Michelini I Mufatto La Cautiva 2019
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Robert
Parker
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Winemaker Notes
A wine made at the La Cautiva area, fermented using foot treaded 100% whole cluster. Post-fermentation maceration from 1 to 4 months (depending on the year), followed by its ageing for two winters in 3000-litre foudres. The winemaking process concludes with its gentle filtering and bottling.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
They used a new 3,000-liter oak foudre for the élevage of the 2019 La Cautiva red, and the wine shows unusual spicy and smoky notes. It spent one year in the foudre and a further year in barrels. The wine shows a little riper than the 2020 I tasted next to it, which is a little unusual, because the year was cooler. It has 14% alcohol, as they harvested looking for acidity and pH rather than alcohol. The palate is much better: the wine is serious and balanced, with very fine tannins and a strong chalky sensation. It should integrate the oak with some more time in bottle, and the wine has the stuffing to do so. 4,000 bottles, 30 magnums and five double magnums produced. It was bottled in September 2021. Best After 2024.
Other Vintages
2020-
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
Andrea Mufatto and Gerardo Michelini started their winery in 2019 alongside their son Manuel Michelini. They are situated at the foot of the Andes in one of the highest elevations of the Uco Valley where the soil contains some of the richest components of calcium carbonate and granite in all of South America. This particular sub region is at the highest, most western portion of Gualtallary and goes by the name La Cautiva. At Michelini i Mufatto they strive to make some of the most unique wines of Argentina and the wines show tension, elegance and balance. They are currently working with Semillon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. The trio also makes wine in Uruguay and Spain and they are the first family in Argentina to import small production wine from Europe
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.