Vina Cobos Bramare Malbec Zingaretti Vineyard Valle de Uco 2017  £67.60

BRAMARE MALBEC ZINGARETTI VINEYARD VALLE DE UCO 

In 1989, Paul Hobbs visited Mendoza for the first time. Driving over the Andes from Chile with his longstanding friend Jorge Catena, brother of the famous Nicolas Catena, he fell in love with the place, the people, but also with the potential to make great wine. He began to work with the Catenas, firstly experimenting with wild ferments for Chardonnay and then with the variety that would become Argentina's calling card - Malbec. His first 10 barrel vintage of Malbec persuaded not only the Catenas, but also the American press of the potential with this grape. Paul established his own winery, Vina Cobos, in 1998 and, over 20 years later, Paul continues to push viticultural and winemaking boundaries to the max. Concentrating on the Valle de Uco, widely regarded as the highest quality region, Paul is the driving force for some of the most impressive wines in the country.

The Zingaretti Vineyard is a traditional Argentine vineyard, cane pruned, with high-density plantation and furrow irrigation. Vines of more than 80 years on a soil profile of a clay sandy texture, supported by a transition layer of coarse stony soil, all of which is perfect for growing quality Malbec.

Fermented with selected and native yeasts in 8 ton closed-top stainless steel tanks. 4 days cold soak and 25 days total maceration. Native Malolactic fermentation in barrel for 3 months. Ageing for 18 months in new French oak (63%) in combination with second use oak (37%). Unfined and unfiltered.

Such a stylish and balanced Malbec with a deep violet-red colour. Notes of wild and ripe red fruits, coconut as well as subtle spice notes like caramel and tobacco. Fresh and pleasant mouthfeel with a persistent finish. Malbec really shows its true power when enjoyed with meat. Enjoy a really good steak.

93 Points RobertParker.com

"The 2015 Bramare Malbec Zingaretti Estate was sourced from a plot in Villa Bastías in the Tupungato district of the Valle de Uco. It was the freshest and most floral of the four single-vineyard Estate Malbecs from the Bramare range in 2015. It comes from very old vines and resulted in almost 1% lower alcohol than the rest of the range. In 2017 they studied the soils and did a separate vinification from the stonier soils, so the wine from that year will be different, as it produced two very different wines. Those two "different" wines were still co-fermented in 2015, but you see the floral and aromatic part there, together with some darker fruit. It also has some oak flavors and tannins after spending 18 months in 65% new French barriques, with two rackings. It's nuanced and develops nicely in the glass, with notes of black tea, peach, violets and dark spices. 4,320 bottles produced."

Reviewed by Luiz Gutierrez