Mendel Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina

曼德爾酒莊馬爾貝克干紅葡萄酒

點(diǎn)擊次數(shù)：10904

The estate 2020 Malbec was produced with grapes from their property in Mayor Drummond (Finca Mendel) that was planted in 1928. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in French oak barrels, one-third each new, second and third use, for 12 months. It has 14.5% alcohol and a soft and round palate with integrated acidity. De la Mota thinks this 2020 is very representative of the zone of Luján even if they harvest it a little earlier, and it has a little more fresh fruit, using the oak to keep that character, a balance between ripe and fresh fruit that is very interesting. It is juicy and primary with very fine tannins. A wine that overdelivers for the price. 88,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2021.

I tasted two vintages of the estate Malbec, of which the 2019 Malbec feels fresher and more elegant, with expressive aromas of berries and aromatic herbs, a spicy twist but nicely integrated and in the background. This has a medium-bodied palate with soft tannins and great balance.

I found a curious leesy and smoky note in the nose of the 2018 Malbec that made me think of some wines reminiscent of toasted sesame seeds that I like very much. It feels flinty and mineral, which gives the wine a different personality. The palate is as soft and velvety as usual, with very fine tannins and great harmony that makes it very drinkable.

The dry and clean 2017 Malbec is more structured and concentrated than the 2016, with notes of black fruit, but it keeps the freshness. It's approachable, and the oak is nicely integrated, always in used barrels and now in larger-volume ones to minimize the impact of the wood in the wine. It's a step up from the Lunta in concentration, volume and depth, but it follows the same classical, balanced and approachable profile. It comes from different plots of the same vineyard, and the wines behave differently. 80,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in February 2019.

Cropped from a typical El Ni?o vintage that was cooler and with a late harvest, the 2016 Malbec comes from their old vineyard Finca Drummond in Luján de Cuyo, which was planted ungrafted 88 years ago at 980 meters in altitude. It had a classical vinification in stainless steel followed by 12 months in French oak barrels, divided equally between new, second use and third use. There is some more freshness here compared with the 2015, and it's clean, precise and somewhat serious, quite surprising for this price level. It has some floral notes, a very balanced palate and very fine tannins. It has the profile of a wine that should develop slowly and nicely in bottle. 80,000 bottles produced. It was bottled in November 2017.