This shows aromas of ripe blackberries and blueberries, vanilla, licorice, dark chocolate and sweet tobacco. Hints of nut shell, too. Medium-to full-bodied with fine, polished tannins and a sleek, silky texture. Juicy, with delicious fruit on the palate and notes of walnuts and chocolate to close. Firm, flavorful finish. Drink or hold.
The 2019 Clos de los Siete by Michel Rolland is a blend (50% Malbec, 24% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot) from the Uco Valley, two-thirds of which was barrel aged. Bright, garnet red in the glass. The aromatic profile features dark fruit, blackberry, blueberry and hints of fresh plum, chutney, mint and a touch of green pepper. Smooth and voluminous with polished tannins and good intensity, the flow is mild but juicy before the lengthy finish.
The 2019 Clos de Los Siete comes from a very good, ripe and complete vintage. The wine is 50% Malbec, 24% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot with similar alcohol as other years (14.5%) but with less ripeness sensation. It's floral, aromatic, expressive and showy, juicy, fresh and balanced, tasty, with full flavors and round tannins. Seventy percent of the wine matured in 225-liter French barriques, one-third new, for 11 months. 1,057,400 bottles produced. It was bottled in May 2021.
Clos de los Siete is a sure bet if you're looking for an Argentinian red that doesn't cost the earth but punches above the everyday, in quality terms. It's a project spearheaded by Bordeaux families who use some of the grapes from high-altitude vineyards in the Uco Valley for this wine, the rest going into their own individual labels. The Malbec-dominated blend is made by world-famous winemaker Michel Rolland, one of the partners. It's great value, dark with black fruit and slightly beefy. There's good tannic structure, some smokiness from the oak ageing, and a full body. A surefire hit to enjoy with a juicy steak.
Roasted plum and cherry flavors show a loamy and coffee bean underpinning, with suave tannins and touches of graphite, fresh tobacco and pepper on the finish. Malbec, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2032. 87,500 cases made, 21,000 cases imported.