Luca Old Vine Malbec 2017
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Enthusiast
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James
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Spice and black cherry cola aromas with notes of cocoa. The berry flavors pop on the palate from its depth and lively acidity, finishing with hints of espresso.
Pairs well with foods such as venison or wild game, steak, pork, quail, all types of lamb, and medium-strong cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A dark, dense color and bold berry aromas laced with tight-grained oak notes and related vanilla, spice and cinnamon accents are quite the draw. This full-flavored Malbec is medium in depth and driven by ripe fruit and wiry acidity. Blackberry, cassis and creamy, almost fatty oak flavors finish with medium length. Drink now through 2024.
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James Suckling
A great range of aromas from flowers through smoke to elderberries, pull you into this powerful, structured yet graceful malbec in which the fine-grained tannins are already beautifully integrated, gently turning ever drier through the long, polished finish. Mostly from old vines in Altamira, plus some wine from higher-altitude vineyards.
Other Vintages
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Laura Catena is a fourth generation winemaker who grew up in a traditional Argentine-Italian winemaking family in Mendoza. Laura splits her time between Mendoza and San Francisco, California, where she is an emergency physician, university professor and occasional tango dancer. Laura had the vision of creating a new breed of Argentine wines: small quantities, artisan quality, and true to their individual terroirs. A pioneer of small-grower relations in Mendoza, Laura's incredible, limited production wines come from some of Argentina's best fruit from low-yield, high-elevation, family-owned vineyards. The wines are named after her children - Luca, Dante and Nicola - and symbolize her love for her family. The background of the label is the McDermott coat of arms of her American husband, Daniel McDermott.
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.