Altos las Hormigas Appellation Paraje Altamira Malbec 2021

This cuvée comes from Paraje Altamira, one of the most renowned appellations of the Uco Valley, in the province of Mendoza. It comes from the Jardín de Hormigas plot, planted at 1,200 metres above sea level at the foot of the Andes, on limestone soils. The rows follow the natural topography of the site, with large blocks of limestone and preserved wild vegetation, under a bright, cool high-altitude climate.

This Malbec comes from a single-plot selection. After the harvest, the grapes macerate for 25 days, with manual punch-downs three times a day for gentle, precise extraction. The wine is then aged for 15 months in 3,500-litre large oak vats (foudres) and concrete tanks, vessels that respect the purity of the fruit and the minerality of the terroir.

This wine reveals notes of blueberry, blackcurrant, cherry, wet stone, violet, orange zest, white pepper and graphite. The almost electric attack gives a Malbec full of power and energy. The texture is fine, the tannins supple, and the long, persistent finish extends the vertical, mineral character of the wine.

Although Argentina is often considered part of the "New World," its winemaking tradition is much older than one might think, dating back to the Spanish colonization of the 16th century and later to Italian settlers. Unlike Chile, wine has long been an integral part of the country's culture. No other wine-producing country in the world made more progress in the latter years of the 20th century (in viticulture, oenology, and, of course, finance), which allowed the country's winemakers to raise quality levels and successfully establish an international export market. Argentina is now the fifth largest wine-producing country in the world, after France, Italy, Spain, and the United States. Viticulture is practiced primarily in the foothills of the Andes, particularly in Mendoza, where the desert landscapes and high altitudes combine to create aromatic and intensely flavorful wines. Some vineyards are even planted at altitudes of up to 3,000 meters! The terroir here is well-suited to the grape variety adopted by Argentina: the ubiquitous Malbec. Originally from Bordeaux, it is now the source of some of Argentina's most famous wines, characterized by their brilliance and intensity, with floral notes and dark fruit flavors. Other red varieties produced in Argentina include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bonarda, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Pinot Noir. Among white wines, the emblematic grape of the Argentine wine region is Torrontés, which yields a wine with a floral and tropical taste. The country also produces Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. Today, Argentine wines are recognized worldwide for their full-bodied reds and as being of high quality.