Root Day - decanted off about a teaspoon of fine sediment. Dark purple/garnet core out to a purple tinged rim. Little sign of development. On the nose there’s tobacco, leather, damp earth, spice, chocolate and dark plum. On the palate the tobacco and leather are the first flavours followed by dark fruit and spice. The fruit and spice continue into the long finish with the leather and tobacco. This is surprisingly undeveloped with the exception of the soft but present ripe tannins. Slightly disappointed with it as there’s not a ton of complexity showing. It seems a bit simple. Over the course of four hours it smoothed out even more with some dark chocolate showing up in the finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
In Its optimal drinking window. Nose has become softer compared to few years back. . Palette as well. Vanilla, chocolate. Very nice. Can easily hold a few more years as tannins are still alive on the back palette. Served this with bbq’ed deer meat. Very nice pairing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This has become such a beautifully matured wine. Color is a vibrant deep ruby. Red/black forrest fruits on the nose, mingled with some vanilla, dark chocolate and sweet spices, cloves. The palette is sweet fruit galore with enough acidity to keep things in check. Well integrated oak and tannins, delivering a lingering creamy and slightly spicy aftertaste. Love this. (94+)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Sad to have to drink this but sometimes it is just time. Dense cherry dark with some lingering tannins. Long aftertaste. Meat wine. Strong and powerful yet elegant. Why did I not buy 6 of this? We will never know.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Still flamboyant and fruity. Ripe black fruits, oak,vanilla,cloves. On the palette this explodes with ripe fruit, silky tannins and closing with a line of acidity that lifts it up and makes the aftertaste freshly lingering and alive. My guess is this is getting into its proper drinking window. No hurry either: will probably last another decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red inky color. Smells like very ripe red fruits with some minty and woody vanilla notes in the background. Though this bottle carries 15% alcohol in does not smell at all like it. Very well integrated. It is lighter in taste than I would have expected. Very very soft tannins. Good descent aftertaste. I would buy again in an instant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
In a good place right now as the structure is no longer forbidding. The concentrated, bitter-sweet fruit surrounds the tongue and works its way inward but feels somehow hindered.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Ridiculously delicious....rich but focused fruit. Obvious but not excessive French oak, ultimately lacks complexity, but still really delicious and enjoyable...a "blockbuster" style of wine, but the rare example that doesn't tire your palate within the course of a glass....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted too short time because the chosen wine (a silly Barbera) was found wanting for one of this World's greatest restaurants 90 mins before leaving for the restaurant...
Purple colour, no sediment (!) and intensely rich color. Nose is with Malbec blueberries and several other components. Insanely young and is screaming of infanticide. In the mouth, it is separated: acids do their thang, fruit does its thing and tannins do their dang... But there is incredible depth in there. Absolutely fabulous! When it all comes together, this will be a World Class great wine. Yay! :) Really, really looking forward to our 2nd and final btl in maybe 10 yrs from now... Depending on what is written about the ~100 btls in CTers' cellars. Wife: 94p. Lunch at L'Effervescence.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over a 4 day period. PnP. Fruits hidden a bit on day 1 from the massive tannins. However on day 2 and 4 this wine really shined! Fruit, tannin, acidity were beautifully intertwined to make a delicious, 30 second long finish. Probably the best Malbec I have ever had! Wish I had more of these... Certainly enjoyable now w a long decant but will likely improve over the next decade and beyond
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
First sip was lovely but after an hour this wine became super complex and amazibg. Deep dark briary fruit with super rich mouth feel. Dense and chewy with an endless finish. At this price, I wish I bought 2 cases!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I tried the '08 of this Vina Frederico alongside another '08 single vineyard Malbec from Trapiche - the Biniana Coletto. I found both to be pretty similar really. This had perhaps slightly more concentration, intensity and depth but was also less soft and supple. Perhaps a few more years in bottle this one may show even better than the other. Still, like many Malbecs, I found these to be a bit firm for my taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Served with a chimichurri topped steak salad, a solid pairing. The bite of the sauce seemed to tame the riper elements of the wine, and create a pretty nice pairing as a whole. Complex, but full of dark purpley fruits and spice. As dinner was finished, and the wine was tasted without the benefit of food, the 15% alcohol showed fig and vanilla elements, no harm though for such a young wine. Great by at PC for $25.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
