Dårlig propkvalitet, umulig at åbne med alm. proptrækker uden den smuldrer. Lækker mørk, krydret duft. Også mørkfrugtet i smagen, bløde tanniner, lang eftersmag. Stadig intakt, men synger nok snart på sidste vers.
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Still very much alive and kicking. Black cherries in front, juicy and meaty midpalate with hints of smoke, tar, iron and ink, wonderful freshness all the way into the long, balanced and dark-chocolate sprinkled finish. Damn tasty!
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Second and last bottle, honestly I was not expecting much considering that my first bottle was ok but way over the peak. This one even though you can tell that in its finals days I could get many secondary aromas and a few tertiary tones. No doubt this wine is fragile as it is coming to its final days ...just do not decant the wine for more than 10-15 mins. ( not much residues anyways), a very good aged Malbec.
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Wine Spectator newbies; 10/18/2018-10/20/2018 (Marriott Marquis): Interesting how these wines age (or don't age as the case may be). This wine could easily have been just a few years old. Bright red fruits. Lots of pepper. Served slightly chilled and it was just right. Created a touch more balance for this. Still very very young. This wine has a long life ahead of it.
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Opaque garnet color. Aromas of currants, with some burly meaty notes. The palate is rather simplistic, with a bit of black fruit and sweet oakiness. This lingers on the finish with some tannic support. A pleasant sipper without any glaring flaws, but not one of the all-time greats (from this region, or generally). This will survive a few more years in the cellar, but it's doubtful that additional maturation will yield much improvement.
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Cinnamon, cedar forest, rose and dried herb scent. Begins with plump, juicy dark fruit and picks up tension mid-palate. Blackberry, spice, mint, mocha and tobacco flavor with ample fine tannins. Initially, upon opening, a bit tight. We will see if it relaxes after breathing. Oh what a difference breathing made - raised the rating two points.
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Dropped into a decanter. Consumed over the course of 3+ hours.
After 30 minutes really opens up. Dark black cherry, mocha, cinnamon, allspice, kirsch, mocha. So much going on. Luscious mouth feel. Fully integrated tannins. If you have the patience to sit on these for 10 year, congrats, you are in for a treat.
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Occasional tasting group (By TBa @ WN Top South America plus some extra's.): In the bouquet black forest fruits and some vanilla. On the palate dark berries, a touch of sweetness, good acidity and slightly sticky tannin. The tannin is slightly sticky and there is some pleasant bitterness. Overall a good wine, but not really complex or exclusive. Young maturity now. Keep until 2018+.
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Soft and mellow at this point. The fruit is less primary. Earth, cherries and dried figs with mulling spices. If not past its best it is at least very different. Still very good but not in the best spot for my palate. Last bottle but would not wait long if I had more.
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Still tangy with fruit that is full but not at all jammy; undertones of spices. Wonderful - wish I could figure out what the best food pairing would be!
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OMG. Eleven years old and still vibrant and hedonous. Sensuous spice, ripe dark fruit and kirsch aroma. Chocolate, mint and tart red cherry flavor with ample fine tannins and a long finish. My favorite Malbec.
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Superb nose of blackberry, earth and spice. Black fruit, oak and tobacco flavor. Tart finish. This has come together very well. Exceptional balance at this point. No reason to wait to drink this one. See previous notes for further detail.
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Hazy notes from last night. This was a rich, ripe wine that had some interesting flavours - deep plums, chocolate, blackfruits, tar. A little too 'slutty' for my tastes, but certainly a well made, concentrated, full bodied malbec. A bit more lift and/or tannins would have improved the wine (A-).
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Blackberry pie and bacon on the nose. Meaty on the palate with a strong savory side. Pretty wound up on day 1... difficult to get through the second glass. Better on day 2 but does not distinguish itself in any way. And it's overpriced for the quality... would not buy again.
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Wow, in spite of there is New World Malbec it outmatches some grand Cahors wines. It is very fruity but isn't fruit bomb. It isn't "over tannic". It isn't alcoholic. It's elegant enough. Highly recommended.
Medium to full body, dark ruby red color, aromatic, blueberry and black currant aroma, fresh red fruits, blueberry and black current, some chocolate, minerals and pepper notes on the palate, very juicy on finish, extra-long finish, velvety, bold, saturated, juicy, still very fresh, still lightly tannic but firm and nice tannins, well balanced, low acidity but w/o sweet/honey tones, food friendly. Best associated with meat but I has drank it with Far-East food. Serve 16º - 22º. Open 20 – 30 minutes before drinking. At peak now. Drink now and next three or four years.
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93-95: brilliant wine, great QPR, and still young. Great fruit, with floral notes on palate and nose. Fruit is balanced with thick, chewy tannins and a hint of leather. Color is still vivid. This wine will go another 15 years at least, but is excellent now. Finish is slightly above average, otherwise the rating would have been even higher.
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Consistent with my previous note. "Good aromatics of ripe black fruit and earth. Rich blackberry, black cherry, oak and clove flavor. Plush texture and lip smacking acidity. The tannins have subsided considerably. Time hasn't added complexity so much as it has smoothed this wine. The fruit is still intense." Earth is a little more prominent and the fruit a bit more reserve than I recall from the last bottle but that is about it. A couple hours of air really opened it up. Excellent this evening with grilled lamb chops.
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This is a very pleasant surprise. Blue to black or dark red fruit, ripe and rounded with some glycerin, but also a nice freshness and well balanced acidity. Moderate length. Goes predictably well with grilled ribeye. Possibly a slight sense of the 14% alcohol, but I don't really notice it. Good. Top ***
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- Purple color - Beautiful. Sweat blueberry with a very earthy core. The fruit and flowery nose really come to fore with decanting which leads me to think that this has a few years left. Try in a year but don't wait too long
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My last bottle of this excellent Malbec (see previous notes). Dark, opaque garnet. Nose of smoke, blackberry, tobacco, and earth. Ripe, full palate of blackberry, plum, tobacco, and vanilla. Excellent length. Refreshing acidity. Integrated tannins. I don't think this wine will improve with more time. Drink up!
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Dark fuit plumbs,woodsmoke and underbrush. A little high in alcohol. Very dark black colour. Hollow mid pallett. Big finish with integrated tannin and lots of dark fruit. All in all this has a little too much alcohol for my liking.
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We have not opened a bottle of this wine in three years. Purple color. Good aromatics of ripe black fruit and earth. Rich blackberry, black cherry, oak and clove flavour. Plush texture and lip smacking acidity. The tannins have subsided considerably. Time hasn't added compexity so much as it has smoothed this wine. The fruit is still intense but it goes down oh so well. I don't see a need to immediately consume additional bottles but I also see little to be gained from a further wait. Excelente!
