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2004 Achaval-Ferrer Malbec |
| Vintage | 2004 |  Label 1 of 6   | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Achaval-Ferrer (web) | ||
| Variety | Malbec | ||
| Designation | n/a | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | Argentina | ||
| Region | Mendoza | ||
| SubRegion | Lujan de Cuyo | ||
| Appellation | n/a | ||
| UPC Code | 874053006049 |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average 88.4 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 25 notes) | |
| Tasted by tj4short on 11/26/2009 & rated 84 points: (235 views) | |
| Tasted by gportilla on 11/18/2009: Achaval-Ferrer 2004 Malbecs: Fruit a bit faded on the nose and palate. Medium bodied but just a pleasant quaffing wine. Drink up anything left. Looser of the night. (317 views) | |
| Tasted by HTN on 6/13/2009 & rated 90 points: (660 views) | |
| Tasted by HTN on 6/13/2009 & rated 90 points: (660 views) | |
| Tasted by french16 on 4/4/2009 & rated 90 points: Very good. Elegant and playing finesse. Nice fresh cassis with a whiff of menthol on the nose. Graphite notes add complexity. Med body, fresh acidity, smooth tannins, some plum and floral notes. It's still somewhat shy so i'd keep it a little more. (957 views) | |
| Tasted by mpricher on 11/21/2008 & rated 89 points: This is a dark purple Malbec, barely see your fingers in the bottom wine. Not over the top, and well suited to hearty meals. Dark Blackberry and boyensenberry fruit on the nose and the palette. Hides nothing in the rich flavors, white pepper, leather, cocoa and sweat-tart on the back end of the palette. A fine bottle to share with food or sip afterward. (1077 views) | |
| Tasted by rfras on 3/29/2008 & rated 88 points: Nice Malbec with cherry and coffee flavors. Full bodied with deep red ruby color. (1490 views) | |
| Tasted by Bobo N on 1/12/2008 & rated 90 points: WS nailed this review -- Bold plum and blueberry dominate w/ flowery nose tending toward violets and a beam of graphite makes its way through the fruit. Not the most complex or structured bottle of wine as somewhere between mid-palate and finish there is a big fade, but a great QPR and very nice for Malbec lovers. (1689 views) | |
| Tasted by Greg_O on 12/21/2007 & rated 92 points: Wow, big fruit nose. Blackcurrents and graphite with dusty tannins which bring a nice milk chocolate component to the mid palate. Somewhat disappointing finish. All in all a very nice wine with enough complexity to balance the delicious fruit. These guys know what to do with Malbec. (1828 views) | |
| Tasted by unrelenting on 11/17/2007 & rated 91 points: One of the best value wines out there. (1856 views) | |
| Tasted by cvvhrn on 9/25/2007 & rated 88 points: A very nice malbec. Hints of brown gravy and berries on the nose with hints of mulled cider, spice and dark fruit on the palate. Decent finish. (2169 views) | |
| Tasted by rmodak on 3/27/2007 & rated 89 points: Loads of blackberry concentrate, graphite, black pepper and smoke. The palate is marked by very high acid instead of creaminess I get in the single vineyard wines. Perhaps a bit rustic, this is nontheless complex, pleasurable wine that would do better with food. I might age for another year to let the acid integrate as the fruit is full and alive. (2748 views) | |
| Tasted by Barberolo on 2/14/2007: very dark opaque purple, big nose of black fruit, smoke, meat, earth and graphite, big extracted fruit with earthy meaty character, oak and extraction are prominent, big chewy tannins and med- acidity, big and straightforward. grilled steak, chops. 2G (Republic, 18.00) (2636 views) | |
| Tasted by amax on 2/10/2007 & rated 88 points: full bodied, deep ruby color. If allowed 30 minutes of aeration I think it would have been even better. Unfortunately, the bargain price is past. (2597 views) | |
| Tasted by Anonymous on 11/23/2006 & rated 85 points: (2268 views) | |
| Tasted by losvinhos on 11/4/2006 & rated 88 points: Ruby intenso e escuro parecendo suco de uva. Manchei as maos ao abrir. Aromas levemente adocicados de ameixa em geléia e especiarias. Na boca encorpado, opulento, muita intensidade de fruta, bastante acidez, taninos pouco marcantes e com leve sobra de alcoool e amargor no final. Características claras do novo mundo com muita intensidade, concentração e recheio. Boa persistência. Falta um pouco de equilibrio. Muito bom. (4048 views) | |
| Tasted by stevenp22 on 10/29/2006 & rated 89 points: Let breathe for at least 20 minutes before drinking (3033 views) | |
| Tasted by amax on 10/7/2006 & rated 88 points: Big, full bodied bottle of wine, with deep ruby color. Fruity, some tannin still apparent. Very enjoyable bottle even without food to accompany. This could imrove with some time. (3110 views) | |
| Tasted by Squeeze on 9/6/2006 & rated 90 points: I really enjoyed this wine. Definitely full bodied perhaps a little off balanced, but it had good complexity. Nice tobacco with strong stone fruit, a couple of sips it tasted on the verge of being a fruit bomb, but that passed. Just as good after being open 24hrs. Will buy more and hope to try some of their higher end blends. (3438 views) | |
| Tasted by dougsmith on 6/12/2006 & rated 86 points: Deep ruby color. On the nose, bitter black fruit and spice. On the palate there is a hint of fig jam with the black fruit. The scorched quality is more evident as well with a smoky astringency to the fruit that is a little off-putting. Maybe youthful awkwardness? (4040 views) | |
| Tasted by mmurry on 5/30/2006 & rated 86 points: Deep, dark ruby. A powerful nose of blackberry, cherry, spice, and road tar. Thick and full in the mouth of loads of black fruit, spice, and graphite. The tannins on this are pretty soft, but the acid is fairly high. The finish long, but a little hot. Not bad, but could be a little more balanced. (3863 views) | |
| Tasted by alliesteve on 4/15/2006 & rated 88 points: (2877 views) | |
| Tasted by ths on 3/20/2006: Odd phenolic taste, perhaps corresponds to some of the other 'odd' comments about this wine. Would rate in the 70's so there might be something wrong with the bottle. No score. (4322 views) | |
| Tasted by ScottG on 3/10/2006 & rated 88 points: Tasty Malbec. Nice nose with earth and cherry. Some spice, coffee, and fruit. A touch of odd sweetness, but otherwise a likeable wine. (4496 views) | |
| Tasted by rmodak on 12/10/2005 & rated 88 points: Very young at this stage, wait at least a year. (4296 views) |
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| 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”. About red wine 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. Because if its balance and fruit, 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 and chicken, pâté, spinach soufflé, and 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. 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. Wines of Mendoza Argentine Malbec Producers Luján de Cuyo (Municipalidad de Luján de Cuyo) |
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