Árido Malbec 2007 Mendoza

Arido_Malbec_2007_snapshotProducer: CAP Vistalba

Grapes: 90% Malbec, 10% Merlot

Appellation: Mendoza (Argentina)

Vineyard: Finca Los Álamos, Upper Uco Valley. The soils are sandy loam and limestone. These vineyards are at serious altitude – 3500 feet above sea level – with only 4 inches of rainfall per year (Árido means arid. Presumably they irrigate.) Wineries like to talk about the “diurnal shift“, the difference in the daytime high and nighttime low temperatures. A hot days and cool nights allow the grapes to ripen fully while preserving acidity. Arido claims a 60 degree swing.

Winemaking: no info

Alcohol: a modest 13.5%

Package: A screwcap closure. I didn’t “get” the label until I read that Árido means arid. Now I dig it.

Price: $8.99 at Spec’s in Austin

My tasting notes: Good deep purple color. Interesting nose of violet, black currant, a little prune and a kind of crushed rock/gravel dust note. The palate is less interesting, but serves up some ripe, juicy, plummy fruit with good acid. Medium-to-full bodied with fine tannins and decent length.

Overall assessment: Another wine that piques my interest with the nose, then underwhelms on the palate. I need to come up with name for those. (Any suggestions?) C+

Free association:
nose_disguise
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/myklroventine/ / CC BY 2.0

More info:

Wine Spectator scored this wine an 88.

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