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The International Wine Review December 2006 Report #5 Argentina s Magnificent Malbec Introduction Over the last decade, Argentina has experienced a veritable wine revolution.

1 The International Wine Review December 2006 Report #5 Argentina s Magnificent Malbec Introduction Over the last decade, Argentina has experienced a veritable wine revolution. Led by a group of highly dedicated producers, Argentina has begun producing wines of exceptional quality and value. This transition has not taken place easily, nor is it complete, but outside of Australia, Argentina can lay claim to producing some of the best wine values, and best quality wines in the new world. Although this country is making fine wines from a number of grape varieties, the catalyst behind its recent success, and its most unique selling position, is the grape known as Malbec. While Malbec is the principal grape in the French AOC Cahors, it is the nearly forgotten grape of Bordeaux. Malbec was once an important blending component there along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but classified growth Bordeaux contains very little of it today. The decline of Malbec in Bordeaux first began when phylloxera struck in late 19th century; however, it was the great frost of 1956 that dealt the final blow. Nearly 75% of all the Malbec in the Medoc was destroyed. Growers subsequently began replacing Malbec with other Bordeaux varietals, forever relegating it to the role of minor blending grape. Continued on page 3 In This Issue The Tasting 3 Malbec and Mendoza 3 Malbec: The Grape 5 Malbec in the Vineyard 5 Winemaking 9 The Argentine Wine Industry 10 The Export Market 12 Marvelous Malbec and Food 13 Tasting Notes and Ratings: 14 Malbec Wines By Rating and Pricing 29 Annex 33 References and Further Reading MAP: Mendoza and Surroundings

2 In Argentina, by contrast, Malbec reigns supreme and Cabernet Sauvignon, the usually dominant international powerhouse grape, takes a secondary role. Malbec has emerged as the single most important grape for both quality and quantity wine production. It thrives in the dry high plains desert climate of Mendoza, located on the eastern edge of the Andes Mountain range. Here Malbec seemingly reaches its full potential, yielding wines of tremendous color, flavor, fruit, and finesse. In this, our 5th report, the International Wine Review charts the ascendancy of Malbec in Argentina, and assesses the quality and value of the wines being produced today. We will outline the factors transforming Argentina s wine industry, and look at the prospects for the future. We will look at the unique characteristics of Malbec, and how it has adapted to the desert-like conditions in Mendoza, and the surrounding areas. We will examine the importance of irrigation and impact of high altitude viticulture on wine quality; and we will look at how winemakers are handling this grape in the winery. Argentine Malbec has already established a reputation for value wine here in the U.S, but will it gain entry into the elite ranks of the world s most sought after wines? Based on our comprehensive tastings, we believe it will. Producers such as Catena, Achával-Ferrer, Andeluna, Pascual Toso, Terrazas de los Andes, Trapiche, O. Fournier, Monteviejo, Sophenia, Viña Cobos, and many others are making a strong case for Argentine Malbec being considered as one of the most important grape varieties, and styles of wine to emerge from the new world. Acknowledgements We wish to thank Donald Winkler, Director of Education for the International Wine Review, for his outstanding contributions to the research and preparation of this report. Don, along with Mike Potashnik, visited Mendoza this past September and helped produce various drafts of this report. We owe a great deal of gratitude to the many winemakers and viticulturalists in Argentina who graciously shared with us their knowledge and expertise of Malbec. We also wish to thank Paul Hobbs, Patrick Campbell, Laura Catena, Alejandro Sejanovich, and Alfredo Bartholomaus for sharing their invaluable insight, and knowledge. In addition, we wish to thank Ariel Menniti, Director of Wines of Argentina in Mendoza, for his help in obtaining wine samples for our tastings and in arranging our visit to Mendoza this past September. We also wish to thank Roberto Salafia,Minister, Embassy of Argentina in Washington, DC. for his assistance in contacting importers and arranging Embassy tastings. Many importers and distributors also provided wines for our tasting and we wish to thank them collectively. They are also referred to along with contact information in the tasting notes. Finally, we wish to thank the members of the I-WineReview tasting panel and guests: Jim Arseneault, Michael Flynn, Don Winkler, Tony Quinn, and Roy Wagner for their help in organizing and conducting our tastings. Jay Youmans, MW Michael Potashnik, Ph. D Publishers, International Wine Review Subscription Information The I-WineReview is published in six bi-monthly issues by the International Wine Review, LLC. Our office is located at 6625 Old Chesterbrook Rd. Mclean, VA The I-Wine Review is only available by subscription. Special introductory rates for one year subscriptions are $40 online and $60 in print. The rates for two years are $60 online and $80 in print. International subscribers are offered online subscription only. Special group rates are also offered to wine clubs and wine schools. Contact the publishers about eligibility and rates. Reproduction of the material contained herein, including copying, without written permission is prohibited by law. The news media, wine importers, distributors and retailers may use brief portions of this material provided it is not distorted and the i-winereview is credited for the material used.

