Achaval-Ferrer Malbec Mendoza 2018 (750ml)

 

Rated 92 Points by James Suckling

 

Attractive cassis and blueberry aromas here with a swathe of crushed violet flowers.  The palate has a very supple and smooth core of fresh red plums that offer a fleshy and smooth ride to the finish.  Drink or hold.

 

Rated 90 Points by Tim Atkin

 

Achával Ferrer’s “entry-point” Malbec is a pan-Mendoza blend from six sub-regions: Agrelo, Gualtallary, Los Chacayes, Medrano, Paraje Altamira and Perdriel.  It’s always a delight to drink with nuanced oak, glossy tannins and ample blackberry and violet notes.

 

Achaval-Ferrer Malbec Mendoza 2018

 

This wine completes Achaval-Ferrer’s exploration of Malbec.  Through other wines we’ve expressed Malbec as a terroir driven wine and as a key building block of a complex blend.  This Mendoza Appellation Malbec expresses the pure typicity of the variety.  Low Yields, careful vineyard management and low intervention winemaking are the hallmark of this and all other Achaval-Ferrer Wines.

 

Winemaker Notes

 

Malbec Mendoza is an inevitable reflection of the variety that is emblematic to our country, the mountainous ranges of the Andes and the sun.  Composed of various vineyards, located in the major geographic references that the Cuyana province offers, this young wine, potent and velvety wine, expresses pleasure, smooth and soft, combining land and flavors in one clear strong message.  This wine explains Malbec as well as Mendoza in one universal language.

 

Winemaker:  Gustavo Rearte

 

Varietal Composition:  100% Malbec

 

Appellation: 

• Luján de Cuyo:  Altitude of 3150 ft. with 2200 plants/acre
• Medrano:  Altitude of 2199 ft. with 1600 plants/acre
• Uco Valley:  Altitude of 3478 ft. with 1600 plants/acre

 

Soil:

• Luján de Cuyo: gravelly loam, well drained
• Medrano: heavier, some clay component, no gravel up to 2 meters
• Uco Valley: sandy-gravelly, some volcanic ash, extremely well drained

 

Sustainably Farmed:  Highly Sustainable

 

Harvest Date:  Last week of March and first week of April 2018

 

Vinification & Winemaking Process

 

Aerated pump-overs with soft sprinkling of the cap, followed by pressing at the end of and up to 4 days after fermentation as determined by daily tasting results.  No filtering.  Cold soaks, acid correction, bleed-offs and addition of enzymes were not used during vinification.

 

Fermentation

 

Fermented in cement tanks at a maximum temperature up to 93-95oF with extensive pumping over for better extraction.

 

Malolactic Fermentation:  100% spontaneous in oak barrels.

 

Oak & Ageing:  Aged 9 months in 2-year old French oak barrels produced by Boutes and Mercury.

 

 

Achaval-Ferrer

 

Guardians of a Legacy

 

We protect our vineyard; we respect our land.

Because we’ll never know more than vines,

but it’s thanks to them that we’ll make better wines each time.

 

In days when the old was quickly replaced by the new, Achaval Ferrer decided to preserve the legacy of time.  Today, the legacy is still treasured.  Keeping the DNA of centennial vines intact and combining wisdom with passion, we create wines that express the magic of the exceptional terroir they come from.  That’s what we do, because no one is more experienced than time or wiser than nature.

 

Philosophy

 

Respect for the terroir and minimum intervention

 

Since its origins, the winery has followed a clear pathway traced by commitment with and respect for nature.  Achaval Ferrer bases its winemaking on fundamental pillars and a minimal intervention principle from the vine to the wine.

 

Our Pillars

 

Ours are centennial, own-rooted vines, extremely low in yield; they’re historical monuments to viticulture located on sun-drenched mountainsides irrigated by rivers Tunuyán and Mendoza.  These are natural, privileged sites carefully treated to obtain the purest and most honest messages our soils can convey.

 

1. Centennial vines, new gems.  The older the species, the more they produce.  Only a local sage can pass on such a legacy.
2. Low yield, high concentration.  They produce more concentrated, complex and lively fruits thanks to a set of techniques including pruning and thinning.
3. Minimum intervention, maximum expression.  We respect and preserve the terroir and its messages all throughout the winemaking process, obtaining pure, highly expressive wines.