High Note Andes Red Blend 2020
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James
Suckling
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Intense nose blackberry laced with spice fragrances, hints of blueberry. Barrel aging provides further complexity with delicate chocolate and vanilla flavors.
This unctuous and jammy wine is ideal with honey glazed pork, grilled sirloin steak, or with orange sauce and lamb tagine recipes.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A medium-bodied, herbal red with aromas of stewed blackcurrant, pine cone and bitter herb. Fine-grained tannins and a fresh, simple finish.
Other Vintages
2019-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling
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James
Suckling
Altitude is everything. High Note hails from the foothills of the Andes mountain range, where altitude is essential in providing our vineyards with the perfect combination of intense sunlight and cool temperatures. Crafted in the Vista del Sur winery by renowned winemaker Leopoldo Kuschnaroff, High Note wines offer high altitude and high quality wines at an exceptional value. Located high in the Andes foothills of Argentina’s famed Uco Valley of Mendoza, Vista del Sur is a state-of-the-art winery. Its vineyards are among the highest in the world, ranging in altitude from 3,300 to 5,000 feet. Here the grapes enjoy the perfect combination of growing elements; intense desert sunlight contrasting with cool nightly temperatures. Low humidity and dry, sandy soil with excellent drainage provides the fruit with a slow and balanced ripening cycle, resulting in balanced acidity and concentrated flavors. These conditions also protect the vines against disease and provide a long, dry season for low yields of small grapes, concentrated in flavor, color and tannins. Vista del Sur was designed from vine to bottle to enhance the quality of the wine it produces. The winery is one of the few facilities utilizing specially designed small tronco-conic tanks, and the only winery to produce all of its wine exclusively with these tanks. Leopoldo Kuschnaroff hails from a family of farmers, born of Ukrainian immigrants to Argentina. A true son of the Mendoza wine region, he graduated trade school with a degree in winemaking in 1999, followed by a master’s degree in viticulture from the prestigious Cuyo University. His prime philosophy and goal as a winemaker is to make wines reflective of the terroir, a challenge which enables him to experiment with the different microclimates of the Uco Valley, perfecting wine that is truly representative of this region. Leopoldo has been working with the Catena family since 2007, joining the prestigious High Note brand in 2013.
With hundreds of red grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended red wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged resulting in a wide variety of red wine styles. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a red wine blend variety that creates a fruity and full-bodied wine would do well combined with one that is naturally high in acidity and tannins. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
How to Serve Red Wine
A common piece of advice is to serve red wine at “room temperature,” but this suggestion is imprecise. After all, room temperature in January is likely to be quite different than in August, even considering the possible effect of central heating and air conditioning systems. The proper temperature to aim for is 55° F to 60° F for lighter-bodied reds and 60° F to 65° F for fuller-bodied wines.
How Long Does Red Wine Last?
Once opened and re-corked, a bottle stored in a cool, dark environment (like your fridge) will stay fresh and nicely drinkable for a day or two. There are products available that can extend that period by a couple of days. As for unopened bottles, optimal storage means keeping them on their sides in a moderately humid environment at about 57° F. Red wines stored in this manner will stay good – and possibly improve – for anywhere from one year to multiple decades. Assessing how long to hold on to a bottle is a complicated science. If you are planning long-term storage of your reds, seek the advice of a wine professional.
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.