We got off to a fantastic start yesterday with that bottle of Clos, and I have a feeling this will follow up very nicely. This just got off the truck at my wine shop while my trusted counsel was unloading and shelving new bottles. She was uncharacteristically excited to force a bottle in my hand, and of course, it's from Mendoza, so she knows I will lay down the credit card (support your local shop). So let's see how this goes after an hour of decanting.
Nose: Darker fruit (blueberry? plum?) at first but also an unexpected and welcome dash of rosemary. On second pass, the plum definitely becomes much more pronounced with a slight whiff of more rosemary and coriander. As it sits the fruit expands and a mild vanilla undertone makes a brief cameo.
Palate: Comes in with very intense dark fruit, with a bit of wood and earthy influence in ascension. There's so much plum and blueberry that it drowns out the herbs and vanilla on the nose. On subsequent sips there's a trace of pepper and some coriander, but not much else to report. Rough tannins and medium acidity.
Finish: Long and complex. The fruit winds around the herb notes, but there's a greater presence of the pepper note from the palate and an earthy, almost espresso-like note that pulls itself out from underneath the heaviness of the fruit and spice.
This tracked in the same manner with subsequent sips and a second glass. It was constantly evolving, struggling to land in one place for any amount of time. But it was also beautifully complicated and challenging, and I had to keep second-guessing myself on the finish. These are welcome challenges for complicated times, and a reminder there's so much more out there to learn and enjoy. I haven't been to Argentina in years. This bottle made me wish I could grab the next flight out and return for an extended stay.
$40