(Malbec day at WineGate) Deep purple/opaque color. Thick nose, very concentrated, deep fruity core, plum, raspberry, toasted notes, jam-my (but fresh and not on the stewed side), vanilla, nutmeg, smoke and chocolate. Full in the palate, big but also juicy tannins, high acidity offering balance even though it does feel young still, medium body and medium to long aftertaste. It feels a bit hard now but I can easily see this ageing gracefully for 5-10 years. Hopefully it will acquire those 1-2 extra points that will save me from getting torn to pieces again by YIANNIS for scoring too strictly !!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very dark purple, almost opaq. Expressive nose with blackberries, sweet spices, cherry jam and herbal scents like licorice, fennel and eucalypt. Full-bodied, dense, with firm but juicy tannins, sufficient acidity and rich, ripe but by no means stewed fruit. Long aftertaste. I would recommend keeping it for a couple of years in the cellar, though no one will regret opening it right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bible black and brooding. Very forthcoming nose. A heft of black fruit on the palate. Vibrating with fruit (batteries not included). A bit monolithic but the fruit is excellent. A lot of enjoyment to drink now. Though I suspect it has a reasonable life ahead of it I'm not sure how much complexity this will develop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I have never been let down by a single vineyard Trapiche Malbec, and this was no exception. Very dark purple. Blackberry jam, blueberries, plum, fruit cake, vanilla, anise and smoke on the nose. Full-bodied yet nicely balanced with rich, ripe fruit, velvety tannins and balancing acidity. Very long aftertaste. Still too young and somewhat disjoint, will benefit from 3-6 years of cellaring. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1/21/2024 - biggie Likes this wine: 90 Points
Root Day - decanted off about a teaspoon of fine sediment. Dark purple/garnet core out to a purple tinged rim. Little sign of development. On the nose there’s tobacco, leather, damp earth, spice, chocolate and dark plum. On the palate the tobacco and leather are the first flavours followed by dark fruit and spice. The fruit and spice continue into the long finish with the leather and tobacco. This is surprisingly undeveloped with the exception of the soft but present ripe tannins. Slightly disappointed with it as there’s not a ton of complexity showing. It seems a bit simple.
Over the course of four hours it smoothed out even more with some dark chocolate showing up in the finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2023 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 94 Points
In Its optimal drinking window. Nose has become softer compared to few years back. . Palette as well. Vanilla, chocolate. Very nice. Can easily hold a few more years as tannins are still alive on the back palette.
Served this with bbq’ed deer meat. Very nice pairing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2022 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has become such a beautifully matured wine. Color is a vibrant deep ruby. Red/black forrest fruits on the nose, mingled with some vanilla, dark chocolate and sweet spices, cloves. The palette is sweet fruit galore with enough acidity to keep things in check. Well integrated oak and tannins, delivering a lingering creamy and slightly spicy aftertaste. Love this. (94+)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2021 - hdn Likes this wine: 91 Points
Stevig wijntje, heel donker, kruidig, warm. Wel tamelijk veel heel fijn bezinksel in de fles ( beetje modder achtig ).
Mooi
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2018 - Rollerball wrote: 90 Points
Still needs a good long decant. But the dark berry fruit runs deep. I’d hold off a few more years if possible. 2022-2027
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/9/2018 - Steff wrote: 92 Points
Sad to have to drink this but sometimes it is just time. Dense cherry dark with some lingering tannins. Long aftertaste. Meat wine. Strong and powerful yet elegant. Why did I not buy 6 of this? We will never know.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/12/2018 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 94 Points
Still flamboyant and fruity. Ripe black fruits, oak,vanilla,cloves. On the palette this explodes with ripe fruit, silky tannins and closing with a line of acidity that lifts it up and makes the aftertaste freshly lingering and alive. My guess is this is getting into its proper drinking window. No hurry either: will probably last another decade.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/10/2017 - Marcosuru wrote:
Ready to drink, maybe fading.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/17/2017 - Wine4Life Likes this wine: 91 Points
Drinking perfect!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2016 - vr.bart Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark red inky color. Smells like very ripe red fruits with some minty and woody vanilla notes in the background. Though this bottle carries 15% alcohol in does not smell at all like it. Very well integrated. It is lighter in taste than I would have expected. Very very soft tannins.
Good descent aftertaste. I would buy again in an instant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/7/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 90 Points
In a good place right now as the structure is no longer forbidding. The concentrated, bitter-sweet fruit surrounds the tongue and works its way inward but feels somehow hindered.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/18/2014 - robmillis Likes this wine: 89 Points
Quick to open up in the glass, rich with fruit, ready to drink over next 5+ years. Beautiful, accessible. Good QPR.
Plum, tobacco, molasses, oak, smoke; undercurrent akin to a rich steak sauce but wrapped up in a fruit bomb.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/28/2014 - Employee500 wrote: 93 Points
Ridiculously delicious....rich but focused fruit. Obvious but not excessive French oak, ultimately lacks complexity, but still really delicious and enjoyable...a "blockbuster" style of wine, but the rare example that doesn't tire your palate within the course of a glass....