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My next to last bottle of this wine. I don't think it can get much better. Tonight it is really outstanding. Opaque purple with garnet rim. Nose of smoke, blackberry, menthol, and fig. Full, ripe palate of blackberry, plum, & spice. Excellent length. Integrated oak. Really delightful acidity. Sweet tannins. Beautiful balance.
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This was very good albeit a bit simple - Black, full bodied with a nose of blackfruit, plum, graphite, cherry and vanilla, good, simple structure and silky sweet on the palate, very tasty! (90 Points).
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- Garnet color and aromas of raspberry, cherry and vanilla. It's in total harmony and has flavours of cherry, fig and vanilla with a medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish.
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This has been hanging in the cellar for about 6 years... Clearly a well made wine in near perfect condition. Dark purple color with no browning around the edges. Vibrant nose is chalked full of berry fruits (raspberry especially) and a healthy does of smokey oak and vanilla. Early after opening it had almost a burgundian character on the nose as well with floral, mineral and pine forest floor notes. The palate was just a touch thin after first opening, but that might have been because the wine needed to warm up from cellar temperature. Once it opened, the palate was elegant and plush with tons of bright red and black fruits. Tannins are mellowing out, but will hang for a while, so this should last 3-4 more years at least. Coats the mouth fully with a finish that lingers 45+ seconds. Bravo!
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Dark n inky, no sed.. nice dark fruits on nose. Modern style. Big fruit up front, that dominates. Actually stood upwelling with Mexican cuisine at Ortegas. Some structure there as well. Not as familiar with malbecs, are they agers?
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Modern style with lots of fruit, can be taken for an Aussie shiraz or a Spanish garnacha. Dark berries, leather full body and well integrated. No big difference between first and second day. Still I believe there is som further potential with ageing.
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Haven't had a bottle in 18 months (see 4/18/09 note). Dark opaque purple with ruby tint. Nose of fig, blackberry, and cedar. Ripe, full palate of blackberry and cassis, balanced with bright acidity, integrated oak, and sweet tannins. Excellent length. Structured to last.
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Well-balanced, delicious Malbec with the ability to age for a long time. It has bright, crisp red fruit showing with light smoky, leathery characteristics and a (not unpleasant) hint of the vegatal characteristics you sometimes get with French Malbec
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Macio, complexo, aveludado sem ser "adocicado". Acidez equilibrada e boa a longa persistencia. No auge da fruta e com os taninos ja amaciados. Tomamos com um churrasco de picanha em casa.
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Developing nicely. Slight amber tone coming through. Medium body. Flavors of black cherry, cassis and fig with noticeable oak that faded with air. Nice finish with good fruit, tannin and acid in balance.
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Donkerpaars van kleur. Aroma met leer, pure chocolade, mokka en espresso. Zwart fruit, rijpe kersen, mokka en aarde in de smaak. Lange afdronk, zijdezacht. Een genot!
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Note quite as good as last bottle but very enjoyable. Fruit driven but with depth to the flavors. Well balanced given its enormity. Stood up well after the 2002 Almaviva.
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Now the oak is fully integrated. Very dark, almost opaq with purple hues. Very expressive nose with ink, graphite, anise and dark berries. Full-bodied with silky tanins, very rich fruit, sweetness and balancing acidity. Long finish. Excellent for what it is.
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Drank with my friend Yiannis. Opaque coloured with still purple rim. Nose exhibits loads of ink, graphite on a background of sweet bramble fruit and cherry. Full bodied with sweet fruit, high acidity which balances the fruit. Very soft and rounded no rough edges with full ripe tannins and good finish. Although full bodied it is not tiring although it might be difficult to match with food as it can be overpowering. A simple dish however lets one enjoy this generous wine.
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This wine is the ultimate crowd pleaser, it is the ultimate educational tool to distinguish bitterness (a sensation processed by taste buds) and astringency (a sensation processed by free nerve endings) as this wine is astringent as can be (more tannins whether or not polymerized = more astringency) yet not very bitter (more short chain tannins = more bitterness). The wine reminds me of Casa Lapostolle's wines... well made, very high pH, very 'worked,' very likable. 'Very good' to 'excellent' wine at best as it lacks balance and expression of place (though 'extraordinary' wine for its style) but boy will it be loved! Drink now... they already did the aging of this wine for you, in fact it will get bitter as it ages as the tannins will fall out of polymerization and then the wine is astringent and bitter. Sorry so long, this bottle was fascinating!
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Very deeply colored, intensely colored rim indicated extreme extraction techniques, rim still has purple, ruby hue. On the nose the wine is very intense with loads of dark berry fruit, tons of baking spices/some nice vanilla notes from new barriques, some florality... still quite primary and very fruit dominated. On the palate the wine has average acidity, as lush and broad of a midpalate as you can imagine, a very nice transition into a finsih that has some of the most polymerized tannins I have come across all year... they are ripe, but not obnoxiously so and there are tons of them, moderate + alcohol. Quality wise the wine is too soft with the acidity and tannins no match for the enormous midpalate sweetness/ETOH... very good length, insane intensity, average complexity at this stage. The wine isn't full of finesse but isn't clumsy so much, the texture is as lush as lush can be, and expression of place is so, so... it does scream "overworked" Argentinean malbec but not sure that counts so much for 'great' expression of place.
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What a wonderful wine. The tannins integrate seamlessly with the lush fruit, and it just tastes delicious. I don't think I've ever had a better malbec. Tasted twice, two years apart.
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Notes from day 2. Dark purple to black in color. Nose of vanilla, blackberry, boysenberry, licorice. Palate of blackberry, boysenberry, licorice, earth, cocoa dust. The finish is long and there is good balance to this full bodied wine. Drink or hold. 50+5+12+18+8
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Wow. This wine is really singing right now. Compared with my last tasting, the oak has fully integrated (for my palate at least). Lots of chocolate and dark, dark fruit. Showing a little bit of leather that I didn't get before. Perhaps some complexity coming out with some additional age. But this is really on a plateau right now and should be there for a few years yet. But hard to imagine it getting any better. Rich, long and satisfying.
Excellent, well made malbec. Great pairing with steak. Ruby rim, Thick liqueur, full body, Strong raspberry liqueur, raspberry fruit, dark full body, lush, semi sweet, medium finish. Only set back as it being a little oak, and needed food to go with. Can probably last another 5-8 years. 92+
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Wow, what a bottle of wine! Best Malbec I have had to date. Clssic Malbec nose of dense brambley fruit. Explosive huge palette of plum, chocolate, pomagranate, "purple" fruits. Amazing!, and worth every penny!!
