat, with its strong balsamic aromatics, under which you find ripe black fruit and perhaps some violet aromas. The palate is full-bodied, juicy, concentrated and straight rather than round, with good acidity and fine tannins. This is a very small production, limited to 2,640 bottles. It’s a powerful wine that should age well in bottle. Drink 2015-2020. From 2014 there will be three single vineyard bottlings: the vineyards were very old and they needed some time to get in shape. A name to follow.