Catena Zapata 2014 “La Consulta” Malbec, Maipu
The uber-popular style of Malbec – oozing with milk chocolate softness – is just a single iteration of this grape’s possibilities. This bottle will elevate your expectations. Aromas of fresh basil …
argentina
Valentin Bianchi 2014 “Famiglia Bianchi” Malbec, Mendoza
Valentin Bianchi is an old-school Argentinian winery that was founded in the 1920s. It’s one of the brands you see everywhere in Buenos Aires but rarely outside the country.This is a …
Finca Flichman 2013 “Paisaje de Barrancas” Mendoza
This is a growling beast of a wine, trained from birth to dominate the dining room table and chew up any wine glass it is poured into. The nose is oak-dominant …
Clos de los Siete 2009, Mendoza (Argentina)
Clos de Los Siete is a spectacle at the edge of the world. It consists of five great chateaus on the edge of Argentina, close to the Andes Mountains. Each of …
Mendoza Vineyards 2011 “1907” Malbec, Mendoza
Sometimes writing up a wine adds more questions than it answers. First of all, who is the winery? Mendoza Vineyards is the winery on record, but they are a logistics and …
Durigutti 2010 Cabernet Franc Reserva, Mendoza
I am thrilled to see a bottle of Cabernet Franc coming out of Argentina. This grape varietal is grown in limited quantities in South America, and it’s mostly used in blends. …
Reginato 2011 Chaman
In Argentina, a chaman is a witch doctor. Is this a witchy wine? I am not sure, but it is a fine wine and a surprising departure for the Reginato clan. …
Nieto Senetiner 2012 Reserva Torrontes
Nieto Senetiner is an ancient winery by New World standards: it was founded over a century ago in the La Rioja region of Argentina. While their early work is lost to …
Calamaco 2010 Reserva Malbec
At first, very quiet, the flavors expand like a peacock. It is increasingly fun and rich. It brings eucalyptus and mocha first, then crushed blackberries with a wave of soft round …
Zuccardi 2008 “Q Series” Tempranillo, Mendoza
It smells like a little coffee house on fire, but without the hipsters. Yes, that’s a good thing. This bottle is all about the oak.Full-bodied, the wine sports a round, fleshy …
Pascual Toso 2007 Torrontes, Mapiu Valley
Malbec might get all the glory in Argentina, but a good Torrontes, like this melon, springtime-in-a-bottle white, stands out by its easy, almost dangerous drinkability. But don’t fret: if you kill …
South American Wines
Where did you first discover the wines of South America? For me, it was years ago (2004, to be more or less precise) when the Wine School hosted a charity wine …
Recommended Wine Buys
Our few recommended wine selections. Also make sure you have the perfect wine glass to make the experience truly memorable. Vionta Albarino (Spain)An aromatically complex white with plenty of white fruit …
Dominio del Plata 2006 “Crios de Susana Balbo,” Mendoza
There’s nothing terribly new about Argentina, but the blend here might be unfamiliar: Syrah (which you know) and Bonarda (which you might not). But for $12.99 in PA right now, it’s …
Walter Massa’s 2004 “Pertichetti” Bonarda
Let’s set the record straight – Croatina is NOT Bonarda, although, in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, that is how it is erroneously identified. Bonarda is a separate varietal that is extensively cultivated …
Crios Rosé 2008, Mendoza
Buy half a case of this and try to make it last through May. Yeah…good luck with that: I’ll likely be kicked by Memorial Day. Easy drinking, supply, fruity: Quintessential rosé …