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2014 - StefanAkiko Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted too short time because the chosen wine (a silly Barbera) was found wanting for one of this World's greatest restaurants 90 mins before leaving for the restaurant...
Purple colour, no sediment (!) and intensely rich color.
Nose is with Malbec blueberries and several other components. Insanely young and is screaming of infanticide.
In the mouth, it is separated: acids do their thang, fruit does its thing and tannins do their dang... But there is incredible depth in there. Absolutely fabulous! When it all comes together, this will be a World Class great wine. Yay! :)
Really, really looking forward to our 2nd and final btl in maybe 10 yrs from now... Depending on what is written about the ~100 btls in CTers' cellars.
Wife: 94p.
Lunch at L'Effervescence.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2013 - jdp2109 wrote: 94 Points
Drank over a 4 day period. PnP. Fruits hidden a bit on day 1 from the massive tannins. However on day 2 and 4 this wine really shined! Fruit, tannin, acidity were beautifully intertwined to make a delicious, 30 second long finish. Probably the best Malbec I have ever had! Wish I had more of these... Certainly enjoyable now w a long decant but will likely improve over the next decade and beyond
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2013 - KikeG wrote: 94 Points
Agree with Yiannis. This is an excellent wine. One of the best Malbecs I have ever had.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/29/2013 - Ladalove wrote: 94 Points
First sip was lovely but after an hour this wine became super complex and amazibg. Deep dark briary fruit with super rich mouth feel. Dense and chewy with an endless finish. At this price, I wish I bought 2 cases!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2013 - John McCabe wrote: 92 Points
I tried the '08 of this Vina Frederico alongside another '08 single vineyard Malbec from Trapiche - the Biniana Coletto. I found both to be pretty similar really. This had perhaps slightly more concentration, intensity and depth but was also less soft and supple. Perhaps a few more years in bottle this one may show even better than the other. Still, like many Malbecs, I found these to be a bit firm for my taste.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/11/2013 - Dale M wrote: 92 Points
Served with a chimichurri topped steak salad, a solid pairing. The bite of the sauce seemed to tame the riper elements of the wine, and create a pretty nice pairing as a whole. Complex, but full of dark purpley fruits and spice. As dinner was finished, and the wine was tasted without the benefit of food, the 15% alcohol showed fig and vanilla elements, no harm though for such a young wine. Great by at PC for $25.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2013 - kostaslonis Likes this wine: 89 Points
(Malbec day at WineGate) Deep purple/opaque color. Thick nose, very concentrated, deep fruity core, plum, raspberry, toasted notes, jam-my (but fresh and not on the stewed side), vanilla, nutmeg, smoke and chocolate.
Full in the palate, big but also juicy tannins, high acidity offering balance even though it does feel young still, medium body and medium to long aftertaste.
It feels a bit hard now but I can easily see this ageing gracefully for 5-10 years. Hopefully it will acquire those 1-2 extra points that will save me from getting torn to pieces again by YIANNIS for scoring too strictly !!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2013 - Yiannis wrote: 93 Points
Very dark purple, almost opaq. Expressive nose with blackberries, sweet spices, cherry jam and herbal scents like licorice, fennel and eucalypt. Full-bodied, dense, with firm but juicy tannins, sufficient acidity and rich, ripe but by no means stewed fruit. Long aftertaste. I would recommend keeping it for a couple of years in the cellar, though no one will regret opening it right now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2013 - Bar57 wrote: 88 Points
A lot of everything...hard to drink more than one glas but still decent. This is for new world bombastic fruit lovers.
I scored initially 89 but Ive got to take a point away because I had problems carrying the wine cuz it weighs as a new born elephant
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/24/2013 - Eisenglass wrote: 89 Points
Bible black and brooding. Very forthcoming nose. A heft of black fruit on the palate. Vibrating with fruit (batteries not included). A bit monolithic but the fruit is excellent. A lot of enjoyment to drink now. Though I suspect it has a reasonable life ahead of it I'm not sure how much complexity this will develop.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/19/2012 - Yiannis wrote: 92 Points
I have never been let down by a single vineyard Trapiche Malbec, and this was no exception. Very dark purple. Blackberry jam, blueberries, plum, fruit cake, vanilla, anise and smoke on the nose. Full-bodied yet nicely balanced with rich, ripe fruit, velvety tannins and balancing acidity. Very long aftertaste. Still too young and somewhat disjoint, will benefit from 3-6 years of cellaring. Excellent.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment