Árido Malbec 2007 Mendoza
Producer: CAP Vistalba
Grapes: 90% Malbec, 10% Merlot
Appellation: Mendoza (Argentina)
Vineyard: Finca Los Álamos, Upper Uco Valley. The soils are sandy loam and limestone. These vineyards are at serious altitude – 3500 feet above sea level – with only 4 inches of rainfall per year (Árido means arid. Presumably they irrigate.) Wineries like to talk about the “diurnal shift“, the difference in the daytime high and nighttime low temperatures. A hot days and cool nights allow the grapes to ripen fully while preserving acidity. Arido claims a 60 degree swing.
Winemaking: no info
Alcohol: a modest 13.5%
Package: A screwcap closure. I didn’t “get” the label until I read that Árido means arid. Now I dig it.
Price: $8.99 at Spec’s in Austin
My tasting notes: Good deep purple color. Interesting nose of violet, black currant, a little prune and a kind of crushed rock/gravel dust note. The palate is less interesting, but serves up some ripe, juicy, plummy fruit with good acid. Medium-to-full bodied with fine tannins and decent length.
Overall assessment: Another wine that piques my interest with the nose, then underwhelms on the palate. I need to come up with name for those. (Any suggestions?) C+
Free association:
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/myklroventine/ / CC BY 2.0
More info:
Wine Spectator scored this wine an 88.
