Altos Las Hormigas Uco Valley Terroir Malbec 2019
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Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Coming from a careful selection of grapes from the oldest geological part of Uco Valley, this Malbec shows a bright red colour with indigo hints. The nose is wide and intense, with aromas of plum and black cherry fruit, as well as notes of spices, cinnamon, eucalyptus and clove. This is a fresh, elegant and subtle wine, with great texture. Tannins are balanced and deliver a round, juicy mouthfeel that makes one want to pour another glass.
Ideal to pair with Mediterranean cuisine and red meats.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The classical red 2019 Malbec Terroir Luján de Cuyo was produced with certified organic grapes from their property, selected from places with almost no clay and more limestone. Seventy-five percent of the volume was kept in the concrete tanks, where it fermented for 18 months, while the rest matured in 3,500-liter oak foudres. This has 13.5% alcohol and a pH of 3.74, and it's juicy and balanced, with a similitude with the Malbec Classico. It's from 24 hectares planted on their property, and this is selected from a small plot that has some calcium carbonate. It has a touch of herbs, fresh blood and meat, an iron twist, with complexity and a fine-boned palate with fine tannins and a long, dry finish. The oak is very neatly integrated and folded into the wine, really unnoticeable.
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James Suckling
Black cherries and plums with a darker tone to the fruit and some white pepper. Medium body with a plump, round mouth-feel. Polished, smooth tannins to close. Soft-spoken and understated.
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Wine
Spectator
In 1995 Alberto Antonini, a well-known Tuscan winemaker, and Antonio Morescalchi, a young entrepreneur, took a trip to visit the burgeoning wine areas of South America. It only took one stop to find what they were looking for. They were immediately impressed by the vineyards thriving in the high altitude and dry climate of Mendoza, and were captivated by the whispered traditions and blend of cultures.
They returned to Tuscany powerfully impressed not only by the region, but also by the unexplored potential of Malbec, a grape that had a strong local tradition but was largely ignored and misunderstood. While the rest of the wine world saw Mendoza struggling to shed its bulk wine image, the two young Italians saw Mendoza as a place where traditional viticultural values and unblemished land could be reinvigorated with a modern winemaking approach and international experience. Instead of planting Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as many others were doing during the 1990s, the team decided to invest their confidence in Malbec. Today, Malbec is the varietal for which Argentina is best known.
Against all odds they cemented their vision to become Terroir Specialists Shortly after, two friends and business partners, also enthused by the idea, joined the venture: Attilio Pagli, a renowned Tuscan winemaker with two 100 point-scoring wines in his personal record and Carlos Vazquez, an Argentine Agronomist, who work for 20 years with the early Catena group, planting new varieties, developing previously unknown vineyard sites and contributing greatly to the qualitative change of Argentine viticulture early on.
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.