The Toronto Vintners Club

Amazing Argentina - Wines from Mendoza, Wed. October 22
(Note new date!)

Guest Speaker: TBA

Notes on the Wines

How The Wines Scored

There are few wine regions in the world that produces amazing wines at affordable prices. Argentina, undoubtedly, is one of those regions. It wasn’t long ago that this country was viewed as source of cheap but decent wines. The challenges, some argued, were too cumbersome to overcome: very long, hot summers with little rain and uneven soil composition, to name a few. Every wine growing country, however, has a sweet spot and in Argentina, it’s Mendoza. Mendoza is a majestic wine region, with the cosmopolitan Mendoza city as its gateway, and its vineyards framed endlessly by the Andes. Located to the western strip of the country, bordering the foothills of the Andes, this region is producing excellent wines that have come to rival the best of the world. In Mendoza – a high desert - the climate is always hot, but altitude gives vineyards closer to the Andes a distinct advantage. Soils are generally poor and low in organic matter, which is ideal for cultivation of high quality vines for wine production.

What is the predominant grape in Argentina? None other than the feature of our tasting: Malbec. Originating from the Bordeaux region, Malbec didn’t find much fame or fortune in France, as it is used primarily for blending. But in Argentina, it has found its true home, and has become the country’s signature grape. And in the area of Maipu, Mendoza, it reaches the highest development, with certain earthy notes, an elegant texture, and an intense purple colour. It can also be robust and fruity with enough alcohol and structure to benefit from oak aging. In some cases, look for leather, tobacco and mocha. Not to be undone, Cabernet Sauvignon has come quite a way in Argentina as well and the country is producing some fabulous Bordeaux-style blends using Cab Sauv, Malbec and Merlot.

Three of the wineries represented in our lineup of wines have strong influences from French winemakers: Bodegas Poesia which is owned by Bordeaux proprietors; François Lurton, son of a well known Bordeaux owner-grower named André Lurton (of Châteaux Bonnet and Clos Fourtet among others); and Clos de la Siete under the proprietorship of Michel Rolland, an influential Bordeaux-based oenologist, with hundreds of clients across 13 countries, who is influencing wine styles around the world. Catena Zapata from which we have 3 wines is the only winery from Argentina and Chili to be selected by Robert Parker Jr as one of the world’s greatest wineries and their winemaker, Nicolas Catena, is described as Argentina’s greatest visionary in wine-making. Bodegas y Viñedos O. Fournier was founded by José Manuel Ortega and has a sister estate in Ribera del Duero. Navarro Correas is a very large company in Mendoza with a female winemaker at the helm, whose icon wine is the Ultra which we will be tasting.

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The Wines

1.   Bodega Navarro, Correas Ultra 2004 Mendoza, Uco Valley
50% Malbec, 36% Merlot, and 14% Cab Sauv. Purple-colored, it has an attractive perfume of pain grille, clove, smoke, pencil lead, cassis, and black cherry. Medium to full-bodied, it has a solid core of ripe fruit, a firm structure, and excellent balance. It will unfold over the next 5-7 years and drink well through 2025. 91+ points - Jay Miller (Wine Advocate # 174, Dec 2007)

2.  Clos De La Siete 2006 Mendoza, Uco Valley  
Clos de los Siete is a project of Michel Rolland and a group of Bordeaux friends. The 2006 is a slightly different blend with 50% Malbec, 30% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Syrah. Opaque purple-colored, it has a similar expressive nose including fragrant plum, blueberry, and black cherry. Ripe, sweet, and seamless, it admirably hides its tannin under all the fruit. It will evolve for several years but who will have the willpower to defer gratification? It is an awesome value. Drink 2007 - 2010. 92 points- Jay Miller (Wine Advocate # 174, Dec 2007)

3.  François Lurton Piedra Negra Malbec 2004 Mendoza, Uco Valley
Full, bright ruby-red. Black fruits, leather, mocha, tar and dark chocolate on the nose, with hints of nutty oak and raisin. Supple, spicy and classically dry, even a bit austere, with dark berry flavors complicated by dark chocolate and menthol. Finishes with ripe, fine-grained tannins and good breadth and length. Score - 88. (Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar, Jan./Feb. 2008)

4.  Bodegas Poesia 'Poesia' 2004 Mendoza 
Bodegas Poesia is owned by Bordeaux proprietors. Poesia is their flagship label. A finished barrel sample of the 2004 Poesia, a 2,000-case blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Cab Sauv. Deep purple color is accompanied by a sumptuous perfume of white chocolate interwoven with blackberries, cassis, spice box, and flowers. With great density, beautiful precision, and a long, medium to full-bodied finish revealing decent acidity as well as impressive purity, it should drink well for 12-14 years. (92-94 points) - Robert Parker (Wine Advocate # 159 Jun 2005)

5.  O. Fournier Alfa Crux (Malbec) 2004 Mendoza, Uco Valley. 
Full ruby. Complex nose features blackberry, minerals, graphite and tobacco complemented by dried and fresh flowers. Suave on entry, then rich and layered in the mid-palate, with ripe flavors of blackberry, leather and smoky oak. A tactile, chewy and very satisfying bottle. 90 points - (Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Jan/Feb 08)

6.  Bodega Catena Zapata - Nicolas Catena Alta (Malbec) 2004  Mendoza
The 2004 was aged for 18 months in French oak, 70% new, also bottled unfined and unfiltered. It offers greater aromatic complexity with notes of pepper, clove, leather, and chocolate in addition to violets, black cherry, and blackberry. Medium-bodied and elegant, it has a plush texture, layers of spicy black fruits and minerality, excellent balance, and a 60-second finish. It will evolve for 5-7 years and drink well through 2025. *94 points *- Jay Miller (Wine Advocate # 174, Dec 2007)

7. Bodega Catena Zapata - Nicolas Catena Alta Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Mendoza 
Sourced and blended from three vineyards with distinct terroirs and aged for 18 months in new French oak. It offers greater aromatic complexity with elements of pain grille, scorched earth, espresso, black currant, and blackberry liqueur. Medium-bodied, it has the elegance of a classified growth St.-Julien, with intense, spicy, cassis, mint, and black fruit flavors, superb balance, and a 45-second, pure finish. It will profit from 6-8 years of further cellaring and drink well through 2030. *93 points *- Jay Miller (Wine Advocate # 174, Dec 2007)

8. Bodega Catena Zapata - Nicolas Catena Zapata 2002 
Catena Zapata’s flagship is the Nicolas Catena Zapata. 70% Cab Sauv, 30% Malbec; aged for 18 months in all new French oak). Deep, bright ruby. Brooding, super ripe aromas of cassis, black olive and minerals, with a gunflinty note of reduction. Fat, large-scaled and primary, with impressively rich flavors and great fullness without heaviness. Wonderfully dense, silky wine with a minerality giving lift to the cassis and bitter chocolate flavors. One of the longest wines I tasted during my time in Argentina. 93(+) points. Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Nov/Dec 05

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How The Wines Scored

Please check back after the tasting for the results.

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