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We did a pop & pour on this one during Christmas Eve dinner after experiencing a 1981 Gran Reserva Rioja that was outstanding. At first the contrast was very stark with the tannins jumping out. However, after a couple of hours (and after finishing the 1981 wine), the Malbec calmed down and behind the tannins was some very solid fruit with a nice long finish. I was very impressed with the last few sips and would caution to decant for 1-2 hours or hold for 2-4 years.
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Great, full aroma of black fruit and spice. The tannins are still noticeable but less pronounced than I expected. They blend well with the fruit. The flavor is blackberry and black cherry with a bit of earthiness. This is subtle and balanced, smooth and elegant. Very sophisticated glass of Malbec.
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Drank with pork tenderloin. Served to guests from Australia. Didn't take notes. Year after year, Catena Alta Malbec is exceptional. Wonderful full palate, balanced with acidity, oak, tannins. Malbec doesn't get much better!
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Fairly luscious fruit on the nose with red berries, licorice and blackcurrant prominent along with a fair bit of cedar. The acid stands out a bit from the rest of the components on the palate and while the finish is of decent length it probably needs food to shine.
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A monster of a wine, packed with dark fruit. Inky, opaque purple color. Brooding, with dark chocolate and cedar. Oak treatment is obvious but there is balance too. Refined tannins.
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I really don't remember the tasting profile of this wine as I drank it 1 week ago. It was ok, but nothing memorable. Definitely not very high on my radar screen for future purchases.
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Very nice wine.....First Malbec and I'm impressed. Excellent almost sweet fruit (not a bomb) and mild oak and chocolate on the nose and palate. Very long finsh and drinkable now. Very impressive.
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Dark purple with bluish tints. Reductive aromas appear initially, but soon give way to dark berries, chocolate, coffee, spices and sweet oak. Full bodied, round and smooth, with rich but juicy tannins, very rich fruit and moderate acidity. Oak presence is obvious but the richness of fruit prevents it from being dominant. Very long finish (cocoa and coffee + dark fruit). A very good wine, but not up to my expectations (which were addmittedly too high). Trapiche single vineyard malbecs are much closer to what I expect from a super-premium Mendoza malbec.
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A very nice wine with silky smooth tannins along with dark fruit, cherry, spice. coffee and mocha flavors. This is a great bargain for less than $40 and a wonderful Malbec. Drinking nice now but can last for 2-3 more years.
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decanted for 1hour -- complex nose and taste, deep dark fruit followed by wonderful spice, then hints of dark berry as it fades on the palate. long finish, well structured with well mannered tannins. Drink now.
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(at Alma de Cuba – Philadelphia) no formal notes, but a very energetic, well balanced and satisfying wine. Good depth and complexity – will improve with 3 to 4 years in the cellar. (92+)
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This went from 89-92 throughout the night. From the start had great full body and structure but was a little closed. With a little air time <1 hour started to open up with some very nice berry fruits on the nose and palate and after 2 hours opened up really nice coming together great with a stronger fruit presence and silkier mouth feel. Also started to show a nice oak component that was very nicely balanced.
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Very fruit forward, and a rather thin finish. Tasted after a dinner of steak, red bell pepper risotto and chopped salad with a 2001 Paraduxx - so sort of a hard act to follow; but this very highly rated wine didn't live up to its expectations. Might benefit from a few more years in the cellar. Good? Without doubt. Outstanding. No, at least not yet.
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Malbec at its best. Super nose with plum, blackberry, vanilla, a hint of black tea and tobacco. Velvety and firm texture on the palate. Tannins are still noticeable, the wine should still get better. The finish lasts over 45 seconds.
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Drank after a barolo, so the fruit on the nose of the Catena Alta was almost overwhelming. Plums, raspberries, and vanilla on the nose. Will wait for a few years to crack the next one.
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dark berry scent with hints of blueberry and rasberry; wonderful mouthfeel, soft tannins, deep berry on the palate, followed by hints of spice, then with a satisfying dry fruit long finish. very well balanced. a real winner with food! Improved overthe course of the first hour.
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Very dark, rich, full and thick mouthfeel. Notes of chocolate, some earth, and toffee predominate along with dark dark fruits - cassis. Almost too much and not for everyone, but a rich wine with sufficient structure to really be a treat. Decanted about an hour the first night and then drank over two nights - it did not miss a beat.
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Wine Spectator Grand Tour (Las Vegas): Very ripe aromas of raspberry and blackberries. very big wine with some bitter chocolate overtones. Building tannins.
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Decanted and drank over three hours. Big nose of coffee, mocha, tobacco, vanilla and some dark fruits. Very nice mouthfeel. Drinking very well now - young but the tannins are integrated. A nice wine and I will pick up a few more to age a few years.
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Not generally a big fan of "new world" wines but this malbec was a very nice wine and not too "fruit forward". I suspect that with a few years a cellaring, it will only get better.
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Catena Tasting: This was a rocking bottle of wine. Beautiful nose. Stunning on the palate, with a seamless integration of the myriad flavors and structural components. Nothing sticks out. A great mesh of rustic flavors and phenolics with super smooth fruit and soft oak. Ridiculously easy to drink right now. I would have been happy with this even if it was priced like the Zapata... 93-94
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Dark purple color. For the first two hours after decanting the nose was almost entirely of chocolate, tobacco, vanilla, and herbal and also earthy hints with a little bit of blackberry peaking through. Later the fruit started to come through. On the palate there was moderate firm tannins and good acidity. Very nice mouthfeel. Dark fruit and spice flavors. Very nice long finish.
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Decanted and drank over four hours. In the beginning, an onslaught of oak on the nose, but that settled down after a couple of hours. The nose reminds me of a fancy Starbucks coffee, with vanilla and mocha aromas followed by a touch of smoke and earth. Fig and zesty dark berry flavors join in on the palate. Very lucious and creamy mouthfeel to this wine. Firm tannins, but don't know how much of it is from the fruit or the oak. A little more oak than I prefer but its still a stunner. Guaranteed to please the New World crowd.
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Nose: Nice mixture of dark tree and shrub fruits comes across first. Some bittersweete chocolate notes and some mishroom smells and maybe some attic mustiness. A flirtation with anise here and there as well.
Taste: A big boy. Blue fruits like blueberry and plums. Rich loamy mouthfeel that finishes fairly long. Good balance on attack, mid palate, and finish. Taninns still have good grip so there is some aging ability too.
