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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $121.59
The 2009 Finca Bella Vista was sourced from a vineyard planted in 1910 giving a miserly yield of 0.75 tons per acre....
WA
98
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $89.94
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $139.45
The 2021 Malbec Grand Alpasión hails from Los Chacayes in the Uco Valley and was aged in new French oak barrels....
VM
90
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $246.58
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $89.28
Blackberry and blueberry aromas with hints of spice and bark. Perfumed. Full body, layered, chewy and polished. Deep...
WA
96
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96
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $96.62
This is another phenomenal Fortuna Terrae that just rolls across the palate with amazingly complex and beautiful...
JS
98
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96
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $96.62
Very complex aromas of blueberries and blackberries with hints of cheese and wet earth. Hot stones, too. Full-bodied,...
JS
97
WA
95
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $96.62
Cropped from a cooler and wetter year, the 2016 Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae was bottled with six months less...
WA
97
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96
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $95.94
A dense and layered red with fantastic, soft and silky tannins that entice every inch of your palate. Full-bodied yet...
WA
98
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98
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $103.78
The aromatics here really seduce you with their blackberry and dried-strawberry notes and undertones of wet earth,...
JS
98
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97
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $89.28
Blackberries with some black tea and perfumes. Full-bodied with fine, dusty tannins and seamless texture. So long and...
JS
99
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97
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $115.56
Blackberries, dark plums, dried earth, tar, paprika, lavender and bark on the nose. Medium-bodied, dark fruited and...
WA
98
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98
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $186.06
Tight, high acidity, lots of tannins; ageability.
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $227.11
There are three separate bottling from the Adrianna vineyard, one of them the 2013 Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Bacillus...
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97
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96
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Red
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $221.38
Very aromatic and vivid. Cherry and plum. Hints mushroom and tea. Full body, tight and beautiful. Focused and sexy....
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97
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97
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $259.12
This is a phenomenal malbec with intense blue fruits such as blueberries and blackberries. Black truffle, too....
JS
98
DC
97
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $250.95
In one of the coldest vintages of the last 30 years in Mendoza, the Adrianna Vineyard plot (just 1.4 hectares)...
DC
97
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97
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $285.45
A layered and very soft red with checked yet unctuous tannins. Full body and caressing texture. Plenty of meat, earth...
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98
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97
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $209.74
This is a really deep, decadent red, showing incredibly rich black soil, black olives and violets. Full body and rich...
WA
98
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98
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Red
750ml - Case of 3
Bottle: $258.09
Made by Alejandro Vigil, this wine comes from the highest part of the Adrianna Vineyard at 1,390m, where the alluvial...
DC
98
WA
98

Carignan Malbec Tempranillo Zinfandel Argentina Cuyo Mendoza Pre-Arrival Wine

Carignan is an ancient blue-skinned grape varietal, thought to be indigenous to the Aragon region of Spain. However, today it is most commonly associated with the fine wines of southern France, and has been grown in many countries around the world which have the warm and dry conditions it requires to thrive. Carignan is recognized as being quite a sensitive vine, highly susceptible to all kinds of rot and mildew, although producing excellent results when given the right conditions and handled correctly. Its high tannin levels and acidity make the Carignan grapes very astringent, and as such, they are often used as a blending grape to give body to other, lesser bodied varietals. Despite this, with careful treatment, Carignan can produce superb single varietal wines packed full of character and unique attributes.

The purple Malbec variety grapes which now grow all over the Old and New Worlds had their origins in France, where they are one of the few grape varieties allowed to be used in the highly esteemed blended wines of Bordeaux. However, it is perhaps the New World Malbec wines which have attracted the most attention in recent years, as they thrive in hot southern climates in ways they cannot in their native country, where the damp conditions leave them highly vulnerable to rot. Malbec grapes are renowned for their high tannin content, resulting in full-bodied red wines packed with ripe, plummy flavors and held in their characteristically dark, garnet colored liquid. In many countries, Malbec is still used primarily as a varietal for blending, as it adds a great level of richness and density to other, lighter and thinner varietals. However, single variety Malbec wines have been greatly on the rise in recent years, with some fantastic results and big, juicy flavors marking them out as a great wine for matching with a wide range of foods.

