2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza

2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza

with No Comment $40-$50ArgentinaKevin VogtMalbecUco Valley

TAPIZ

BLACK TEARS MALBEC
MENDOZA 2018

2018 Tapiz Black Tears Malbec Mendoza
The state-of-the-art Tapiz Winery sits in a prime region of Mendoza’s Uco Valley at the foothills of the Andes Mountains, where their vineyards are some of the highest in the world. Their estate vines are carved into slopes as high as 4,600 feet elevation, producing some of the region’s most stunning wines due to the altitude and intense sunlight, ensuring fresh acidity and deep color.
 
Jean Claude Berrouet produced 44 historical vintages at Petrus and today works with Fabian Valenzuela, who has over 20 years of winemaking experience in Mendoza, creating wines that are an intricate tapestry (tapiz) of the Uco Valley terroir. The 2018 Black Tears Malbec comes from 20-year-old estate vines that were hand-harvested and aged 24 months in new French oak, giving a refined integration of oak spice with delicious ripe fruit flavors of the country’s most prized variety.
 
TAPIZ
BLACK TEARS MALBEC
MENDOZA 2018
Retails at: $55
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Deep blue and black fruit here, with floral, spicy and balsamic accents. Brooding and complex. You have to fathom the power of tannin on the palate, as the texture is so ultra-fine and polished. But don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of tannins here, only so seamless that they make it taste so effortless. Naturally concentrated, juicy and long. Delicious now, but you can hold for added complexity.”
96 Points
2019 Aniello 006 Malbec Riverside Estate

2019 Aniello 006 Malbec Riverside Estate

with No Comment $30 and underArgentinaKevin VogtMalbec

ANIELLO

2019 006 MALBEC
RIVERSIDE ESTATE
PATAGONIA ARGENTINA

2019 Aniello 006 Malbec Riverside Estate
Vines have been growing in Patagonia for over 100 years, and today a large number of low-yielding, old vines are thriving and producing some of the most exciting wines in Argentina. The latitude in Patagonia ranges from 38 to 42 degrees South, providing one more hour of sunshine each day and lower temperatures during the vegetative cycle, slowly ripening the grapes and resulting in complex, elegant flavors, and profound aromatic intensity.
 
The grapes retain their natural acidity due to the wide diurnal temperature range in the region, and the windy, desert climate forces the development of thick skins that give more tannic structure, deeper colors, and more concentrated flavors. Destined to become a new favorite, Bodega Aniello’s 006 Malbec has intriguing aromas, juicy fruit, spicy undertones, and a refined finish that vastly over-delivers at its modest $20 price.
 
ANIELLO
2019 006 MALBEC
RIVERSIDE ESTATE
PATAGONIA ARGENTINA
 
Your Price: $19.99
 
 
“A rich, ripe wine that shows dried berries and hints of figs and spice. Medium body, medium-chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Juicy blackberry finish that’s really fresh and zesty.”
92 Points
 
“Grown at an estate vineyard in Mainque, this malbec fermented in concrete tanks and a third of it aged for 12 months in oak barrels. It needs air to settle down, the cinnamon spice taking a backseat to an orange zest volatility. Wild and meaty. Best Buy” 
91 Points
2017 D.V. Catena Tinto Historico Red Malbec Blend

2017 D.V. Catena Tinto Historico Red Malbec Blend

with No Comment $30 and underArgentinaKevin VogtMalbec

D.V. CATENA 

TINTO HISTORICO RED
2017 MALBEC BLEND

2017 D.V. Catena Tinto Historico Red Malbec Blend
The DV Catena wines are inspired by Nicolas Catena’s father’s legacy as a master of assemblage. They resulted from years of research identifying Argentina’s top terroir that would offer the greatest concentration of aroma and flavors. The Tinto Historico Red marries several of the winery’s historic high-elevation vineyards and does so with natural balance, concentration, and a distinct identity. At around $20, it’s as James Suckling writes, “A stunning wine for this price point.”
 
Arising from the family’s historic vineyards in the Valle de Ugo, which range 3 to 4 thousand feet elevation, the 2017 release is both concentrated, clean, and firmly balanced. 
 