3 The Tasting Malbec and Mendoza Based on our tastings of over 150 Malbecs, we found a number of stunning high-quality wines offering phenomenal value. Numerous wines at or under $10 scored above 85 points and higher, but the following wines scored 90 points or higher: Catena Zapata 2005 Alamos Malbec ($10) 90 points, Doña Paula 2005 Los Cardos Malbec Mendoza ($9) 90 points, Kaiken 2004 Malbec Mendoza ($10) 90 points, Pascual Toso 2004 Malbec ($10) 90 points, and Sophenia 2005 Alosur Malbec Mendoza ($10) 90 points. These wines represent some of the best wine values available anywhere in the world today. For a few dollars more you can find several moderately priced wines from $11-$15 that also scored 90 points or higher. These include: Carlos Pulenta 2004 Corte C Vistalba ($11) 90 points, 2005 Malbec Reserva Mendoza ($12) 90 points, Koch 2004 Piatteli Malbec Mendoza ($13) 90 points, Trapiche 2004 Broquel Malbec ($14) 90 points, and Sophenia 2004 Malbec Mendoza ($15) 91 points. Argentina is producing much more than just value wines. We found a number of Malbecs that rank among the world s finest wines at any price, in particular, the following: Achaval-Ferrer 2004 Finca Mirador Mendoza ($80) 94 points, Achaval-Ferrer 2004 Finca Altamira Mendoza ($80) 95 points, Catena Zapata 2003 Catena Alta Malbec Mendoza ($45) 94 points, 2004 Cuvelier de los Andes Mendoza ($NA) 94 points, Fabre Montmayou 2005 Gran Reserva Malbec Mendoza ($20) 93 points, Felipe Rutini 2004 Apartado ($50) 93 points, Noemia de Patagonia 2004 Patagonia Malbec ($100) 93 points, Terrazas de los Andes 2004 Cheval des Andes ($60) 94 points, and the oustanding Viña Cobos 2003 Cobos Mendoza ($110) 97 points. The tasting ntoes and ratings for all the wines begin on page 15. Mendoza has become virtually synonymous with Malbec. According to the the Instiuto Nacional de Vitivinicultura, in 2005, 84% of Argentina s Malbec was planted in Mendoza. There are over 18,000 ha (45,000 acres) of Malbec currently under vine in Mendoza. According to a recent report in Decanter by Tim Atkin MW, Malbec plantings over the last decade have increased by 56%. Malbec is grown in other parts of Argentina, particularly in the provinces of San Juan, Salta, La Rioja, Neuquen, and Rio Negro, but the next largest region compared to Mendoza is San Juan with only 1,830 ha (4510 acres) San Juan is the province located immediately to the north of Mendoza, where it is hot and dry, with lower altitude vineyards than Mendoza. The Malbec produced here tends to be straightforward, and inexpensive, but offers good value. Salta lies several hundred kilometers farther north of Mendoza and has a reputation for high- quality Malbec, especially in Cafayete and the Colchaqui Valley. Salta lays claim to having the world s highest altitude vineyard at Bodega Colomé, at just over 3,100 meters. In our tasting report, we assess wines from each of these regions. Mendoza itself is a large wine producing area, divided into 17 departments. Each department may contain several regions, or districts. Increasingly, quality Malbec producers are identifying the sources of the grapes on their back labels. The multiplicity of political units and regional names (e.g., Valle de Uco) that cut across those units, the lack of official appellation designations, and the inconsistent use of geographic names serve only to confuse the consumer, however. There are essentially 5 different areas within Mendoza: Central, East, North, South (San Rafael), and the Uco Valley. The Central zone produces the highest quality Malbec within Mendoza. The East zone is the largest area, but it is very hot and most of the wines are of average quality, as are the wines of the North region. The Malbec of the South is improving steadily, but rarely matches the quality of the Central zone. The most exciting new area for quality is the Uco Valley. Keep an eye on this part of Mendoza. Explanations of the geographic designations most commonly used on Argentine wine labels are given in the box below. A map of Mendoza and surrounding areas appears in the Annex. 3

