Malbec Alto de Los Cuises 2021

Originating from the Cafayate Valley in Salta, Argentina, this great Malbec grows on steep terraces at an altitude of around 1,850 meters . The landscape is wild, between rocks, rolled stones and native vegetation where fig trees, palm trees and carob trees coexist. The mountain microclimate, with its warm days and cool nights, brings a slow ripening that preserves freshness and typicity, giving this Malbec a strong terroir identity.

The harvest is carried out manually, with a double selection: first of the bunches, then of the berries. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts in cement eggs, allowing for careful extraction. A proportion of whole, uncrushed bunches (10%) is used. Aging continues for 12 months in used barrels (1,000 liters), followed by a light filtering before bottling, to highlight the aromatic purity, structure and balance. Less than 2,000 bottles are produced per year.

This wine reveals notes of ripe black fruits , plum , wild blackberry , forest fruits, black olive, graphite, violet, wild thyme and various spices. On the palate, the texture is powerful and at the same time very fluid, carried by firm but polished tannins, an acidity giving rhythm energy. The finish is very long, with a mineral and spicy persistence.

Although Argentina is considered the "New World," its winemaking 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 part of the country's culture. No wine-producing country in the world made more progress in the last years of the 20th century (on a viticultural and oenological level, and necessarily financially), which allowed the country's wine producers to raise quality levels and 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 practiced primarily in the foothills of the Andes, particularly in Mendoza, where desert landscapes and high altitudes combine to produce aromatic and intensely flavored wines. Some vineyards can even be planted at altitudes of up to 3,000 meters! The terroir here is well-suited to Argentina's adopted grape variety: the ubiquitous Malbec. Originally from Bordeaux, it is now responsible for some of Argentina's most famous wines, characterized by their brightness 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 of the Argentine wine region is Torrontés, which produces a wine with a floral and tropical flavor. The country also produces Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. Today, Argentine wines are recognized worldwide for their full-bodied reds and as high-quality wines.