Overall: Very nice wine that is balanced well. 92 points.
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taste: wow, real big mouth feel. chocolate, coffee, and dark fruit just permeate the pallate. real great grip on the mouth too
overall: really good stuff. great grip and structure. This is just so well integrated and isn't over the top in its fruit forwardness. extremely well made wine that has some ageability too
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100% malbec. Understanable from the deep ruby, almost black colour. Intense black fruit; blackberry and black mulberry aromas, layered with beautiful spice; cinnamon, cloves and blackpepper to follow. Round, velvety, fruity, spicy palate very well balanced with good structure. Never used so many "blacks" in the same tasting note before. Great quality, outstanding wine.
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Jantar com José Galante (Ilha das Flores): NM. Violáceo fechado, tinge a taça. Aromas minerais, tostados e de frutos negros, envoltos por baunilha elegante. Sedoso, grande concentração de fruta, taninos numerosos mas doces, arredondados. Acidez presente, embora a maciez do vinho a encubra em certos momentos. O/E.
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Tasted all the component parts separately with the winemaker. Clear differences in vineyard character, but overall the finished product was the most balanced. Full purple/red color. Lovely medium forward nose of complex floral spicy acid and black fruit. Lovely complex round spicy red and black fruit with a nice round long finish. Clear upside here. 93+ pts.
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11/10/2023 - Grondal Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dårlig propkvalitet, umulig at åbne med alm. proptrækker uden den smuldrer. Lækker mørk, krydret duft. Også mørkfrugtet i smagen, bløde tanniner, lang eftersmag. Stadig intakt, men synger nok snart på sidste vers.
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11/2/2022 - jkoenen wrote: 93 Points
Still very much alive and kicking.
Black cherries in front, juicy and meaty midpalate with hints of smoke, tar, iron and ink, wonderful freshness all the way into the long, balanced and dark-chocolate sprinkled finish.
Damn tasty!
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9/16/2022 - noni15 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Second and last bottle, honestly I was not expecting much considering that my first bottle was ok but way over the peak. This one even though you can tell that in its finals days I could get many secondary aromas and a few tertiary tones. No doubt this wine is fragile as it is coming to its final days ...just do not decant the wine for more than 10-15 mins. ( not much residues anyways), a very good aged Malbec.
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7/17/2022 - noni15 Does not like this wine: 90 Points
Way passed its peak...unfortunately...no fruit left....this wine was gorgeous probably 6-8 years ago.....bump....
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6/8/2022 - willfab60 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Still has a good amount of fruit. Black berries, nice viscosity and a hint of sweetness.
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9/11/2021 - tfesmgk Likes this wine: 91 Points
Really good. Lots of fruit, & spice with some tannin.
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11/26/2019 - Acohen Likes this wine: 91 Points
Dark fruit with soft tannins and nice leather and tobacco
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9/9/2019 - bradfriedlander Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still has a lot of fruit. Dark and rich. Soft tannins. Really paired well with hamburgers, truffle cheese, and roasted eggplant spears.
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10/18/2018 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Wine Spectator newbies; 10/18/2018-10/20/2018 (Marriott Marquis): Interesting how these wines age (or don't age as the case may be). This wine could easily have been just a few years old. Bright red fruits. Lots of pepper. Served slightly chilled and it was just right. Created a touch more balance for this. Still very very young. This wine has a long life ahead of it.
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10/2/2017 - bin905 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rich, concentrated, dark fruit, spice, tar and licorice flavor with a solid backbone of tannins.
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5/17/2017 - Uncle John wrote: 92 Points
This is what made me fall in love with Argentinean Malbec. So soft and delicious with a velvety mid palate and finish.
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4/16/2017 - NineteenEightyTwo wrote: 87 Points
Opaque garnet color. Aromas of currants, with some burly meaty notes. The palate is rather simplistic, with a bit of black fruit and sweet oakiness. This lingers on the finish with some tannic support. A pleasant sipper without any glaring flaws, but not one of the all-time greats (from this region, or generally). This will survive a few more years in the cellar, but it's doubtful that additional maturation will yield much improvement.
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3/19/2017 - bin905 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cinnamon, cedar forest, rose and dried herb scent. Begins with plump, juicy dark fruit and picks up tension mid-palate. Blackberry, spice, mint, mocha and tobacco flavor with ample fine tannins. Initially, upon opening, a bit tight. We will see if it relaxes after breathing. Oh what a difference breathing made - raised the rating two points.
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12/13/2016 - iamandyc wrote: 90 Points
Much better on day #2 -- still lively and young. Dark fruited, somewhat earthy and smokiness. Long finish for Malbec. Well made - not flabby.
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10/2/2016 - bonedoc wrote: 92 Points
Last bottle, still going strong, nice fruit w a bit of smoke, not a lot of secondaries.
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7/29/2016 - bin905 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bursting with fruit and flavor without being over-the-top. A beautiful, voluptuous and well-proportioned wine.
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6/25/2016 - Bellissimo Likes this wine:
Dropped into a decanter. Consumed over the course of 3+ hours.
After 30 minutes really opens up. Dark black cherry, mocha, cinnamon, allspice, kirsch, mocha. So much going on. Luscious mouth feel. Fully integrated tannins. If you have the patience to sit on these for 10 year, congrats, you are in for a treat.
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6/10/2016 - neurovino Likes this wine: 92 Points
What PlaneTX said, and it was good straight out of the bottle - no need for air, although it may have softened slightly over the course of dinner.
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4/17/2016 - PlanetX Likes this wine: 92 Points
Luscious soft dark fruits with well integrated new oak. Can likely go for a few more years.
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4/15/2016 - Zweder wrote: 90 Points
Occasional tasting group (By TBa @ WN Top South America plus some extra's.): In the bouquet black forest fruits and some vanilla. On the palate dark berries, a touch of sweetness, good acidity and slightly sticky tannin. The tannin is slightly sticky and there is some pleasant bitterness. Overall a good wine, but not really complex or exclusive. Young maturity now. Keep until 2018+.
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3/4/2016 - Uncle John wrote: 91 Points
Beautiful dark Malbec fruit but this lacks acidity and structure to be a great bottle.
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11/18/2015 - tantotinto wrote: 91 Points
Soft and mellow at this point. The fruit is less primary. Earth, cherries and dried figs with mulling spices. If not past its best it is at least very different. Still very good but not in the best spot for my palate. Last bottle but would not wait long if I had more.
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6/7/2015 - bin905 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich and lively pure dark berry, spice, mocha and tar flavor with a solid structure.
