Argentina & Uruguay – autumn collection

100% Torrontés from the La Riojana co-operative, the world’s largest producer of certified Fairtrade, organic wines. Named after a village located in a poor, remote area of La Rioja province and home to many of La Riojana’s workers, Tilimuqui is a place which is seeing the direct benefits of Fairtrade projects. Grapes were harvested by hand in Feb early in the morning to avoid the heat of the day, pressed in pneumatic bag presses and fermented with selected yeasts at a controlled temperature of 15 – 18°C with 3 pumpovers per day. No malo, no oak, only lees stirring. Clarified using bentonite. Chief winemaker Rodolfo Griguol. Suitable for vegetarians. TA 6.30g/l, pH 3.3, RS 5.10g/l.
Really fragrant, liquid soap character. Dry, refreshing, flavoursome. Very particular aromatic flavour that verges on the artificial, but that shouldn't detract from its mainstream appeal. (RH)

Easy, round but a bit dilute. Slightly oily. (JR)

Slightly oily and sweaty but fair enough. Peaches. A real fruit salad even if not the most complex wine ever! (JR)

Nice satin texture and sufficient fruit and acidity. Very competent and without anything offensive even if low on distinguishing marks – just a slight suggestion of wet stones with all that body. Well done overall. (JR)

A bit tarty on the nose, salty on the palate and altogether very uncomfortable to taste. Industrial-tasting, especially on the finish. (JR)

Not much nose but very lively and with some freshness. Definitely overpriced at the full price but GV at the reduced one. (JR)

Aromatic, dry, zesty and more than a bit Gewürz-a-like. Works really well – emphatically varietal. (RH)

Leesy and a bit creamy – light and charming. Has the same sort of neutral appeal as basic Chablis. (RH)

A blend of Sauvignon Vert, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Torrontes. Partially vinified in oak.
Not so sure what 'partial' actually translates to in this wine, but it smells and tastes like the oak has been applied with a heavy hand. Bitter. Hard to drink. Perhaps it would be better with food? (TC)

100% Sauvignon Blanc grown south of Mendoza in the Uco Valley on very poor, sandy loam soils at an altitude of 1,100m. Vines are cordon trained, 14 years old and planted at a density of 3,007 vines/ha. Grapes were hand-harvested with a yield of 8,000 kg/ha in mid-Feb into 18kg crates and the clusters were sorted twice on arrival at the winery. Cold macerated for 8 hours at 6 – 8 °C then fermented in stainless steel tanks for 10 days at 10 °C. No malolactic and aged for 6 months on lees in tank. Winemaker José Spisso. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. TA 6.75 g/l, pH 3.35, RS 1.8 g/l.
Mild nose and very clean and racy with a bone dry finish but a bit too discreet to make a massive impact. (JR)

Youthful, underripe citrus aromas. Odd – what is this trying to be? It’s sort of neither Grigio nor Gris. Rather, it’s neutral white wine with an easygoing, drinkable profile. (RH)

Youthful green fruit character. Pretty low acid. Not bad, just a little universal and generic. (RH)

Interestingly reductive – from Viognier at this age, this is most unusual. Doesn’t have Viognier’s opulence either – and the lowish alcohol and high acid suggests picking before full ripeness. Atypical. (RH)

85% Torrontés, 15% Riesling. Lovely floral grape juice nose. Not sure what the Riesling adds, but this is very enjoyable as a Torrontés. Chock-full of aromatic refreshment. (RH)

Spoofy oak scent and overripe fruit. No definition, no class. A triumph of extraction over interest. (RH)

Lovely ripe pineapple fruit and no overshadowing oak. Soft, chewy texture. Cooked apples. (RH)

Creamy, buttery, smooth, nice understatement despite the obvious oak giving a long, caramelised sort of finish. Good persistence and leesy texture. (RH)

Pleasantly restrained – manages to creep in under 13% alcohol, and the resultant refreshment factor works well. Not especially interesting, but at least drinkable. (RH)

Modern, clean stone fruit. Juicy, soft. The wine equivalent of a foam ball. Squishy and a bit boring. (RH)

Banana, cream, butter. Off-dry. All very commercial. Expensive. (RH)

Little bit of sulphidic matchstick reduction, toasty but balanced oak, pure and well defined green citrus fruit. Nicely done – modern, controlled, enjoyable. (RH)

Quite heavily oaked, in an un-integrated, unsubtle way. Wrongheaded. (RH)

Not as oaked as the name led me to believe. Decent freshness. Slight bitterness isn’t very charming. (RH)