Winemaker Alejandro Vigil believes that “Winemaking revolves around contact with nature, and you need to breathe the same air as the vine, suffer the cold and the heat, and feel a sense of belonging to that place.” You can feel that connection in the wine, and at $22, a single case may not be enough. 
 
D.V. CATENA 
TINTO HISTORICO RED
2017 MALBEC BLEND
 
Your Price: $22
 
 
“A stunning wine for this price point! Plenty of malbec violet character, but also delicate spices and great freshness. A wealth of drive and ripeness. The finish is long and polished. Drink or hold.” 
94 Points
 
“Bright ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry, cassis and tobacco leaf are lifted by a violet topnote; higher-pitched and more pristine than the 2016 example. Then juicy and rather refined on the palate, showing a restrained sweetness and good energy to its purple fruit, violet and licorice flavors. Finishes firm and long, with substantial broad, dusty tannins. Perhaps the best vintage yet for this bottling, which was launched in 2014…”
91 Points
2016 Janicot Vignobles Cahors Malbec Lamagdelaine Noire

2016 Janicot Vignobles Cahors Malbec Lamagdelaine Noire

with No Comment $30 and underCahorsFranceKevin VogtMalbec

JANICOT VIGNOBLES

2016 CAHORS MALBEC
LAMAGDELAINE NOIRE

2016 Janicot Vignobles Cahors Malbec Lamagdelaine Noire
Malbec originates from France and thrives in the Cahors region in the South, where they’ve produced it since the late middle ages. In Cahors, the Mediterranean climate combines the cooling influences from the Atlantic with calcium-rich limestone soils to create a deeper, richer, meatier Malbec. Janicot Vignobles’ 96 Point Cahors Malbec from Château Lamagdelaine is a brilliant example of how profound they can be, and at less than thirty bucks, the value is real.
 
Château Lamagdelaine’s 16 hectares of vines that reside on both sides of the Gallo-Roman aqueduct have thrived there for nearly 2000 years. This wine’s remarkable complexity results from the three distinct soil types within the Estate, which include; limestone scree cone, gravel, and siderolithic clays.  
 
The vineyard produces deep, black, intense, aromatic Malbec fruit that carries a freshness from the Southwest facing rows. Their vines average 40 years and reach deep into the thin topsoil, which results in a more concentrated wine with depth and complexity. 
 
JANICOT VIGNOBLES
2016 CAHORS MALBEC
LAMAGDELAINE NOIRE
 
Your Price: $29.99
 
96 Points
 
Gold Medal
 
Decanter World Wine Awards 2019
 
“Beautiful dark color, complex aromas mingling with very ripe red fruits. Mouth of beautiful substance where the tannins are round and well melted, the wine blends harmoniously with the wood, a finish with toasted notes.”
2017 Enzo Bianchi Gran Corte Mendoza Argentina

2017 Enzo Bianchi Gran Corte Mendoza Argentina

with No Comment $40-$50ArgentinaKevin VogtMalbecProprietary Red

ENZO BIANCHI 

2017 GRAN CORTE
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

2017 Enzo Bianchi Gran Corte Mendoza Argentina

 
Valentine Bianchi’s top wine Enzo Bianchi Gran Corte might be minuscule in production, but it’s absolutely massive in body and extract. They only produce this wine in exceptional years, and it comes from an incredible, high-elevation vineyard in Las Paredes. There, Valentine’s son Enzo has sourced Cabernet and Malbec for 50 years. They achieve a quality level that is extraordinarily high in every vintage produced, and the 2017 version is no exception. 
 
The winery gains concentration from cold maceration, a technique where they soak the grape juice with the skins at cold temps, extracting deeper color and bold flavors before the fermentation. Next, the wine spends 14 months developing in Oak barrels, and a full year in the bottle before release. 
 
It emerges from a vineyard perched at 2400 feet in elevation, where the vines were planted in alluvial soils with excellent drainage. The 2017 vintage has an intriguing minerality induced by layers of medium-sized rocks coated with light calcareous that blankets the site. If you love deep, full-bodied, layered reds, this wine should top your list. 
 
