We are powering through our in-person, dual reviews of the final bottles of 2022. Unified as always by anonymity, and surrounded by friends with a mutual love for wine, we cracked open this Uco Valley beauty knowing that we were in for a treat. Lurton might be French, but this is all 100% Argentina. Here we go.
Nose: Everything you'd hope for in a Malbec all wrapped up into one approach: blackberry, cassis, oak, a touch of smoke; and then wet, mossy wood, white peppercorn, and just a touch of cocoa. Some time in the glass lets everything find feet and get a bit more balance, with the blackberry leading the charge.
Palate: Big and burly with loads of tannins. Arrives as advertised above with a little more cassis and violet. The earthier elements expand with more sips, but the balance never really sways one way (fruity) towards the other (earthy.) There's not much more additionally going on here, but there's not much more required. Anything more would be in excess.
Finish: Long. The oak pulls ahead and tips the scales. A bit of chocolate-covered espresso bean towards the end.
An absolute masterclass in a glass bottle. It may be high-end but it drinks better than some offered at 2x or 3x times the price. We aren't really ranking bottles on this site, but if we were this would easily be placed in the top 1% of everything reviewed this year.
Uco Valley, Mendoza
$32