CellarTracker!™

Search: (advanced)


External search
Google (images)
Wine Advocate
Wine Spectator
Burghound
Wine-Searcher

Vintages
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2004
2003
2002

From this producer
Show all wines
All tasting notes
  Home | All Cellars | Tasting Notes | Reports | UsersHelp | Member Sign In 
  >> USE THE NEW CELLARTRACKER <<


 Vintage2004 Label 1 of 38 
TypeRed
ProducerAchával-Ferrer (web)
VarietyMalbec
DesignationPerdriel
VineyardFinca Bella Vista
CountryArgentina
RegionMendoza
SubRegionn/a
Appellationn/a
UPC Code(s)0831906008438

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2012 and 2024 (based on 5 user opinions)
Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Achaval Ferrer Malbec Finca Bella Vista on the Wine Market Journal.

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 93.8 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 14 notes) - hiding notes with no text

 Tasted by Marcosuru on 6/11/2016 & rated 93 points: Big wine! Still a long way to go. High acidity, lots of fruit. Big and not very complex but great. (2874 views)
 Tasted by yayinski on 5/2/2016 & rated 94 points: Always a treat. At 12 years of age, still has miles to go. Floral power, with gobbles of minerality, graphite, blue/red fruits. Rich and velvety. Brilliant length. Powerful yet agile and..believe it or not, fresh. (2269 views)
 Tasted by ajtravels on 12/14/2015 & rated 100 points: Convinced friend that Malbec can be great with this wine (2087 views)
 Tasted by w1nep1rate on 2/8/2013: Very thin, strong rasberry notes, but lacking complexity. Wouldn't recommend it and bottle didn't seem off. (4666 views)
 Tasted by Employee500 on 11/28/2011 & rated 95 points: Fantastic, rich blackberry cobbler and violets. None of the "issues" that can plague Malbec (i.e. no noticeable heat, not syrupy, pruney, etc). Long finish. Definitely a "new world" wine, but one of the best... (4520 views)
 Tasted by coremill on 7/12/2011 & rated 89 points: Dark purple color, ripe blackberry fruit nose with plenty of vanilla that sometimes outshines the fruit. Thick, ripe palate with good fruit intensity and plenty of plush tannin, but not grainy/chalky in that overoaked way -- this saw plenty of oak, but had enough fruit density to soak it up. This is a perfectly enjoyable, well-made modern-styled New World wine (it's not jammy or raisiny or hot), but ultimately it's a bit boring. (2872 views)
 Tasted by cooberp on 7/11/2011 & rated 90 points: Opaque purple. Full bodied and viscous. Generous and fairly pure signature Malbec blackberry fruit, with a prominent but not overpowering dose of oak. Fairly tannic, would benefit from more acid. Excellent mouthfeel. Ripe and modern but not over-the-top. (2958 views)
 Tasted by gportilla on 11/18/2009: Achaval-Ferrer 2004 Malbecs: Good fruit and earth on the nose which translated to a mouthcoating complex palate of blackberries and blueberries. This had a full body with tannins present but are integrating well. Long finish goes on and on. When side by side with the other single vineyards this had just that little extra on the palate and hung in there longer on the finish. My WOTN. Great future ahead (3494 views)
 Tasted by johnphinney8 on 9/12/2007 & rated 91 points: lots of plums and blueberries...reminiscent of an aussie shiraz. decent acidity to back it up, though. actually a more pleasureable wine than the penfolds grange i had recently...perhaps this is more suited to drink in the near term... (2785 views)
 Tasted by dream on 5/5/2007 & rated 93 points: One of the inkiest looking wines I've ever seen. Big nose of smoky beef, blackberries, black coal and spices. The wine has an incredibly smooth texture and finishes plush but at the same time tannic. This is serious, intense and complex juice that really shows off the iron fist of Malbec but also manages to remain elegant and taste delicious. Young, inky and impossible to stop drinking - this is easily the best Malbec I've ever tasted. (2915 views)
 Tasted by msu on 3/11/2007 & rated 95 points: Decanted for over an hour. Brilliant fruit. Blackberry, rasberry. Intergrated tannis. (3018 views)

CellarTracker Wiki Articles (login to edit | view all articles)

Achával-Ferrer

Producer web site
The winery became at 1998 based on two principles: search for the highest quality in all their products and respect the concept of terroir. With this principles they bought Finca Altamira, Finca Bellavista, Finca Mirador and Finca Diamante; in different types of soils in the best lands of Mendoza. The product line starts with a special Malbec, a blend called Quimera and then the special products of the “fincas”.

Malbec

Varietal character (Appellation America)