ENZO BIANCHI 
2017 GRAN CORTE
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Retails at: $60
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
 
“An intense blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec, merlot and petit verdot that offers rich, brambly aromas of red berries, mulberries and plums. Drink now.”  90 Points
 
 
 
“The Bordeaux-blend 2017 Enzo Bianchi is 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Malbec, 15% Merlot and 9% Petit Verdot from San Rafael. It was produced in a traditional way with an élevage in new French barriques that has added a patina of aromas reminiscent of cocoa, roasted coffee and smoke intermixed with the herbal and ripe fruit notes. The palate is full-bodied, soft and polished with moderate acidity…” 90 Points
2013 Matias Riccitelli Vineyard Selection Malbec

2013 Matias Riccitelli Vineyard Selection Argentina Malbec

with No Comment $30 and underArgentinaKevin VogtMalbecSouth America

MATIAS RICCITELLI  2013 Matias Riccitelli Vineyard Selection Malbec

2013 MALBEC
VINEYARD SELECTION
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

 
Every great winemaker has at least one mentor that helped guide them in their career.  When  your father is the head-winemaker at Bodegas Norton, and the first South American to ever be named Winemaker of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine, it can come with a few advantages… Matias Riccitelli had both the connections and the drive to spend a decade working 2 harvests each year, one in Argentina, and the others in New Zealand, Napa Valley, Europe and Australia.  During that time he soaked up every bit of winemaking knowledge in order to achieve his goal of creating a brand of that could express the full potential of Argentine terroir.
 
Carved from exceptional vines ranging 20-80 years in age and grown in Perdriel and Vistalba in the Lujan de Cuyo and El Cepillo in La Consulta,  Riccitelli’s 2013 Vineyard Selection Malbec is stunningly complex and loaded with hedonistic aromas of dark black fruits, scorched earth, blue violets, licorice and hints of wild game.  Many of you tasted and loved Riccitelli’s The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree Malbec that we introduced last year, and with the Vineyard Selection Malbec, I wouldn’t hesitate to secure yours…
 
MATIAS RICCITELLI
2013 MALBEC
VINEYARD SELECTION
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
Retails at: $55/btl
 
 
From Vinous: “(made from three small vineyards in Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley): Bright medium ruby. Showing more balsamic cedar and herbs on the nose than the 2014 The Apple . . . Malbec; plenty ripe but less dark-fruity and chocolatey and more minty and herbal… this intensely flavored wine is much less sweet than The Apple, with its currant and blackberry flavors complemented by a saline quality and nicely framed by healthy acidity. A bit less forthcoming, drier and more classic on the end, showing suaver tannins.“
2014 Chateau de Haute-Serre Malbec

2014 Château De Haute-Serre Malbec

with No Comment $30 and underCahorsFranceKevin VogtMalbec

CHÂTEAU DE HAUTE-SERRE 2014 Chateau de Haute-Serre Malbec

2014 MALBEC
CAHORS, FRANCE

 
Did you know the Malbec grape originates in France, and thrives in the Cahors region in the South of France, but today, around 70% of the Malbec planted worldwide is in Argentina… However, Château de Haute-Serre’s Vineyards in Cahors, France date back to middle ages… In 2009, Haute-Serre got a little help from the Master of Malbec Paul Hobbs, who’s been pushing the boundaries of Malbec on multiple continents for decades.  With Paul  as consulting winemaker, their 2010 went on to earn a place on the Spectator Top 100.  Most are familiar with the style of Argentine Malbecs, which are known for their fruit-forward, plummy/blackberry and velvety texture. For those looking for a more densely packed, concentrated Malbec with savory undertones, firm tannins and meaty character, Old-World Malbec from Cahors may be just what they’re looking for. 
 
Malbec is a thick-skinned grape that needs more sun than Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot to mature and Château de Haute-Serre’s parcel has excellent Southwest and Southeast exposure allowing the grapes to reach optimum maturity.  They’ve been making news long before earning a spot on the WS Top 100 list…  Back in 1889 their Malbec was honored by being placed on a Gala menu in line with the famous Château Margaux and Pommard wines.  I strongly recommend trying a case… you’ll be really glad you did.  
 