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5/8/2015 - KC Lawyer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still tangy with fruit that is full but not at all jammy; undertones of spices. Wonderful - wish I could figure out what the best food pairing would be!
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4/29/2015 - bin905 wrote: 92 Points
OMG. Eleven years old and still vibrant and hedonous. Sensuous spice, ripe dark fruit and kirsch aroma. Chocolate, mint and tart red cherry flavor with ample fine tannins and a long finish. My favorite Malbec.
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4/4/2015 - ALJat34OBP wrote:
Drank with Sarah and Andrew
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11/15/2014 - Son888 wrote: 95 Points
Drinking very well pop and poured beautiful malbec dark, well balance
95pts+
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8/7/2014 - luxvin wrote: 90 Points
Paired with grilled steak. Was great.
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6/13/2014 - bonedoc wrote:
Lovely and delicious as last few bottles have been,, going strong, paired well with grilled steak.. 91-93.
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4/22/2014 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Superb nose of blackberry, earth and spice. Black fruit, oak and tobacco flavor. Tart finish. This has come together very well. Exceptional balance at this point. No reason to wait to drink this one. See previous notes for further detail.
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4/22/2014 - Zed57 wrote: 88 Points
Harsher finish than I remembered. It did soften in the decanter but not enough to make me love it.
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2/8/2014 - JohnSh wrote: 90 Points
Hazy notes from last night. This was a rich, ripe wine that had some interesting flavours - deep plums, chocolate, blackfruits, tar. A little too 'slutty' for my tastes, but certainly a well made, concentrated, full bodied malbec. A bit more lift and/or tannins would have improved the wine (A-).
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2/4/2014 - signotim wrote: 88 Points
Blackberry pie and bacon on the nose. Meaty on the palate with a strong savory side. Pretty wound up on day 1... difficult to get through the second glass. Better on day 2 but does not distinguish itself in any way. And it's overpriced for the quality... would not buy again.
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10/15/2013 - vlzat Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wow, in spite of there is New World Malbec it outmatches some grand Cahors wines. It is very fruity but isn't fruit bomb. It isn't "over tannic". It isn't alcoholic. It's elegant enough. Highly recommended.
Medium to full body, dark ruby red color, aromatic, blueberry and black currant aroma, fresh red fruits, blueberry and black current, some chocolate, minerals and pepper notes on the palate, very juicy on finish, extra-long finish, velvety, bold, saturated, juicy, still very fresh, still lightly tannic but firm and nice tannins, well balanced, low acidity but w/o sweet/honey tones, food friendly. Best associated with meat but I has drank it with Far-East food. Serve 16º - 22º. Open 20 – 30 minutes before drinking. At peak now. Drink now and next three or four years.
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9/2/2013 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
Dark purple/black fruits, hints of bitter chocolate, not a lot of sweetness to the fruit. Drink next few yrs.
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8/30/2013 - Ultimatewinekick_Andreas wrote: 93 Points
Best Malbec I have ever tried.
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7/27/2013 - BBinSC wrote: 94 Points
93-95: brilliant wine, great QPR, and still young. Great fruit, with floral notes on palate and nose. Fruit is balanced with thick, chewy tannins and a hint of leather. Color is still vivid. This wine will go another 15 years at least, but is excellent now. Finish is slightly above average, otherwise the rating would have been even higher.
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7/20/2013 - hoops92 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Initial sip a bit harsh. Quickly opened up with black fruits, lasting finish with well balanced oak.
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4/17/2013 - tantotinto wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with my previous note. "Good aromatics of ripe black fruit and earth. Rich blackberry, black cherry, oak and clove flavor. Plush texture and lip smacking acidity. The tannins have subsided considerably. Time hasn't added complexity so much as it has smoothed this wine. The fruit is still intense." Earth is a little more prominent and the fruit a bit more reserve than I recall from the last bottle but that is about it. A couple hours of air really opened it up. Excellent this evening with grilled lamb chops.
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3/22/2013 - Strikermax wrote: flawed
De kurk was aan een kant doorgeslagen en de wijn was helaas kapot.
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2/23/2013 - SimonG wrote: 89 Points
This is a very pleasant surprise. Blue to black or dark red fruit, ripe and rounded with some glycerin, but also a nice freshness and well balanced acidity. Moderate length. Goes predictably well with grilled ribeye. Possibly a slight sense of the 14% alcohol, but I don't really notice it. Good. Top ***
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1/20/2013 - iamandyc wrote: 91 Points
Pnp which was a mistake. Got better as it sat in our glasses. Big wine with dominating fruits and forest floor. Barnyard nose that later blew off.
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12/30/2012 - Zed57 wrote: 92 Points
- Purple color - Beautiful. Sweat blueberry with a very earthy core. The fruit and flowery nose really come to fore with decanting which leads me to think that this has a few years left. Try in a year but don't wait too long
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12/2/2012 - Wink Likes this wine: 92 Points
My last bottle of this excellent Malbec (see previous notes). Dark, opaque garnet. Nose of smoke, blackberry, tobacco, and earth. Ripe, full palate of blackberry, plum, tobacco, and vanilla. Excellent length. Refreshing acidity. Integrated tannins. I don't think this wine will improve with more time. Drink up!
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11/26/2012 - CHarder wrote: 90 Points
medium to full bodied, soft tannins after 1hr in decanter. Drinke really really nicely with a juicy steak.
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11/17/2012 - Poisey Does not like this wine: 87 Points
Dark fuit plumbs,woodsmoke and underbrush. A little high in alcohol. Very dark black colour. Hollow mid pallett. Big finish with integrated tannin and lots of dark fruit. All in all this has a little too much alcohol for my liking.
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7/21/2012 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
We have not opened a bottle of this wine in three years. Purple color. Good aromatics of ripe black fruit and earth. Rich blackberry, black cherry, oak and clove flavour. Plush texture and lip smacking acidity. The tannins have subsided considerably. Time hasn't added compexity so much as it has smoothed this wine. The fruit is still intense but it goes down oh so well. I don't see a need to immediately consume additional bottles but I also see little to be gained from a further wait. Excelente!
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5/13/2012 - Wink wrote: 93 Points
My next to last bottle of this wine. I don't think it can get much better. Tonight it is really outstanding. Opaque purple with garnet rim. Nose of smoke, blackberry, menthol, and fig. Full, ripe palate of blackberry, plum, & spice. Excellent length. Integrated oak. Really delightful acidity. Sweet tannins. Beautiful balance.
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2/22/2012 - Tarrant wrote: 90 Points
This was very good albeit a bit simple - Black, full bodied with a nose of blackfruit, plum,
graphite, cherry and vanilla, good, simple structure and silky sweet on the palate, very tasty! (90 Points).