'YAC' yet another Chardonnay. Grist to the ABC mill. Some toffee elements, and a crowd-pleasing ripeness, but nothing especially vinous. (RH)

Buttery, pineapple, creamy. Very worked. Overdone, with immodest acidity. (RH)

Very soft dairy character on the nose – not even butter, but butter substitute. Clumsy acid, fake fruit. (RH)

Popcorn and toffee nose. Lots of smoky oak, and a ripe stone fruit à la Viognier. Won’t please traditionalists, but is valid enough as a mainstream drink. (RH)

Buttery and spritzy. Pretty good structural balance, but unremarkable fruit. (RH)

Buttery, creamy, slightly underweight fruit. Not the most charming Chardonnay. Rather bitter finish. (RH)

Green apple, very spritzy – very young. Should harmonise with some bottle age, but there don’t seem to be huge amounts of complexity there at the moment. (RH)

Pinched, underripe fruit. Sour finish. (RH)

Boring, neutered cold fermentation neutrality. Unbalanced, clumsy structure. (RH)

Neutral fruit with a grapefruit bitterness on the palate. Rather sharp. Plain. (RH)

Almost honeyed fruit. Very ripe. Leesy dairy character in the middle – seems as if it's had the full malolactic treatment. Fragrant, exaggerated. (RH)

Buttery and over-ripe. Seems very old fashioned nowadays. Impressive flavour power – but getting less relevant. (RH)

Very pronounced tropical fruit – pineapple chunks, cream, apple. Slightly over-acidic perhaps? Very enjoyable all the same. (RH)

100% Malbec from fruit carefully selected from prime Mendoza vineyards. Blend made in conjunction with Waitrose South American buyer Nick Room, a little oak character adds complexity.
Muted. Cooked fruit. Generic New World red. Nothing wrong with it, just somewhat plain. (RH)

This is one of their three single-vineyard Malbecs. Quite heady and very low yielding but not very appetising. Sour and a tad heavy. Fades a bit suddenly. (JR)

Called after a mythical animal. Blend of Malbec with Bordeaux varieties in this case. Lighter than the Malbec. Racy. Very salty and dry. Appetising. (JR)

Savoury but with some oak rather obvious. Tastes a bit floral and slightly tarty though this could always be due to the grape. (JR)

Sweet and coffee and not very appetising. Damp fur. Sickly finish. (JR)

Lovely freshness and direct appeal. Racy and lively. Could serve as an object varietal lesson! Long. GV (JR)

Rich and round. Easy and leathery. Not complex. (JR)

Deep, bright, savoury, floral, soft and textured. Bang on target for Argentinean Malbec. Yielding and supple. (RH)

From vines planted in 1930. 18 months in barrique. Serious stuff – but mercifully not overextracted. Toasty, rounded, drinkable – appetizing. GV because it shows a premium Malbec that doesn't rely on sheer mass. (RH)

Very youthful fruit – black and vibrant. More interesting than many a Malbec. Smooth finish. (RH)

Violets and black bramble jam with a light oak dusting. Very much par. (RH)

There's some lovely maturation on the nose, showing how Argentinian Malbec can move beyond it's primary fruit – but the alcohol is rather warm. Structurally, this is bursting at the seams. (RH)

Bright blueberry fruit on the nose. Smooth and rounded palate. Very pleasant, but perhaps a bit generic? Doesn't exactly trumpet its variety. (RH)

Tame palate with a slight stink on the nose. Smooth and light and drinkable, but not for thrillseekers. (RH)

Smells a little like leather glue. Black coffee and treacly dark sugar. More molasses than fruit, very dense, savoury, a deep tangy spice that reminds me of dark old furniture, polished to satin glow. Elegant tannins. Just falls away a little too quickly, leaving a light bitterness. (TC)

50-year-old vines, 12 months in barrels. Packs a powerful punch on the nose – macerated cherries and dark chocolate and a floral perfumed top note. Sweet, cherry menthol liqueur, and very alcoholic. Lots of concentration, but just overwhelmingly alcoholic. (TC)

85% Malbec, 8% Tannat, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Syrah from vineyards at 1,700 – 2,600m altitude, planted at 4,000 vines/ha. Climate is dry with little rain, just 120 mm p.a. and a marked diurnal temperature difference which aids the retention of natural acidity. Soils are sandy with layers of gravel aiding drainage. Grapes were hand-harvested at 6 tonnes/ha in late April into 12 kg boxes. Hand-sorted twice on arrival at the winery. Fermented slowly then an extended maceration period of 25 – 30 days. Malo occurred half in barrel and half in stainless steel tank, then matured for 15 months in 20% new and 80% 2nd fill French oak. Bottled August 2012. Winemaker Thibaut Delmotte. pH 3.8, RS 2.8 g/l. DWWA 2013 Gold Medal.
Blackish crimson. Salty and a hint of rusty nails plus masses of distinctively high altitude fruit. Lots to chew on! (JR)