CHÂTEAU DE HAUTE-SERRE
2014 MALBEC
CAHORS, FRANCE
 
Your Price: $25/btl 
 
 

  
 
“On some of the highest vineyards in Cahors, this estate has a history reaching back to the Middle Ages. This latest vintage from this major estate has a firm structure and cool texture. Allied to acidity and dark tannins, the rich black fruits are going to need time to mature. Drink from 2020.” 90 Points

 
 “A concentrated red, building ripe cherry, plum pudding and licorice drop flavors that are detailed with floral, cocoa powder and raspberry accents. Fresh acidity and mineral elements give focus through the orange peel-tinged finish. Drink now through 2022...” 90 Points

 

 

Customers who enjoy Chateau De Haute-Serre Malbec may also enjoy these two outstanding Reds…
RICCITELLIhttp://bit.ly/2014RiccitelliMalbec
2014 MALBEC
THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL 
FAR FROM THE TREE
Retails at:  $30.00/btl
 
Your Price: $19.99/btl 

Click to Order

 
Winery Notes: “Deep purple in color, with beautiful aromas of wild dark fruits, vanilla and chocolate in the nose. This is a complex and rich vine with smooth ripe tannins and a long finish…”  95 Points, Decanter
CATENA
2014 CABERNET FRANC
SAN CARLOS
APPELLATION SERIES
Retails at:  $30.00/btl
 
Your Price: $22.99/btl 

Click to Order

 
From Vinous: “Enticing aromatic lift to the aromas of purple fruits, violet and brown spices. Suaver than the Agrelo Cabernet Sauvignon, offering exhilarating cut and penetration and an ideal balance between sweetness and suppleness of fruit and acidity. Savory, plush and ripe for all its energy…”  91 Points

Inventory Reduction ~ All Red Other Than Cabs & Cab Blends

with No Comment BaroloBordeauxBrunelloCarménèreChiantiGrenacheMalbecMeritageMerlotNebbioloOld Vine ZinfandelPetite SirahPinot NoirRed BurgandySyrahZinfandel
 
We have an absolutely spectacular array of reds that don’t fit into the Cabernet realm, from plush and juicy Merlots to rich and spicy Syrahs, firm and gripping Barolo to silky and complex red Burgundies and everything in between. Helping to clear room for next year’s new releases, our 2018 Inventory Reduction is the biggest ever. 
 
With thousands of bottles of wine that have to move, this is the last of 3 days of dramatic discounts, making this a wonderful opportunity to try out some new amazing wines and re-stock your cellar for 2019. 
 
Each day we’ve focused on a specific area of the warehouse, and today is all the reds of the world that don’t include Cabernet and Cab blends…  
 
Offer valid through 12-31-18 at 12:00PM PST and only while supplies last.
 
2014 Luca Paraje Altamira Malbec

2014 Luca Malbec Paraje Altamira

with No Comment $30 and underArgentinaMalbecSouth AmericaUco Valley

LUCA 2014 Luca Paraje Altamira Malbec

2014 MALBEC
PARAJE ALTAMIRA

A winemakers vision can sometimes transform a category of wines for an entire region and propel them to an even higher level.  Laura Catena did just that and it began with a vision to create a new breed of Argentine wines that would express individual terroirs from low-yielding, high-elevation vineyards in some of Argentina’s best wine growing regions.  It didn’t take long for consumers and critics to catch on… Their wines have had a string of stellar reviews and her 2012 Malbec was featured as the #19 wine on the Wine Spectator top 100 list in 2014.  Luca offers a truly vivid interpretation of high-elevation Malbec that’s expressive, profound and hedonistic, yet manages to do so while staying true to the varietal and region from which it was hewn.
 