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2/15/2012 - WG198 wrote: 92 Points
- Garnet color and aromas of raspberry, cherry and vanilla. It's in total harmony and has flavours of cherry, fig and vanilla with a medium body. Polished texture with a medium finish.
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2/4/2012 - bmarshall wrote: 93 Points
This has been hanging in the cellar for about 6 years... Clearly a well made wine in near perfect condition. Dark purple color with no browning around the edges. Vibrant nose is chalked full of berry fruits (raspberry especially) and a healthy does of smokey oak and vanilla. Early after opening it had almost a burgundian character on the nose as well with floral, mineral and pine forest floor notes. The palate was just a touch thin after first opening, but that might have been because the wine needed to warm up from cellar temperature. Once it opened, the palate was elegant and plush with tons of bright red and black fruits. Tannins are mellowing out, but will hang for a while, so this should last 3-4 more years at least. Coats the mouth fully with a finish that lingers 45+ seconds. Bravo!
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12/30/2011 - Whine-oh wrote: 88 Points
Dark n inky, no sed.. nice dark fruits on nose. Modern style. Big fruit up front, that dominates. Actually stood upwelling with Mexican cuisine at Ortegas. Some structure there as well. Not as familiar with malbecs, are they agers?
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12/7/2011 - MightyMike wrote: 91 Points
Modern style with lots of fruit, can be taken for an Aussie shiraz or a Spanish garnacha. Dark berries, leather full body and well integrated. No big difference between first and second day. Still I believe there is som further potential with ageing.
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12/4/2011 - iamandyc wrote: 92 Points
Still drinking well and tasting young. The fruit still dominates. Lots of structure and still some heat
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10/28/2011 - Wink wrote: 92 Points
Haven't had a bottle in 18 months (see 4/18/09 note). Dark opaque purple with ruby tint. Nose of fig, blackberry, and cedar. Ripe, full palate of blackberry and cassis, balanced with bright acidity, integrated oak, and sweet tannins. Excellent length. Structured to last.
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6/5/2011 - ekenneth wrote: 92 Points
Well-balanced, delicious Malbec with the ability to age for a long time. It has bright, crisp red fruit showing with light smoky, leathery characteristics and a (not unpleasant) hint of the vegatal characteristics you sometimes get with French Malbec
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5/1/2011 - Marcyrillo Likes this wine: 91 Points
Macio, complexo, aveludado sem ser "adocicado". Acidez equilibrada e boa a longa persistencia. No auge da fruta e com os taninos ja amaciados. Tomamos com um churrasco de picanha em casa.
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3/26/2011 - Tarokun wrote: 93 Points
awesome! jammy big flavors lasting forever...
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12/29/2010 - tshahar wrote: 90 Points
this one is a nice Malbec but for 40e you want it to be very good, maybe I have should waited 3-4 years and let it develop..
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12/26/2010 - WDK wrote: 94 Points
Developing nicely. Slight amber tone coming through. Medium body. Flavors of black cherry, cassis and fig with noticeable oak that faded with air. Nice finish with good fruit, tannin and acid in balance.
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12/25/2010 - Strikermax wrote: 92 Points
Donkerpaars van kleur. Aroma met leer, pure chocolade, mokka en espresso. Zwart fruit, rijpe kersen, mokka en aarde in de smaak. Lange afdronk, zijdezacht. Een genot!
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11/27/2010 - iamandyc wrote: 92 Points
Note quite as good as last bottle but very enjoyable. Fruit driven but with depth to the flavors. Well balanced given its enormity. Stood up well after the 2002 Almaviva.
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11/18/2010 - Yiannis wrote: 93 Points
Now the oak is fully integrated. Very dark, almost opaq with purple hues. Very expressive nose with ink, graphite, anise and dark berries. Full-bodied with silky tanins, very rich fruit, sweetness and balancing acidity. Long finish. Excellent for what it is.
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11/18/2010 - Stefanos T. wrote: 93 Points
Drank with my friend Yiannis. Opaque coloured with still purple rim. Nose exhibits loads of ink, graphite on a background of sweet bramble fruit and cherry. Full bodied with sweet fruit, high acidity which balances the fruit. Very soft and rounded no rough edges with full ripe tannins and good finish. Although full bodied it is not tiring although it might be difficult to match with food as it can be overpowering. A simple dish however lets one enjoy this generous wine.
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10/14/2010 - markjanes wrote:
continued from below...
This wine is the ultimate crowd pleaser, it is the ultimate educational tool to distinguish bitterness (a sensation processed by taste buds) and astringency (a sensation processed by free nerve endings) as this wine is astringent as can be (more tannins whether or not polymerized = more astringency) yet not very bitter (more short chain tannins = more bitterness). The wine reminds me of Casa Lapostolle's wines... well made, very high pH, very 'worked,' very likable. 'Very good' to 'excellent' wine at best as it lacks balance and expression of place (though 'extraordinary' wine for its style) but boy will it be loved! Drink now... they already did the aging of this wine for you, in fact it will get bitter as it ages as the tannins will fall out of polymerization and then the wine is astringent and bitter. Sorry so long, this bottle was fascinating!
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10/14/2010 - markjanes wrote: 88 Points
Very deeply colored, intensely colored rim indicated extreme extraction techniques, rim still has purple, ruby hue. On the nose the wine is very intense with loads of dark berry fruit, tons of baking spices/some nice vanilla notes from new barriques, some florality... still quite primary and very fruit dominated. On the palate the wine has average acidity, as lush and broad of a midpalate as you can imagine, a very nice transition into a finsih that has some of the most polymerized tannins I have come across all year... they are ripe, but not obnoxiously so and there are tons of them, moderate + alcohol. Quality wise the wine is too soft with the acidity and tannins no match for the enormous midpalate sweetness/ETOH... very good length, insane intensity, average complexity at this stage. The wine isn't full of finesse but isn't clumsy so much, the texture is as lush as lush can be, and expression of place is so, so... it does scream "overworked" Argentinean malbec but not sure that counts so much for 'great' expression of place.
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8/12/2010 - slapshot1321 wrote: 96 Points
What a wonderful wine. The tannins integrate seamlessly with the lush fruit, and it just tastes delicious. I don't think I've ever had a better malbec. Tasted twice, two years apart.
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7/13/2010 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Sweet, crunchy red fruits overlaying a scorched earth base. Some nice floral tones.