100% Malbec from Finca Flichman estate vineyards located in Barrancas, at 700 m above sea level, and in Tupungato, at 1,100m, where the unique climatic conditions at the very foot of the Andes lend additional acidity and complexity to the wines. The grapes were handpicked, fermented over 9 days and then enjoyed 6 months ageing in French and American oak casks and a further 3 months in bottle. Winemaker German Berra. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans. TA 4.45 g/l, RS 2.2 g/l. IWC 2013 Bronze Medal.
Bright crimson. Hint of oak on the nose and lots of flat sweetness plus salt and a hint of iron filings. (JR)

Made from four different lots of wine from three different types of soil (sand, silt and rock). The Malbec is principally from a vineyard planted in 1955. There is also 6% Petit Verdot and 4% Cabernet Franc co-fermented with the Malbec.
More complex than the Zaha but also chewier. Quite a price for a wine without, presumably, a track record. I can’t help thinking of other wines at this price but there is certainly lots of effort… (JR)

Predominantly sandy and silty soils with some limestone. Zaha is made by ex-Catena viticulturist and winemaker Alejandro Sejanovitch. Aged in barrel for about a year. 90% Malbec, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.
A wine for Man United and Crystal Palace fans? Lots of energy and finesse on the nose. Massively round without being speciously sweet. It does taste like essence of Mendoza Malbec. Well done! (JR)

90% Malbec with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from an excellent-quality, cool harvest. Aged 13 months in 80% new French barrels and 20% second use.
Bright purple. Refined and very direct. Clean and bracing. Very brisk. (JR)

40% Malbec, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot. Bright dark ruby with a glowing rim. Lovely subtle candied violets nose. Very sweet and round and this would make a great special bottle for a celebration – Christmas? Fully evolved and clean enough. Round and punchy. Lots of layers. Well picked up! Revitalising finish. (JR)

A blend of 40% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Merlot aged two years in foudres and six months in vats before bottling.
Bright ruby. Some evolution. Headily sweet nose with fermented (metal not human) nail juice. Gloriously distinctive. And not at all expensive. It will presumably always be a bit chewy but it delivers on distinctiveness. GV (JR)

Bright crimson. Big and beefy. Sweet but not over the top. Floral. Superior. (JR)

Salty and round. Lightly perfumed. Just a tad rusty nail. (JR)

Very heavy bottle. Rather dull fruit. Doesn't get the best from either variety. Nothing unpleasant about it, just too nondescript. (RH)

50% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Shiraz, 10% Merlot. Slightly bruised fruit here – and very low level TCA. Not in good condition. (RH)

40% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah. Chocolate, blackcurrant. Lacking substance. Decent balance, but one-dimensional. (RH)

40% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot. Some mintiness, and a sweet milk chocolate character. Pleasant, malleable tannins. Enjoyable. (RH)

Has the sort of eucalypt and menthol blackcurrant character that evokes Coonawarra, which is no bad thing. Pretty straightforward palate, but attractive fruit and good definition. Moreish. (RH)

Attractive blackcurrant juiciness and a nicely done chocolate and cedar character. Smoky, aromatic, lengthy – really well made. Classic Cabernet acidity, very natural seeming balance. (RH)

Very heavy bottle. Attractive bronzing garnet and a true varietal leafy black fruit. Chocolate. This is maturing properly and the tannin is in lovely balance for drinking now. I would almost boycott it over the grossly heavy bottle, but if you want good New World Cabernet Franc, this should be on the list. (RH)

At last – Malbec with some nuance and sensitivity. Delicious and drinkable black fruits, just a pinch of tannin and a good, subtle decay. (RH)

Unnecessarily heavy bottle. Dense black fruit, smooth tannic feel, some burnt character (from sunburn, possibly?) The wine is as overweight as the bottle. (RH)

Black bramble fruit. Very soft and with a definite portiness and alcoholic sweetness. Only for die-hard Malbec hedonists/sadists. (RH)

Unnecessarily heavy bottle. Minty, meaty, chocolate. Juicy raspberry fruit – very accessible and not too overwhelming on the palate. Has some subtlety (in context of the style!). (RH)

Unnecessarily heavy bottle. Chocolate, raisined fruit. Has got fresh acidity, but doesn’t quite hold together. Furry tannins. Hard work. (RH)