One of the traditional “Bordeaux varietals”, Malbec has characteristics that fall somewhere between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. A midseason ripener, it can bring very deep color, ample tannin, and a particular plum-like flavor component to add complexity to claret blends. Malbec is a finicky vine whose fruit is prone to rot and mildew in the cool, damp coastal climate of Bordeaux. But ask a Bordelais grower why there’s no Malbec around, and you’ll more likely get a dismissive shrug and sniff than a viticultural analysis. It is known in much of France as Côt, and, in Cahors, also as Auxerrois. There are in fact hundreds of local synonyms, since Malbec at one time was widely planted all over the country. Sensitivity to frost and proclivity to shatter or coulure (a disease that results in premature fruit drop) is the primary reason that Malbec has become a decreasing factor in most of France. Although plantings in the Medoc have decreased by over twothirds since the mid-twentieth century, Malbec is now the dominant red varietal in the Cahors area. The Appellation Controlée regulations for Cahors require a minimum content of 70%. Malbec is also planted in Chile, and there’s relatively little and recent acreage in California and Australia. It is usually blended with other red varietals in these countries. But Malbec truly comes into its own in Argentina, where it is the major red varietal planted. Much of the Malbec vines there were transplanted from Europe prior to the outbreak of phylloxera and most is therefore ungrafted, on its own roots. Sadly, over the years the bug infested Argentina, too, and vineyards are being replanted on resistant rootstock. Happily, the vines thrive in the arid climate of the Mendoza region in the foothills of the Andes. Made in the context of this South American nation’s Spanish and Italian heritage, it produces a delicious wine that has almost nothing in common with Bordeaux except the color. Argentines often spell it “Malbeck” and make wines from it that are slightly similar in flavor to those made in Europe, but with softer, lusher structure, more like New World Merlot. Another difference is that where French examples are usually considered short-lived, Argentine Malbecs seem to age fairly well. Successful Argentine Malbec growers claim that, in order to develop full maturity and distinction, Malbec needs “hang time” even after sugar levels indicate ripeness. Otherwise, immature Malbec can be very “green” tasting, without its characteristic notes of plum and anise. Malbec in Argentina has come to be appreciated for a spicy white pepper characteristic, the aroma of violets, and sweet, jammy fruit. It is a seductive wine that is typically warm and generous in the mouth, with plenty of flesh, and very appealing when young. Almost always producing a ripe and fruity, even plummy wine, Malbec can take oak aging or show well without it; it’s juicy and quaffable when young but can benefit from aging, developing an intriguing complexity with time in the bottle. It can range in price from as little as $7 to more than $75. The true potential of Argentine Malbec, and indeed in the entire spectrum of Argentine wines, is demonstrated by the fact that many of the world’s most renowned winemakers have come to Argentina to make wine. Both the legendary California winemaker Paul Hobbs, and Michel Rolland of Bordeaux, one of the world’s most famous winemakers, have created very high-end Malbecs. It may be the Italian component in the country’s mixed Latin family tree that fosters the fact that Malbec is an exceptional companion with a broad range of food. Its well-balanced fruit-and-acid profile makes it a natural with rare beef (bear in mind that Argentina is cattle country), but it’s just as good with simple fare from burgers to fried chicken. With its natural balance, good pairings include: cajun cuisine, calzones, cannelloni with meat, poultry, vegetable couscous, steak creole, Greek cuisine, deviled eggs, hummus, Indian cuisine, leg of lamb, Mexican cuisine with meat, pâté, spinach soufflé, and hearty pasta. For cheeses, think of harder styles that are either waxed or oiled, such as Parmigiano Reggiano, Ricotta Salata, Romano, Asiago, Pont l’Eveque, Gruyere, Manchego, Cantal, Comte, old Gouda, old Cheddar, Baulderstone, Beaufort, Leicester, aged Chesire, Chevre Noir, Wensleydale, Tilsit, Iberico, Mahon, Roncal, and Mizithra.

Argentina

Wines of Argentina

Argentina has been making wine since the 1500s, tracing its wine heritage back to Spain, France and, perhaps surprisingly, Italy. Italian immigration is second only to Spanish in Argentine culture, and the flavors of Italy show up strongly in the nation’s wine, food and cultural tradition. Historically, Argentina has kept much of its wine consumption at home, drinking most of the wine it makes. But we are now seeing more very serious Argentine wines north of the border, and Malbec is leading the movement. The wine-making region in Argentina ranges between the 22° and 42° South latitude. It spreads at the foothills of the Andean mountain range along over 2,400 km; from the province of Salta to the province of Río Negro, with a variety of climates and soils that makes each region a unique land. In general terms, the areas dedicated to vine cultivation are dry and arid with a low level of rain and humidity, determining factor as regards grape health. Abundant sunny days and thermal amplitude favor a good maturity and concentration of aroma and color in the grain. Soils are deep, permeable and poor in organic matter, decisive qualities at the time of obtaining good wine. Due to the low rain regime, irrigation is necessary. Water comes from the Andean range thaw, descending in the shape of rivers to become channels or ditches. Undoubtedly, the combination of these factors turns Argentina into a veritable oasis for the highest quality wine-making. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to go. Wine-making in Argentina, at the level that it achieves today, has a young history that goes back to a little more than 10 years ago. Technological progress, investment and some farsighted businessmen enabled a determining transformation. The province of Mendoza is the most traditional area in the viticultural industry, and is diverse enough to be divided into zones, according to their significantly different weather, height and soil characteristics. These include the Northern Zone, which is suitable for fruity whites and young reds, at a height from 600 to 700m; the Eastern Zone, with a height ranging from 600 to 700m, and the most productive zone in the province; the Uco Valley, a zone of colder weather and higher altitudes (between 800 and 1,400m over sea level); San Rafael, with heights ranging from 450 to 800m; and the High Zone of the Mendoza River, with heights ranging from 800 to 1,100m over sea level and various microclimates, this is the zone where almost all noble varieties have easily become adapted. It is a region that is remarkably well-suited to vine culture, protected from the Pacific’s cooling influence by the Andes and enjoying a long summer of cool nights and warm days, with a dry summer climate but plenty of water available from the region’s rivers. Malbec in particular is outstanding from this area, and it has clearly emerged as the star, the darling of both consumers and critics.

Mendoza

Wines of Mendoza

 
© 2003-24 CellarTracker! LLC. All rights reserved. "CellarTracker!" is a trademark of CellarTracker! LLC. No part of this website may be used, reproduced or distributed without the prior written permission of CellarTracker! LLC. (Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.) - Follow us on Twitter and on Facebook