Nose
The bouquet bursting with aromas of violet and red fruit with predominant notes of plum, later complemented by scents of black fruit and spices from the nice ripe Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Palate
On the palate, the attack is pleasant and sweet with a fleshy, full-bodied texture that is well-balanced. The smoothness of the Malbec and Syrah harmonise with the tannic structure of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot, which bestow a flavoursome, lingering finale upon the wine. The subtle hints of aging in wood barrels only serve to add complexity to this blend, which boasts all the typical elegance of cool vintage years, promising excellent aging potential.
Growing Conditions
The unusual conditions in 2014/2015 meant that many people consider this an atypical year for Mendoza.
Unlike previous years, the winter of 2014 was fairly warm, with temperatures rarely dropping below 0°C. A mild spring with no late frost or strong northerly winds ensured uniform flowering and budburst.
Early summer also brought warm weather with no high temperature peaks. However, the rainfall in mid to late summer of 2015 was higher than average compared with previous years. The stony soil and distinct north-east slope of Clos de los Siete allowed good drainage and alleviated the effect of the large amount of rain. Even so, closer monitoring of the vineyards than usual was required, with more leaf stripping and less watering.
Due to these weather conditions, our teams of oenologists and agronomists had to go through the vineyards more than usual to set the dates for harvesting, generally anticipating between 10 and 15 days in advance according to the grape variety. This vintage will no doubt be one to remember for the fresh, elegant wines it produced.
- Location: Valle de Uco; Vistaflores, Canton de Tunuyán (120 km south of Mendoza).
- Climate: Continental with low rainfall.
- Soil: Sand and clay with a large pebbles.
- Altitude: 1100 m
- Vineyard size: 325 ha planted out of a total of 850 ha
- Size of the parcels: 1 to 3 ha Planting density: 5500 vines/ha Pruning: Double Guyot
- Practices: Vertical training, green harvesting, leaf trimming, computer controlled drip irrigation.
Harvest
- Harvest: Manual harvesting in 15 kg trays.
- Yield: 34hl/ha
Winemaking
- Transport: All by gravity i.e. no pumping.
- Vinification:
* Cold pre-fermentation maceration
** Pumping over one and a half times the volume at the beginning of fermentation, half the volume at the end of fermentation.
No fining, no filtration.
Aging
11 months – 70 % in oak barrels
(1/3 new French oak barrels, 1/3 in one year
old barrel, 1/3 two years old); 30% in vats.
Appearance
The 2015 vintage reminds me to some extent of my hometown of Bordeaux because of the high levels of rain. The Malbec once again demonstrated its versatility, revealing itself in all its glory in this wine of which it constitutes 58% of the blend. The tell-tale signs of its presence are expressed in the attractive ruby red colour and purple tints around the edges.