Unnecessarily heavy bottle. Juicy raspberry fruit – quite different from the dense Malbec norm, and refreshing therefore. At ‘only’ 14% this is mercifully drinkable too. (RH)

Unnecessarily heavy bottle. Milk chocolate, creamy texture, dark black bramble fruit. Heavy, thick, potent. Attritional. (RH)

Very pleasant leafy lift with a bit of menthol too – more complex than the standard Malbec recipe of fruit, fruit and fruit. Juicy, ripe, soft tannins. Intrusive alcohol, but if high-powered Malbec is what you're after, this shows some enjoyable diversity of flavour. (RH)

Juicy, youthful red fruit. Raspberry, redcurrant – almost Grenache-like, if it weren’t for the deep crimson colour. Pleasant pepperiness. It’s all conducted at a high volume, but there is at least some nuance. (RH)

There’s a certain animal funk to this nose which gives it some nasal interest. Heavily extracted palate is pretty standard and therefore too samey. Shame – this could have been more interesting. (RH)

Rich, drenched in fruit with a sweet oak overlay. Made not grown. Gratifying, and not without a certain meaty complexity, but values fruit above all else. (RH)

Incredibly dark purple. Violets and spice on the nose and very jammy fruit. Intense, heavyweight. Would be easy to tire of, like music played constantly fortissimo. (RH)

Rich, chocolatey and complex. Lovely breadth and ripeness with a savoury undercurrent. Dry finish, medium grain tannins. A good example of New World fruit with a drinkable, gastronomic sensibility. (RH)

Closed nose, soft texture on the palate. Not much going on. Smooth but a bit featureless. (RH)

Rich, juicy, fragrant. Loaded with plummy, ripe flavour but does not have the depth or complexity that justifies the price. Actually pretty elementary. (RH)

95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. Crude black fruit. Hard tannins. Un-pleasurable. (RH)

Dark crimson. Florally perfumed and transparent. A world away from the Malbec of five years ago. Lifted and lively. Great personality. Crafted by a Frenchman! GV (JR)

Sweet and soft and lively. (JR)

Bodega Garzon is a label of a big company called Agroland, one of two producers to have invested in this new region in Uruguay that is heavily influenced by close proximity to the Atlantic. 
Plenty of varietal apricot aroma, matched on the scented mid palate. Fresh and fruity, not complex but the very, very slight tannic grip on the finish adds interest. This combination of location and variety shows good potential. (JH)

Five hours' pre-fermentation maceration at 5 ºC. 15% fermented in French oak, the rest in tank.
Fragrantly fresh with definite richness, almost reminds me of a smaragd-style Austrian Grüner Veltliner on the nose – that slightly spicy and delicately oily citrus character but there is more fragrance and less spice here. Full bodied and full in the mouth with impressive weight and density but no heaviness. Very very long with the scent of apricot and orange on the fresh, lively, spicy finish. A serious white wine. (JH)

Unnecessarily heavy bottle. A blend of barrel-fermented and nine months lees-aged Chardonnay with fresh Albariño blend. Bottle 1,540 out of 1,680.
The nose is rich and creamy, a little buttery. Technically dry, I believe, but quite honeyed on the palate. There's freshness too, even with that honey character. Creamy lemon fills the mouth. Intense, well crafted, avoids heaviness but somehow lacks energy. Maybe it needs to lose some puppy fat. (JH)

Bodega Garzon is a label of a big company called Agroland, one of two producers to have invested in this new region in Uruguay that is heavily influenced by close proximity to the Atlantic. 
Deeply coloured and smudgy at the rim, as if not filtered. Marked aroma of oak – both mocha and char but there's plenty of dark fruit too. Excessively sweet oak on the palate, really overdone, which is a shame because the fruit is nice but the sweetness undermines the unique freshness that should be here. Firm rounded tannins. Dial back on the oak make-up and this could be so much more refreshing. Definitely in the barista style that was a trend not long ago in S Africa (eg Diemersfontein). (JH)

Ridiculously heavy bottle, even worse than the 2004 1er Cru d'Exception, which has been renamed as Massimo Deicas – named after the family ancestor from Italy's Valtellina, who came to Uruguay in 1870. Hand destemmed, cold maceration for a few days, ambient yeast, malo in new French oak, where the wine spends 18-24 months. No fining or filtration.
Very deeply coloured with black core. Intense and youthful aromas of black fruit – cassis and the wildness of elderberry – plus toasty/mocha oak. Oak feels heavy handed still but, having tasted the 2004, I can see it will subside with time. Chewy, rich, just fresh enough and a fine example of ambitious Tannat that has not lost the freshness of its origin. Needs time. (JH)

