Crios de Susana Balbo Malbec 2014
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Wilfred
Wong -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
This is a wine that you'll want to buy by the case because it can be consumed at almost any occasion, whether at a fancy dinner party, or just curled up on the couch in front of a movie. Fun and delicious—what more can you ask for?
Professional Ratings
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
When I dream of a classy, on-point Malbec that I can drink often, this wine comes up. The 2014 Crios by Susana Balbo is just so fine; drinks super well and fits many of my dining occasions; ripe black fruit flavors simply jump out of the glass and wraps around my palate. Oh, would I give for a well-marbled steak just about now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Crios Malbec is now sourced exclusively from different zones in the Uco Valley and in the future the label will mention it. They define this wine as lush with hints of spices. It has a floral-driven nose, with, yes, hints of spices, but no traces of oak, only a lactic twist, perhaps from the malolactic fermentation; part of the blend is never in contact with oak and is produced exclusively in stainless steel. Juicy, with those telltale Malbec round tannins, this can be drunk so easily it can be dangerous! The back labels of the Crios range give some hints of what food to pair with the wine, and here they mention tuna steak, lamb and hamburgers... umm! A champion in its price range.
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Wine &
Spirits
After 22 years of winemaking, Susana Balbo has a strong sense of what she wants from her wines. From every harvest, she creates the grandest possible wines under her Susana Balbo label. To achieve this, she makes a rigorous selection of the finest barrels prior to making her final blends, dividing them into the parents (reserve level wines) and offspring or "crios."
Wines under her Crios label display ripe fruit flavors, excellent balance and concentration, and are meant to be enjoyed in their vibrant youth. These wines are produced under Dominio del Plata's code of sustainable agriculture.
Like Susana's own crios (a boy and a girl), they are extremely lovable and fun to be around. The label features a series of three connected and overlapping hands, an image inspired by a Mayan artifact. The artifact illustrates the interconnectedness of every generation, and the irony that we will be both the parent and the offspring at different times in our lives.
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.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.