There are plenty of notable native Spanish grapes which have made a big impression on the wine world at large, but none are as renowned or as widely loved as the Tempranillo varietal. This black skinned grape has been used for wine making for centuries, with several ancient civilizations noticing the fact that it is highly versatile and holds some delicious flavors and aromas, perfect for those looking for a powerful yet elegant grape for their wines. Tempranillo often causes winemakers some trouble, however, as it is highly susceptible to many diseases. Despite this, plenty continue to persevere with this varietal, as it is perfect for producing delicious and complex single variety and blended wines, packed full of classic Spanish flavors and plenty of aromatic and intense surprises.

The precise origins of what became known as the Zinfandel grape variety are uncertain, although it has clear genetic equivalents in both Puglia and Croatia. However, when it was brought to the New World in the mid 19th century, it became known as the Zinfandel, and has been consistently popular and widely grown ever since. These very dark and very round grapes have a remarkably high sugar content, resulting in relatively high levels of alcohol in the wines they are made into, with bottles often displaying as much as fifteen percent. What makes the Zinfandel such an interesting grape, though, is the fact that the flavors produced by this varietal vary considerably depending on the climate they are grown in. In cooler valley regions, the Zinfandel grapes result in wines which hold strong flavors of tart and sweet fruits; raspberry, redcurrant and sweet cherry, held in a very smooth and silky liquid. Conversely, warmer regions result in more complex and spicy notes, including anise, pepper and hedgerow berries.

As the world's fifth largest producer of wine, after France, Italy, Spain and the United States, Argentina has plenty to offer the international wine market in regards to both quantity and quality. Despite this being the case for several decades now, it has only been since the end of the twentieth century that the Argentinian wine industry has really begun to up their game when it comes to the methods and techniques required to produce world class wines, which are both representative of their country and region of origin, and which stand alone as complex, interesting and delicious wines to drink. As Argentina became a serious contender in the international wine market, wineries previously concerned primarily with high volumes began to change their priorities, and formerly struggling small bodegas and independent wineries began to find success. Nowadays, well crafted wines from smaller vineyards in Argentina are being lauded as some of the finest in the world, and the country is starting to reap the benefits of its heritage, which include some very old vines, and up to four centuries of experience in wine production.

Undoubtedly the most important viticultural region of the country of Argentina is Cuyo, the arid and red-soiled area within central-west Argentina which produces over eighty percent of the nation's wine each year. Cuyo represents the finest aspects of Argentinian wine making, with wineries in the region celebrating their traditions which stretch back to the sacramental wines first introduced to the country by Spanish settlers hundreds of years ago. As with much of Argentina, Cuyo is most famous for the production of Malbec wines, with Malbec grapes thriving prodigiously in the hot climate of the region, reaching full ripeness in ways they rarely could in their native France, and producing wines of exceptional flavor and quality. The Desaguadero River is the key water source in this otherwise dry and dusty region, and successful irrigation projects have helped bring water to even the driest vineyards within Cuyo.

When it comes to Argentinian wines, one region stands head and shoulders above the rest. The high altitude wine region of Mendoza has been producing high quality wines for some time now, and has established itself as one of the premier homes of New World viticulture, thanks to its combination of bold, Latin American approaches to winemaking coupled with a European flair for excellence and finesse.

Today, the Mendoza accounts for almost two-thirds of the Argentinian wine output, making it a dominating force in the country’s industry, and wines from Mendoza are exported all over the world. Its success comes from several factors - not least for the fact that it is one of the oldest and most well established New World wine regions, having been planted in the mid 19th century and allowed to develop from heritage vines of the finest European specimens. The altitude is certainly a key factor when it comes to Mendoza. The average elevation of vineyards in this region is 1000 metres above sea level, a factor which creates almost unparalleled consistency in climatic conditions, allowing the vintners to regulate their growing and harvesting for optimum effect.

Mendoza is primarily a Malbec producer, although Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo and Chardonnay varietal grapes are also grown here to great effect. The Malbec grapes of Argentina tend to have a higher level of expression and flavor than those in its native France, because Mendoza Malbec grows in smaller bunches, with smaller, more intensely charactered berries.