Matías Riccitelli Viñedos de Montaña Malbec 2018

Viñas Viejas En Pie Franco Malbec, literally translated as “ Old Vines in Free Foot ”, was produced with grapes from old, ungrafted vineyards in the Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley subregions. It shows all the character of the old Malbec vines that can be found in the province of Mendoza. To understand the unique aspect of this vintage, you should know that a free-standing vine means that it has not been grafted since the phylloxera epidemic at the end of the 19th century. Today, practically all grape varieties are grafted onto rootstocks, most of which are of American origin. They are, remember, immune to the terrible parasite.

As usual, Matías Riccitelli lets the wine express its authenticity while intervening as little as possible. In the vineyard, there are no herbicides or synthetic products. The harvest is done by hand in small 20kg boxes. Fermentation takes place in small concrete vats under the action of native yeast. Aging continues in French oak barrels for 16 months. On the palate, this wine demonstrates all the notoriety acquired by the great Malbecs of Argentina. It reveals notes of blackcurrant , red plum , wild blackberries , black olive , dark chocolate , blond tobacco , licorice , juicy cherry , stewed strawberries , violet as well as some vegetal nuances. A structured and melted Malbec, combining elegance and power, with very good freshness and perfectly controlled aging. A vintage with depth and complexity…

Although Argentina is considered the "New World," its wine tradition is much older than one might think, dating back to the time of Spanish colonization in the 16th century, and later by Italian settlers. Unlike Chile, wine has long been a part of the country's culture.

No wine-producing country in the world has made more progress in the last years of the 20th century (in terms of viticulture, oenology, and necessarily financially), which allowed the country's wine producers to increase quality levels and successfully consolidate an international export market. Argentina has now become the fifth largest wine-producing country in the world, after France, Italy, Spain, and the United States. Viticulture is mainly practiced in the foothills of the Andes, and more particularly in Mendoza, where desert landscapes and high altitudes combine to produce aromatic and intensely flavored wines. Some vineyards can even be planted up to 3000 meters above sea level!

The terroir here is well-suited to the grape variety adopted by Argentina: the omnipresent Malbec. Originally from Bordeaux, it is now responsible for some of the most famous Argentine wines, characterized by their brilliance and intensity, with floral notes and black fruit flavors. Other red varieties produced in Argentina include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Bonarda, Syrah, Tempranillo, and Pinot Noir. Among white wines, the emblematic grape variety 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. Nowadays, Argentine wines are recognized worldwide for their full-bodied reds and as high-quality wines.