This wine has since been renamed Massimo Deicas (see note on the 2008). Pointlessly heavy bottle.  
Deep garnet with the beginning of brick at the rim. A hint of undergrowth but still has lots of dark fruit with a wild, sweet freshness and some cedar fragrance. Rich, chewy and deep in fruit. Tannins resolved but still giving a firm outline. Clearly very ripe but the underlying freshness creates harmony and elegance. Good length. (JH)

Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. 24-30 months in French oak. 
Tasted alongside the 2009, and shows a strong family likeness. Deep ruby core with a brick rim. This smells fabulous. It has plenty of undergrowth but the original richness of ripe fruit is still there, baking spice, together with a complex amalgam of wild flowers and woodland. Tannins are dry, fully resolved, a little abrupt at the very end but really impressive in its harmony in age. I don't think it is going to get much better and it's lovely now. (JH)

Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Plus 2% Marselan from 2002 on. 24-30 months in French oak. 
Fascinating to taste this alongside the 1999. Deep garnet. Ripe, dark and aromatic fruit and a cedary oak tone. Oak is to the fore still (toasty) and the tannins pretty firm and dry. Like the 1999, it is somehow abrupt on the finish but looks set to age in a similarly attractive way. Minus just because the finish is a little disappointing. (JH)

Garzón Vineyard in the Valle de los Manatiales, near Punta del Este, c 22 km inland from Uruguay's east coast, an area pioneered by Deicas. Sandy, loamy soils of weathered igneus rock and metamorphic granite. 15-20% slopes. 
Marselan is a Cabernet Sauvignon x Grenache cross.
Deep cherry red. Lively, aromatic, small-berried dark fruit with the sweetness of cherry and a touch of vanilla. Smells almost more like fresh fruit than wine. All the freshness you would expect from Uruguay and especially from this vineyard so close to the ocean. Juicy with the best of both parents – sweet fruit and finely chewy tannins. Not terribly long but plenty of immediate pleasure. (JH)

Garzón Vineyard in the Valle de los Manatiales, near Punta del Este, c 22 km inland from Uruguay's east coast. Sandy, loamy soils of weathered igneous rock and metamorphic granite. 15-20% slopes.

Deep crimson. Fresh, bright, slightly herbal dark fruit though fully ripe and some vanilla-oak sweetness. Very good balance of deep freshness and juicy but not simple fruit, with firm but not aggressive tannins. Very satisfying and longer than the Marselan. (JH)

Horribly heavy bottle – worse than the other reds. Tannat/Merlot/Tempranillo blend. Varieties vinified separately and aged 8-14 months in oak.
Fine, complex aroma of both red and black fruit and subtle oak spice. Very slightly spirity on the nose. Tannins are finer than on the varietal Tannat and Tempranillo yet still quite compact and dense. Definitely has the potential for elegance with some more time in bottle. Pretty oaky now but I hope that will become more of a support than an overlay as the wine ages. Has Uruguay's hallmark freshness even with all this ripeness of fruit and high alcohol. Very ambitious. (JH)

Unnecessarily heavy bottle. 14 months in new US oak. Bottled unfiltered October 2012. This vineyard is in the Canelones department but not labelled with that GI.
Sweetness of US oak dominates the nose. Lots of vanilla over the ripe cherry fruit. Rich and mouthwatering but I find the oak just too much. The fruit is obviously wonderful and I wish it had the opportunity to sing a little more loudly. Chewy, ripe, well-managed and refined tannins. Maybe with a few years in bottle it will. (JH)

Unnecessarily heavy bottle. Bottle number 1965 out of 1982. 11 months in new French oak. Bottled unfiltered. This vineyard is in the Canelones department but not labelled with that GI.
Deep crimson. Lovely pure fruit on the nose – ripe plum and red fruits and just a touch of oak spice, the oak not able to overwhelm the fruit's intensity. Firm but rounded tannins, freshness more marked than on the Tempranillo despite the much higher alcohol, which is remarkably just in balance. Ripe, moreish and long. (JH)

Bottle number 829 out of 2000. Single vineyard. 10 months in US barrels. Bottled unfiltered February 2012. From the Canelones department but not labelled with that GI.
Unnecessarily heavy bottle. Deep crimson. Smells both sweet and savoury (almost meaty) but intense primary fruit still apparent. Velvety but quite thick tannins that still need time to become more silky. Plenty of sweet oak spice and rich red fruit flavours. Concentrated and well made but there's some heat on the finish and only just enough freshness to counteract the sweet flavours, otherwise I would have scored it higher for the fruit quality and careful winemaking. (JH)