Two Argentinian wines, with a perfect note – 04/06/2019

The American wine critic James Suckling, his son Jacke and two tasters from his team, Nick Stock and Stuart Pigott, visited the main wineries in Argentina in February. Immersed in a marathon of aromas, flavors and majestic landscapes, they spent up to 12 hours a day enjoying bottled wines and discovering freshly made wines. They met with winegrowers, agronomists, technicians and winemakers to learn more about the process of making each wine. They have transformed their sensory experience into a computer record that ranks scores and allows you to add comments and share opinions on the network with the rest of the team. From there, they left the scores and a ranking the best wines of each vintage. The recent release of the report will boost the sales of the best-positioned wines, with two Argentinians achieving the perfect score of 100 points at the Suckling Palace.

Other critics use similar techniques, such as the influential Robert Parker, Jancis Robinson or Tim Atkin. Rented and defenestrated by some and other actors in the wine industry, there are an irrefutable reality: Many importers and wine consumers rely on these scores to choose a wine.

The latest Suckling report, released this week, is titled The extreme wines of Argentina pave the way. At the top with 100 points, he has located two in Mendoza: 2017 Adrianna Vineyard River Stones (Catena Zapata Malbec, Mendoza) and 2017 Andes Horse (Mendoza).

"The Catena Zapata is one of the best malbec that was made, showing an incredible depth and structure with a perfect balance of fruit, acids and tannins, "said Suckling, the same wine that in its 2016 vintage earned 100 Parker points (Wine Advocate ).

Andean horse (from the commercial merger between Argentina Terrazas de los Andes and the French Château Cheval Blanc), arrives for the first time at the ceiling of this ranking. "He can fend for himself with his brother Bordeaux wine, the great growth of the Cheval Blanc, with a strange harmony and strength and a wide variety of flavors and sensations," says the critic.

The Andes Horse 2017 is composed of 62% Malbec and 38% Cabernet Sauvignon. It will only be marketed in 2020 because it is in production for two years and a year in bottle. Today, Andes Horse 2015 has a value of 2,400 pesos in gondola. In the United States, its price rises to 80 or 90 dollars a bottle. French winemaker based in Mendoza, Hervé Birnie Scott, head of Moet-Hennessy's operations in Argentina (controls the Terrazas de los Andes, Chandon and Andes Horse Wineries), described this wine as the result of a " exceptional harvest "and" quality raw material. "

"A good ranking increases the demand and makes it easier to roll the product," acknowledged Birnie Scott. Clarin. And to venture a great future if it is left on guard 10, 20 or 30 years: "All the great wines have a very noble evolution, with tertiary aromas, grilled spices that add to the fruit. This is a wine for collectors, which will continue to gain in complexity, "said the chief wine officer.

The two award-winning wines come from grapes grown at an altitude of between 1,200 and 1,400 meters, extreme conditions (thermal amplitude due to the marked temperature differences between day and night) in the vineyards of Malbec, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Suckling recounted how the job was: "We tested 1,800 bottles for two weeks in Mendoza and we found amazing wines, bright whites (mostly Chardonnay), which can be ranked among the best in the world; a subtle malbec, complex and structured; Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. "And he praised some less-promoted strains on foreign markets, such as the" wild "Bonarda. "Argentina has everything to know what to look for", reflects the specialist of wine tasting.

In his report of 2019, there was also room for criticism"Weak and tasteless wines were also represented in the tasting, with Argentina continuing to struggle with its role (especially in the United States) as a key supplier of cheap wine, mainly Malbec. The gap between exceptional wines and poor wines continues to increase every yearAs Argentine wine producers are forced to lower their prices, it is virtually impossible for some to produce tasty or even palatable wines. "Describe how commercial error continue to produce "attractive and beautifully labeled bottles for supermarkets or restaurant chains, full of bad wines that do not favor anyone". And he points out that this year they have tried "so many exciting wines" that they have not had to focus on these mediocre wines.

Among his favorites, he mentioned the new Patagonian wines, such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which he described as "unique by their personality and their world clbad". And he congratulated the Bodega Chacra, the Wapisa and the "exciting" wines, such as the Malbec Bodega Noemia and even Semillón from the winemaker Matías Riccitelli.

The report on Argentina includes opinions of winemakers: "I am very confident for the future in Argentina, we do not worry about the economy and politics, we just want to make great wines, everything is positive, "said José Pepe Zuccardi, from Bodega Familia Zuccardi.

Argentine wines with the highest scores

100 badfeeding points

Catena Zapata Malbec Adrianna Vineyard River Stones 2017

Andes Horse 2017

99 badfeeding points

Catena Zapata Chardonnay Adrianna White Bone Vineyard 2017

Andes Horse 2016

Terraces of Andes Malbec Gualtallary Valley Uco, El Espinillo, Package N 2016

98 badfeeding points

Bemberg Pioneer 2014

Bodega Chacra Chardonnay Patagonia 2018

Bodega Chacra Pinot Black Patagonia Treint y Dos 2017

Catena Zapata Chardonnay Adrianna Vineyard White Stones 2017

Catena Zapata Malbec Estate Adrianna Vineyard Fortuna Terrae 2017

Catena Zapata Malbec Estate Adrianna Vineyard Mundus Nacilus Terrae 2017

The enemy Cabernet Franc Gualtallary 2015

The enemy Chardonnay 2017

Felipe Staiti Valle de Uco Honor 2015

Susana Balbo Valley Uco Wines About Us Single Vineyard 2014

Trapiche Malbec Cabernet Franca Iscay 2014

Trapiche Syrah Viognier Iscay 2016

Vineyard Viña Cobos Malbec Chanares 2016

Zuccardi Malbec Paraje Altamira Uco Finca Valley Piedra Infinita 2016

Mendoza Correspondent

AS