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7/10/2010 - manonthemoon wrote: 93 Points
Notes from day 2. Dark purple to black in color. Nose of vanilla, blackberry, boysenberry, licorice. Palate of blackberry, boysenberry, licorice, earth, cocoa dust. The finish is long and there is good balance to this full bodied wine. Drink or hold. 50+5+12+18+8
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3/8/2010 - jahlove Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wow. This wine is really singing right now. Compared with my last tasting, the oak has fully integrated (for my palate at least). Lots of chocolate and dark, dark fruit. Showing a little bit of leather that I didn't get before. Perhaps some complexity coming out with some additional age. But this is really on a plateau right now and should be there for a few years yet. But hard to imagine it getting any better. Rich, long and satisfying.
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2/14/2010 - LelouchViBritannia wrote: 92 Points
Excellent, well made malbec. Great pairing with steak. Ruby rim, Thick liqueur, full body, Strong raspberry liqueur, raspberry fruit, dark full body, lush, semi sweet, medium finish. Only set back as it being a little oak, and needed food to go with. Can probably last another 5-8 years. 92+
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1/13/2010 - WDK wrote: 93 Points
Oaky at first, but then a creamy delicious red.
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1/1/2010 - OTTnMIA wrote: 92 Points
Wow, what a bottle of wine! Best Malbec I have had to date. Clssic Malbec nose of dense brambley fruit. Explosive huge palette of plum, chocolate, pomagranate, "purple" fruits. Amazing!, and worth every penny!!
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12/24/2009 - Arch57 wrote: 92 Points
We did a pop & pour on this one during Christmas Eve dinner after experiencing a 1981 Gran Reserva Rioja that was outstanding. At first the contrast was very stark with the tannins jumping out. However, after a couple of hours (and after finishing the 1981 wine), the Malbec calmed down and behind the tannins was some very solid fruit with a nice long finish. I was very impressed with the last few sips and would caution to decant for 1-2 hours or hold for 2-4 years.
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10/24/2009 - 2Travel wrote: 92 Points
Solid wine, a little more tannin than I remembered, or expect from a Malbec.
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10/22/2009 - 2Travel wrote: 93 Points
Deep core of fruit. Nice backbone of acidity.
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9/7/2009 - tantotinto wrote: 93 Points
Great, full aroma of black fruit and spice. The tannins are still noticeable but less pronounced than I expected. They blend well with the fruit. The flavor is blackberry and black cherry with a bit of earthiness. This is subtle and balanced, smooth and elegant. Very sophisticated glass of Malbec.
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5/8/2009 - gdm1 wrote: 94 Points
One of the best Malbecs I've tasted. Nice fruit that wasn't overpowering. Very well balanced.
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4/18/2009 - Wink wrote: 92 Points
Drank with pork tenderloin. Served to guests from Australia. Didn't take notes. Year after year, Catena Alta Malbec is exceptional. Wonderful full palate, balanced with acidity, oak, tannins. Malbec doesn't get much better!
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3/9/2009 - CamWheeler wrote: 88 Points
Fairly luscious fruit on the nose with red berries, licorice and blackcurrant prominent along with a fair bit of cedar. The acid stands out a bit from the rest of the components on the palate and while the finish is of decent length it probably needs food to shine.
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3/1/2009 - valecnik wrote: 89 Points
A monster of a wine, packed with dark fruit. Inky, opaque purple color. Brooding, with dark chocolate and cedar. Oak treatment is obvious but there is balance too. Refined tannins.
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2/13/2009 - ChinonRouge wrote:
I really don't remember the tasting profile of this wine as I drank it 1 week ago. It was ok, but nothing memorable. Definitely not very high on my radar screen for future purchases.
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2/3/2009 - jswanson wrote: 93 Points
Very nice wine.....First Malbec and I'm impressed. Excellent almost sweet fruit (not a bomb) and mild oak and chocolate on the nose and palate. Very long finsh and drinkable now. Very impressive.
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1/24/2009 - Yiannis wrote: 89 Points
Dark purple with bluish tints. Reductive aromas appear initially, but soon give way to dark berries, chocolate, coffee, spices and sweet oak. Full bodied, round and smooth, with rich but juicy tannins, very rich fruit and moderate acidity. Oak presence is obvious but the richness of fruit prevents it from being dominant. Very long finish (cocoa and coffee + dark fruit). A very good wine, but not up to my expectations (which were addmittedly too high). Trapiche single vineyard malbecs are much closer to what I expect from a super-premium Mendoza malbec.
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1/10/2009 - Squilber wrote: 92 Points
A very nice wine with silky smooth tannins along with dark fruit, cherry, spice. coffee and mocha flavors. This is a great bargain for less than $40 and a wonderful Malbec. Drinking nice now but can last for 2-3 more years.
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12/18/2008 - pmk wrote: 92 Points
decanted for 1hour -- complex nose and taste, deep dark fruit followed by wonderful spice, then hints of dark berry as it fades on the palate. long finish, well structured with well mannered tannins. Drink now.
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12/16/2008 - dbkitc wrote: 92 Points
(at Alma de Cuba – Philadelphia) no formal notes, but a very energetic, well balanced and satisfying wine. Good depth and complexity – will improve with 3 to 4 years in the cellar. (92+)
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12/6/2008 - fjv3 wrote: 94 Points
Plush and silky. Generous fruit with balanced structure. Right in its wheelhouse right now.
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11/26/2008 - Wine Consultant wrote: 92 Points
Magnifico, altamente recomendado....
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10/15/2008 - Marcyrillo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excelente vinho. Frutado, intenso, complexo, maravilhoso! Acredito que deve evoluir na garrafa ainda mais. Um clássico.
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10/8/2008 - THaas wrote: 95 Points
Big fruit, with smooth but firm tannins. Lightly oaked, with lots of cassis and berry. Drink before 2015
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9/26/2008 - cmr wrote: 91 Points
This went from 89-92 throughout the night. From the start had great full body and structure but was a little closed. With a little air time <1 hour started to open up with some very nice berry fruits on the nose and palate and after 2 hours opened up really nice coming together great with a stronger fruit presence and silkier mouth feel. Also started to show a nice oak component that was very nicely balanced.
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9/22/2008 - KC Lawyer wrote: 88 Points
Very fruit forward, and a rather thin finish. Tasted after a dinner of steak, red bell pepper risotto and chopped salad with a 2001 Paraduxx - so sort of a hard act to follow; but this very highly rated wine didn't live up to its expectations. Might benefit from a few more years in the cellar. Good? Without doubt. Outstanding. No, at least not yet.
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9/15/2008 - jusuf Likes this wine: 95 Points
Malbec at its best. Super nose with plum, blackberry, vanilla, a hint of black tea and tobacco. Velvety and firm texture on the palate. Tannins are still noticeable, the wine should still get better. The finish lasts over 45 seconds.