4 Tasting Notes and Ratings: Achával-Ferrer 2004 Quimira Mendoza ($50) 92 Achával-Ferrer 2004 Finca Mirador Mendoza ($110) 94 Achával-Ferrer 2004 Finca Altamira Mendoza ($110) 95 Santiago Achával, co-owner and winemaker of Achaval Ferrer winery, is passionate about Malbec and is producing some of the finest wines in Argentina today. His old vines and single vineyard Malbecs are in great demand, despite their hefty price, and are rapidly gaining cult status among consumers in the know. All Achaval-Ferrer wines are made from low-yielding vineyards meticulously managed that are producing as little as 1 ton per acre. Although harvested as much as 2-3 weeks before other producers, Achaval-Ferrer wines exhibit ripe and complex fruit flavors, good acidity, and outstanding balance. The 2004 Quimira is a blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. It exhibits a dark opaque red purple color, rich dark fruit aromas, and a palate of ripe and elegant black fruit flavors with a touch of spice. The wine is also beautifully balanced and offers a long satisfying finish. The 2004 Finca Mirador is produced from year old vines. It offers a dark opaque color with ripe dense and highly extracted black fruit flavors with a touch of leather, earth and minerals. Aged in new French oak for 12 months, the wood is beautifully integrated and the wine finishes complex and bewildering. The 2004 Finca Altamira is another vineyard designated wine and is produced in the same manner as Finca Mirador. However, Finca Altamira situated at 3,400 ft, offers superb fruit that contributes to the wines intense core of blackberry fruit and dark chocolate flavors. It has a sense of minerality and its silky elegant mouth feel and texture, provide a wine of extraordinary balance. Unfortunately, Achaval-Ferrer wines are in short supply so you may have to scout around. Winery website: Importer: TGIC Imports, Woodland Hills, CA. Tasting Principles and Procedures The i-winereview uses a Tasting Panel to conduct tastings for its bi-monthly reports. The Tasting Panel consists of a core team of skilled and experienced professional tasters. Wines are always tasted blind using the 100 point system. The wines reviewed are obtained from producers, importers and distributors; they are also purchased. Bottles are bagged and coded. A tasting session usually consists of 40 to 50 wines. Wines are organized in flights with their peers (mainly by variety, region, and suggested retail price) whenever possible. The final ratings for each wine are based on the aggregate numbers from the panel.. The tasting notes for each wine are written by the Publishers from the Tasting Panel s evaluations. Wines that score below 85 points are not included in reports. Whenever possible, our tasting notes include information on a producer s website and the website of the importer or distributor who provides us the wine for review. The wines reviewed are generally available for purchase at retail wine shops, especially at various Recommended Retailers. However, because of their limited production and distribution, you may need to contact the producer or distributor for information on the availability of some wines. Alta Vista 2004 Malbec Premium Mendoza ($12) 86 Alta Vista 2004 Malbec Grande Reserve Terroir Selection Mendoza ($20) 90 Alta Vista currently belongs to the EDONIA group, a French family enterprise which owns other wineries in France and Hungary. However it was started in 1997 by the late Jean-Michel Arcaute of Pomerol s Chateau Clinet. The entry level 2004 Malbec Premium displays a muted nose, moderate blueberry and dark cherry fruit on the palate, and a rustic tannic finish. The higher quality 2004 Alta Vista Malbec Grande Reserve exhibits a dark ruby color, ripe fruit aromas and a rich highly extracted fruit filled palate of blackberry pie and chocolate. Nicely balanced with a silky texture, this wine, aged in small French oak casks for twelve months, finishes clean with a big tannic finish. Winery website: 14

5 Malbec Wines By Rating and Pricing Wines Up to $15 (The Best Value) Producer Vintage Name of Wine Price Rating Cantena Zapata 2005 Alamos Trapiche 2004 Broquel Doña Paula 2005 Los Cardos Kaiken 2004 Malbec Pascual Toso 2004 Malbec Sophenia 2005 Altosur Carlos Pulenta 2004 Corte C Vistalba Flichman 2005 Malbec Reserva Koch 2004 Piattelli Vineyards Malbec Callia 2004 Magna Malbec-Merlot Sophenia 2004 Malbec Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón 2005 Don Miguel Gascón Trivento 2004 Select Navarro Correas 2004 Colección Privada Antis Winery 2003 Malbec Domaine Vistalba 2004 Fabre Montmayou Malbec Caro 2005 Amancaya O. Fournier 2003 Urban Uco 8 88 Familia Schroeder 2004 Saurus Huarpe 2004 Lancatay Malbec Terrazas de los Andes 2005 Malbec Budini 2004 Budini Luigi Bosca 2004 Finca La Linda Trapiche 2004 Oak Cask Dolium 2004 Malbec Familia Schroeder 2004 Saurus Patagonia Select Fin del Mundo 2003 Malbec Reserva Lurton 2004 Malbec 7 87 Flichman 2005 Malbec 8 87 Bodegas Escorihuela Gascón 2004 High Altitude Malbec / Syrah 9 87 Felix Lavaque 2004 Quara 9 87 Rutini 2005 Trumpeter 9 87 Viña Fundación de Mendoza S.A Malbec 9 87 El Portillo Elevado 2006 Rose Gouguenheim Winery 2004 Estaciones del Valle Otono Larguia 2002 Amor de los Andes Lurton 2003 Malbec Reserva Obvio 2004 Obvio Sophenia 2005 Altosur Rose Laurel Glen 2003 Terra Rosa Simonassi 2004 Malbec El Portillo Elevado 2004 Malbec Grafigna 2005 Malbec

I find the potential in Argentina very promising, and I can t wait to go back to taste a lot of wine and to eat a lot of the world s best steak.

I find the potential in Argentina very promising, and I can t wait to go back to taste a lot of wine and to eat a lot of the world s best steak. Argentina has really been a great tasting experience. I had decided to taste wines from two different categories : medium and premium level. Argentina is really coming on strong, and righteously so as