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2006
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2006 Cameron Hughes Malbec Lot 52 |
| Vintage | Type | Producer | Variety | Designation | Vineyard | Country | Region | SubRegion | Appellation | Options | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Red | Cameron Hughes (web) | Malbec | Lot 52 | n/a | Argentina | Mendoza | Maipú | n/a | Show variety and appellation |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average 84.9 pts. and median of 85 pts. in 17 notes) | |
| Tasted by Sauvyfan on 5/17/2010 & rated 88 points: Nice nose. Black fruit, vanilla, smooth tannin. Good balance, fruit, and medium bodied. Finish is of adequate length. (205 views) | |
| Tasted by jsiegel on 2/6/2010 & rated 88 points: Smooth and easy to drink. Nothing particularly special about it, but certainly a good drinking bottle with dinner. (348 views) | |
| Tasted by Cabfrancophile on 1/16/2010 & rated 78 points: Raisin/prune aromas with some crude oil (sulfides?). Overripe, pure and simple. Simple, one-dimensional. Flabby. Too much prune. Prune juice + tannins. (441 views) | |
| Tasted by merlot78 on 12/31/2009 & rated 90 points: The best Malbec that I have had. It seemed to be in perfect balance. Boquet was minimal. Color was adark purple. The darkest I have ever seen. No harshness whatsoever. (504 views) | |
| Tasted by Grillgod on 12/1/2009 & rated 86 points: Dark purple color. Not much nose at first. Plum and a touch of blueberry on the palate. Very acidic, a little too much for my taste by itself, but cheese, crackers, nuts, and a little guacamole take the bite out of it. (657 views) | |
| Tasted by schnittle on 11/28/2009 & rated 85 points: (481 views) | |
| Tasted by Cabfrancophile on 3/13/2009 & rated 86 points: Solid, but not spectacular. Lots of blackberry on the nose that disappeared after an hour plus decant. An apple aroma appeared for a while. Later there was a strong iron-mineral aroma. The palate is fairly concentrated with nice continuity. Minimal oak influence. Tasty and clean through the finish. Nice overall balance with moderate, smooth tannins, but lacking bouquet or wow factor to be more than very good. (993 views) | |
| Tasted by rickerm on 3/13/2009 & rated 84 points: (808 views) | |
| Tasted by rickerm on 3/8/2009 & rated 84 points: Smooth, reasonable table wine. No bold flavors but no off tastes. (1031 views) | |
| Tasted by BrewWench on 1/14/2009 & rated 80 points: (821 views) | |
| Tasted by Frumoose on 12/7/2008: very dry, but not much aroma or flavor.........nothing wrong with it, but nothing special. Would not buy again. (1071 views) | |
| Tasted by jdabrowski1027 on 11/10/2008 & rated 85 points: (830 views) | |
| Tasted by Acohen on 9/30/2008 & rated 83 points: A little disjointed and not well integrated (1032 views) | |
| Tasted by BrewWench on 9/15/2008 & rated 80 points: Nothing too memorable about this wine. Some structure, some tannins. (1098 views) | |
| Tasted by carmenem on 8/19/2008 & rated 87 points: (881 views) | |
| Tasted by payneclay on 8/1/2008 & rated 87 points: (861 views) | |
| Tasted by fast ralph on 7/14/2008 & rated 87 points: Very much like the Lot 51. Quite pleasant to drink now (no strong tannin but just enough). I think this (these) a very good value. (1062 views) |
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| Producer website
Lot 52 Vintage: 2006 Grape: Malbec Alcohol by volume: 14.5% Production: 1,800 cases Release date: July 22, 2007 Taste: I recently tasted this with the sommelier for the new Epic Roasthouse on the waterfront and she said it was the best Malbec she has ever tasted at this price point. The wine is dark purple with a spicy nose of blue-tinted fruit.On the palate bold, dark luscious fruit enveloped by a backbone of smooth, silky tannin that you've come to expect from great Malbecs. Smoky and graceful, this wine exudes "terroir." Drinks great right now but definitely shows you it has the structure to lie down and age gracefully. Cameron Confidential: This wine comes to us from a couple of gentlemen down in the Southern Hemisphere who retired out of the finance world to follow their dreams. We’ve become friends after spending a glorious week of non-stop wine tasting at VinExpo? in Bordeaux. But, alas, we promise anonymity in exchange for unbelievable pricing. They somehow heard about us from friends here in the states and sent up samples. I bought the first two wines they put in front of me, the second wine being the Lot 52 Valle de Uco Malbec, again from Mendoza. Winemaker John visited the winery to oversee the bottling and sent up these notes: Comprising almost the entire southern half of South America, Argentina is the world's eighth largest country. Argentina possesses some of the world's tallest mountains, expansive deserts, exciting waterfalls and wonderful wines. A lot of these wines have normally not left the country previously as domestic consumption and knowledge have kept them at home. Originally from France, Malbec was introduced into Argentina in the 1860’s. The abundance of sunshine – the sun is on the national flag - suits the variety perhaps more so than its origin and now produces softer tannin and richer fruit styles and has been embraced by the Argentines as their national variety. 52 comes from the Uco Valley just outside Mendoza which is probably one of the most stunning settings for a vineyard I have ever seen. The “valley” is actually at 1200 metres and right at the base of the Andes Mountains. The reason that this area is gaining prominence is that along with the abundance of solar radiation it has more significant thermal differences which consequence in slower maturation which, in the case of red wines, result in the tannins and the color becoming fixed in the grape skins giving an added intensity and structure. Also being a slightly cooler area the wine has retained a good acidity which is encouraged for prolonged aging. As it is one of the cooler regions it is also one of the newly developed regions and the winery is a trans-located example of a winery from the Napa Valley. Impeccably laid out, there is nothing that is left to chance. Labels even have their own temperature controlled room while awaiting application to the bottle. The facilities are used by some of the world’s most famous winemakers and while the scope for experimentation continues we have crafted an example of Malbec that shines with some of the other facets of this appealing varietal. The intensity of flavour continuum persist with characters like spice, anis, thyme and light tobacco. It was a subject of little debate during the tasting but the agreement was that this wine will become the stronger of the siblings given a bit of aging. About Red Wines 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. 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 |
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