| Malbec
/ Merlot |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
Varietal: |
|
50% Malbec / 50% Merlot |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
Vintage: |
|
2004 |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
Place
of Origin: |
|
La
Consulta, Department of San Carlos, Valle de
Uco, Province of Mendoza (33°- 34°S)
1025 m a.s.l.
The daily temperature amplitude in the area
is around 15°C which favors full ripening
of all components, particularly tannins and
anthocyanins. The main features of the soil
include a stony surface and a marked, sandy
profile, with good drainage. The climate is
mild, with harsh winters and warm summers with
cool nights. The annual mean temperature is
14.2°C.
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
Training
System: |
|
Vines
are trained on a high trellis including 3 wires
at 0.80, 1.30, and 1.80 meters aboveground, using
drip irrigation for increased water and nutritional
efficiency purposes. Trellising is good and open,
resulting in little or no handling of grape clusters
during cluster arrangement and thinning. Pruning
is performed using the bilateral cordon spur system.
These vines were planted by placing root systems
directly in the soil with no grafts in 1998. The
vineyard yield is 3600 plants per hectare, yielding
around 8500 Kg of grapes per hectare. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Yield
per hectare: |
|
60 hL/ha |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Harvesting: |
|
Harvesting
started on March 15 and lasted until the end of
the month, it was done manually and grapes were
transported to the cellar in 400-kilogram plastic
bins. The decision as to the harvest start date
was made when grapes were considered to be ripe
and sugar had accumulated, which results in adequate
alcohol, anthocyanin, acidity and polyphenols
levels. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Vinification: |
|
The
crushing and destemming processes were carried
out in a horizontal roller-type crusher. To make
the wine, the traditional vinification method
was used, macerating skins during 14 days and
continuously pushing down the cap into the fermenting
juice during the first days. Fermentation took
place in isothermal masonry vats with an epoxi
resin coating. Fermentation temperature was controlled,
with peaks of up to 28ºC. Then, the first
racking or devatting was carried out manually,
without pumping, to bins for direct loading into
a pneumatic press. The first wine obtained after
it was separated from the skins was then placed
and kept in French and American oak barrels during
6 months, where the entire malolactic fermentation
(MLF) process was completed with indigenous fermenting
yeasts. Varietals were elaborated separately until
August, when cutting was carried out and contact
with staves occurred. Before bottling, the wine
was clarified using egg albumin as a fining agent
and then filtered using 1,2?m porosity filters. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Finished
Alcohol: |
|
14
%v/v |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Total
Acidity: |
|
5.25 g/L, expressed in tartaric acid |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
Reducing
Sugar: |
|
2,50
g/l |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Description: |
|
Color:
a deep red with violet tints, typical of full
body wines.
Aroma: subtle aromas of red fruits,
spices, black pepper combined with vanilla and
chocolate, resulting from the wine being kept
in French and American oak barrels.
Taste: Sweet and personal when
entering the mouth, with great strength. It is
a balanced wine; its fine tannins make it suitable
for moderate aging. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Recommendations: |
|
It
is an excellent pairing for barbecues and roasted
beef, empanadas, grilled meals, and meals with
strong and very seasoned sauces.
As a result of its aromas and smooth tannins,
it keeps its full features even at relatively
low temperature.
|
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
Serving
Temperature: |
|
18-20°C |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Best
if used by: |
|
Best Time: 2005, 2006 and 2007; Good Time: 2008. |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
