2018 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Clásico

Community Tasting Notes (20) Avg Score: 88.0 points

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  3/4/2023 - johnrm Likes this wine: 89 Points

  There are so many variations of Las Hormigas Malbec. As before, a label search brings up the Malbec ‘Clasico’ (the entry-level Malbec, I believe) but the label does not mention ‘Clasico’/Classic. I wish producers and distributors would take a little trouble to ensure clarity of labelling and ensure that we know which of a producer’s variants we are actually buying and tasting.
  The wine is still has a reasonably deep colour after 5 years. The fruit is still attractive, despite being at the end of the producer’s recommended drinking window (something that I always treat with some scepticism). It seemed juicy but less rich to me at first. However, my wife disagreed and got rich cherry fruit with Maraschino cherry on the end taste. It opened and improved in the glass over a few hours and went well with food. A pleasant, restrained Malbec and fair value.

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  10/22/2022 - johnrm Likes this wine: 89 Points

  As with the 2017, a label search brings up the Malbec ‘Clasico’ but the label does not mention ‘Clasico’ and the UK importer’s website shows no wine with a label to match the bottles I have. Maybe this is labelled specially for Waitrose but, if so, why? I have added an image of the label to the list of photos (the photo with an ant on the label).
  Deep red/black, totally opaque. Opened 4h early. The wine is not oaked but I got vanilla on the nose as well as deep, dark fruits and spice. The palate offered very rich, ripe dark fruits (black cherries, dark plums, black mulberries with plenty of attractive tannins and hints of tobacco. Good balance, plenty of fresh acidity, and quite a long finish. It continued to open and improve in the glass. It was an excellent partner to high quality Gloucester Old Spot pork sausages and local ‘traditional’ sausages. Very sound and good value on offer at Waitrose so I have added a point to my initial score.

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  3/4/2022 - AnytimeWineTime Likes this wine: 88 Points

  Rich plum, sweet tobacco, black currants. Medium finish with firm tannins on the back end.

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  11/7/2021 - ElJefeTX wrote: 88 Points

  Blackberry and plum dominate the nose, with notes of red berries, fertile soil and eucalyptus leaf. Pleasant tannins and a full, ripe finish. 88 pts.

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  8/10/2021 - macaujames Likes this wine: 88 Points

  This is a lean and tasty unoaked wine. It tastes not far off a Cahors. Has aromas of blackberries, chalk, blackcurrants and cherries. Its medium bodied chunky and savoury nicely chalky black fruits palate has good freshness, decent length with some nice gripping tannin. 13.5%. Good value at 9 Euros.

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