Winery - Achaval-Ferrer
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Smoke, leather and game aromas mix with blackberry, while the palate is juicy, with plenty of crispness. Like many A-F wines, Quimera, a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot, is tangy and lively. Flavors of red currants and cherry have a high-toned personality, and the finish is bold. Drink now through 2014.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
From the La Consulta subzone of Mendoza, Altamira is a high-acid Malbec with floral, exotic aromas as well as vivid berry-fruit scents. The palate shows plenty of acidity, and thus the blackberry and blueberry flavors are tangy and borderline tart. Will age well but will never be a lush Malbec. Drink now through 2016.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This single-vineyard Malbec proves once again that Achaval-Ferrer does not specialize in textbook wines. It's a terroir-driven hard-body with tight blueberry and cherry aromas and flavors. There's a lot of zest, drive and crispness to the palate, and the finish is tight, layered and long. Drinkable now through 2018.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Bella Vista is the richest, most dense of A-F’s three single-vineyard Malbecs. It opens with leather, smoke, blueberry and floral aromas. Next in line is a chewy, dark palate of wild berry and earthy fruit flavors. Clean on the finish with a bit less acidity than its brothers, Altamira and Mirador. Drink now through 2015.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Extravagantly floral on the nose, with blueberry, mineral and other particular aromas. But once you hit the palate, the acidity is extreme and thus the mouthfeel is sheering. Flavors of blueberry and mulberry are tangy, while the finish is angular. Too sharp and tangy to compete with the best, including Altamira and Bella Vista, Achaval-Ferrer’s other single-vineyard big boys.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Like its cousins, the Bella Vista vineyard bottling is dark as night. But this wine shows more blueberry and sage on the nose, while the palate is a touch funky as it unloads black fruit infused with the essence of smoked meat and fennel. Very acidic and tannic, but with food it will show nicely.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Big, chunky and dark on the bouquet, but not overly fruity and definitely not sweet and raisiny smelling. The palate on this four-grape, Malbec-led blend is robust and forward in acidity, thus the fruit flavors run fast and fresh, with a toasty, lively finish. Juicy, tight and doesn’t wobble. Structured.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Bright, fresh and floral, with lively berry, briar and fresh mint aromas. The palate is high-toned and crisp, with elevated acidity adding snap to the boysenberry and blackberry flavors. Juicy and clean, but a little sharp and angular.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Achaval’s Uco Valley single-vineyard Malbec is strapping and minerally, with exotic black-fruit aromas darkened up by road tar but lightened by violets. It’s focused and bright, with juicy cherry and black-plum flavors. Pure and direct, with a long finish. Drink now through 2013.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Electric purple in color, with a concentrated, deep nose of mineral, black plum and toast. The palate is lush and giant, but balanced perfectly by natural acidity and fine tannins. Huge berry and plum flavors are dense, and vanilla, coffee and herb flavors grace the long finish. Drink from 2010 through 2016.
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