Paraje Altamira is a small sub-appellation within the renowned Uco Valley, which is an area that has likely produced more 95 – 100 Point wines than any other region of Argentina. The fruit was grown at 3,600 feet in elevation and in rocky, alluvial soils and offers stunning power, depth and superior focus.  When tasting this wine it’s almost hard to believe the realistic price level…
 
LUCA
2014 MALBEC
PARAJE ALTAMIRA
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

Click to Order

 

From Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate: “There is a big jump in quality from the 2013 to the 2014 Malbec Paraje Altamira that matured in 500-liter oak barrels for eight months. There is much more freshness here, the fruit is a mixture of red and black and there are violets and some spices. The palate is juicy and soft with clean flavors that are easy to drink. The nose grows in the glass to become more floral. Delicious Malbec...” 91 Points

 
Customers who enjoy Luca Malbec may also enjoy these two terrific Argentine Reds…
2016 Famiglia Bianchi Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Catena Cabernet Franc
FAMIGLIA BIANCHI 
2016 CABERNET SAUVIGNON 
MENDOZA, ARGENTINA
 
Your Price: $19.99/btl 

Click to Order

Famiglia Bianchi is our number one selling International brand of all time, by far… So much so, that it may never be surpassed. When you taste them, each wine in the brand offers a palpable sense of value that’s absolutely unmistakable, and we were recently reminded of that in a glass of their new 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine offers luscious dark fruits, followed by a cavalcade of dark spices, black chocolates, slate and minerals that unwind methodically across your palate. 
CATENA
2014 CABERNET FRANC
SAN CARLOS
APPELLATION SERIES
Retails at:  $30.00/btl
 
Your Price: $22.99/btl 

Click to Order

 
From Vinous: “Enticing aromatic lift to the aromas of purple fruits, violet and brown spices. Suaver than the Agrelo Cabernet Sauvignon, offering exhilarating cut and penetration and an ideal balance between sweetness and suppleness of fruit and acidity. Savory, plush and ripe for all its energy. Finishes with big but thoroughly ripe, dusty tannins and excellent breadth and length. Terrific berry intensity here.”  91 Points
2015 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Proprietary Red

2013 Titus Napa Valley Malbec

with No Comment $30-$40Kevin VogtMalbecNapaSt HelenaUSA

TITUS 

2013 MALBEC
NAPA VALLEY

 
There are a handful of California winemakers whom many would refer to as legendary or iconic, and whose triumphs and experience are so profound that their very name rings with excellence.  Philip Titus is etched permanently onto that list…  Revered for his work authoring Chappellet’s Pritchard Hill wines for nearly three decades, leaving countless World Class wines in his wake.  When our panel first tasted his 2013 Malbec, it was one of those wines that compels you to say “WOW that’s good…” So, we bought every bottle that we could…this wine defines value. 
Forged from the Titus family vineyard located just North of Saint Helena, this stunning Malbec is kept for nearly two full years in barrel before bottling.  And from a vintage unanimously recognized for its unrivaled quality… One that Robert Parker alerted readers that it “...may turn out to be the finest vintage I have experienced in tasting North Coast varietals over the last 37 years,”  this exemplary Malbec leaves everything in the glass.  Deep, penetrating, intense and with plenty of substance, this 2013 is really drinking beautifully now and promises another several years of improvement.  
 
TITUS 
2013 MALBEC
NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “The 2013 Malbec bouquet offers dark cherry, plum, bittersweet chocolate and baking spices. The mouthfeel is lush, with balanced tannins and bright acidity that give the wine a plush mouthfeel and long finish. Flavors of bing cherry, plum jam, clove, vanilla and warm cedar dominate the palate.”
Malbec 85% | Petit Verdot 7% | Cabernet Sauvignon 5% | Merlot 3%

 

Customers who enjoy the Titus 2013 Malbec may also enjoy 
these two terrific Reds…
2015 Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Proprietary Red

 
 Wagner Family Schooner Malbec Voyage 5

 
CHAPPELLET
2015 MOUNTAIN CUVEE
PROPRIETARY RED
Your Price: $31.99/btl 
Chappellet’s Iconic Pritchard Hill Vineyards have been hailed by some as “Napa’s Grand Cru,” and particularly with Bordeaux Varietals.  Following the advice of renowned winemaker André Tchelistcheff, by planting on the rocky, high-elevation slopes, Chappellet became one of the first wineries in Napa Valley to plant vineyards on the lofty hillsides…
WAGNER FAMILY
RED SCHOONER
MALBEC, VOYAGE 5
Your Price: $49.99/btl