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7/5/2008 - iamandyc wrote: 94 Points
Great bottle. Went wonderfully with steaks.Balanced with good structure. Not quite as velvety as the 2003. Excellent.
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7/2/2008 - Pablo T wrote: 91 Points
Drank after a barolo, so the fruit on the nose of the Catena Alta was almost overwhelming. Plums, raspberries, and vanilla on the nose. Will wait for a few years to crack the next one.
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6/27/2008 - pmk wrote: 93 Points
dark berry scent with hints of blueberry and rasberry; wonderful mouthfeel, soft tannins, deep berry on the palate, followed by hints of spice, then with a satisfying dry fruit long finish. very well balanced. a real winner with food! Improved overthe course of the first hour.
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6/25/2008 - nschmidt wrote: 89 Points
Drank at Peter Shields. Very likeable, smooth with good structure.
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5/16/2008 - koflaher wrote: 92 Points
Very dark, rich, full and thick mouthfeel. Notes of chocolate, some earth, and toffee predominate along with dark dark fruits - cassis. Almost too much and not for everyone, but a rich wine with sufficient structure to really be a treat. Decanted about an hour the first night and then drank over two nights - it did not miss a beat.
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5/3/2008 - WineForRob wrote: 92 Points
Wine Spectator Grand Tour (Las Vegas): Very ripe aromas of raspberry and blackberries. very big wine with some bitter chocolate overtones. Building tannins.
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5/3/2008 - cpowell wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic Malbec, deep purple, notes of chocolate and berries....how good is that? Very high quality, should last for a few years.
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4/15/2008 - Kamikaze wrote: 93 Points
Amazing bottle, amazing year. Approachable now if properly decanted.
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3/31/2008 - Yagil wrote: 94 Points
WS 2007-2010
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3/22/2008 - SMG wrote: 93 Points
Decanted and drank over three hours. Big nose of coffee, mocha, tobacco, vanilla and some dark fruits. Very nice mouthfeel. Drinking very well now - young but the tannins are integrated. A nice wine and I will pick up a few more to age a few years.
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3/14/2008 - Tabi wrote: 90 Points
Not generally a big fan of "new world" wines but this malbec was a very nice wine and not too "fruit forward". I suspect that with a few years a cellaring, it will only get better.
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2/6/2008 - hutch wrote: 94 Points
Catena Tasting: This was a rocking bottle of wine. Beautiful nose. Stunning on the palate, with a seamless integration of the myriad flavors and structural components. Nothing sticks out. A great mesh of rustic flavors and phenolics with super smooth fruit and soft oak. Ridiculously easy to drink right now. I would have been happy with this even if it was priced like the Zapata... 93-94
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1/6/2008 - hamiltonc wrote: 91 Points
Same mouthfeel, cocoa, and dark berries as last time (decanted an hour), but this time (pop and pour) the oak was very prominent.
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12/30/2007 - hamiltonc wrote: 92 Points
Velvety in the mouth. Cocoa. Dark berries. Would be great with food. Great Value at $35.
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12/29/2007 - KJL473 wrote: 92 Points
Dark purple color. For the first two hours after decanting the nose was almost entirely of chocolate, tobacco, vanilla, and herbal and also earthy hints with a little bit of blackberry peaking through. Later the fruit started to come through. On the palate there was moderate firm tannins and good acidity. Very nice mouthfeel. Dark fruit and spice flavors. Very nice long finish.
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12/21/2007 - jahlove wrote: 92 Points
Decanted and drank over four hours. In the beginning, an onslaught of oak on the nose, but that settled down after a couple of hours. The nose reminds me of a fancy Starbucks coffee, with vanilla and mocha aromas followed by a touch of smoke and earth. Fig and zesty dark berry flavors join in on the palate. Very lucious and creamy mouthfeel to this wine. Firm tannins, but don't know how much of it is from the fruit or the oak. A little more oak than I prefer but its still a stunner. Guaranteed to please the New World crowd.
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12/17/2007 - Claudio161 wrote: 92 Points
South American Wine Blind Tasting (Tango Sur Restaurant, Chicago, IL (Northside)): Sight: A very dark wine that gives a rich impression. Medium low viscosity.
Nose: Nice mixture of dark tree and shrub fruits comes across first. Some bittersweete chocolate notes and some mishroom smells and maybe some attic mustiness. A flirtation with anise here and there as well.
Taste: A big boy. Blue fruits like blueberry and plums. Rich loamy mouthfeel that finishes fairly long. Good balance on attack, mid palate, and finish. Taninns still have good grip so there is some aging ability too.
Overall: Very nice wine that is balanced well. 92 points.
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12/17/2007 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
south of the border night (tango sur, chicago IL): nose: really well integrated fruit forward nose. mostly getting chocolate, lots of dark fruit, and some dust on the nose too
taste: wow, real big mouth feel. chocolate, coffee, and dark fruit just permeate the pallate. real great grip on the mouth too
overall: really good stuff. great grip and structure. This is just so well integrated and isn't over the top in its fruit forwardness. extremely well made wine that has some ageability too
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12/17/2007 - Steve Jones wrote: 91 Points
South American Wine Tasting Diner (Tango Sur, Chicago, IL): Catena Alta 2004 Malbec Argentina. This wine had ahuge cocoa nose with intense flavorful fruits and cab like flavors. I loved this one, too. 91 points.
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11/2/2007 - Umay Ceviker wrote: 93 Points
100% malbec. Understanable from the deep ruby, almost black colour. Intense black fruit; blackberry and black mulberry aromas, layered with beautiful spice; cinnamon, cloves and blackpepper to follow. Round, velvety, fruity, spicy palate very well balanced with good structure. Never used so many "blacks" in the same tasting note before. Great quality, outstanding wine.
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8/21/2007 - Vinho wrote: 91 Points
Jantar com José Galante (Ilha das Flores): NM. Violáceo fechado, tinge a taça. Aromas minerais, tostados e de frutos negros, envoltos por baunilha elegante. Sedoso, grande concentração de fruta, taninos numerosos mas doces, arredondados. Acidez presente, embora a maciez do vinho a encubra em certos momentos. O/E.
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5/15/2007 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
Tasted all the component parts separately with the winemaker. Clear differences in vineyard character, but overall the finished product was the most balanced. Full purple/red color. Lovely medium forward nose of complex floral spicy acid and black fruit. Lovely complex round spicy red and black fruit with a nice round long finish. Clear upside here. 93+ pts.
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