Nose
The nose shows intense aromas of ripe red fruit flavors interwoven with spices notes like black pepper, thyme, curry, with layers of cedar.
Palate
The mouthfeel is rich with layers of cassis flavors and notes of black pepper, clove, leather and tobacco. The finish is bright and fresh with finely grained tannins.
Growing Conditions
Agrelo Vineyard (950m/3116ft). Alluvial origin. Clay topsoil with rounded rocks on the bottom (30% Sand - 30% Clay - 40% Silt)
“El Año Mendocino,” the Mendoza Year we call it. After a small cool vintage 2017, which we call “El Año Bordelés” (the Bordeaux Year) and a small, very cool and rainy year in 2016 “El Año Bourguignon” (the Burgundian year), we finally got a vintage that is classically Mendozan: dry, cool, sunny and with moderate yields in every region from the lowest to the highest altitudes.
Cool Nights and high day-night Thermal Amplitude:
The summer of 2017 started out warm but then cooled off during the 2018 harvest months of February, March and April. This, in addition to the lower rainfall, gave rise to optimal balance in the fruit, with beautiful natural acidity, regional aromatic expression and smooth tannins.
Early by Two Weeks:
A warm summer followed by the cooling effect of the Pacific over the Andes during the months of February, March and April gave rise to a slightly earlier (by two weeks) harvest in 2018.
A Dry Year:
There was a decrease of about 100 mm (4 inches), about 30% less rain in every region.
Winemaking
This wine goes through cold maceration for 3 days at 50ºF (10ºC). The juice is then fermented for 20 days with a post-fermentation maceration of 10 days.
Aging
12 months in barrel (35% new). Barrel selection varies depending on vineyard and vintage. 100% French oak.
Appearance
Purple color with ruby red reflections
