Malbec

Grapes from forty-five- to one-hundred-and-twenty-year-old vines include Cinsault, Carignan, Malbec, Syrah, Carmenere and Pais, drawn from Southern Chile’s Itata and Maule regions at two hundred fifty to three hundred fifty metres. Red granite, sandy and quartz soils underpin the sites. Each component is fermented with native yeast in stainless steel and cement before blending. Pitch, black raspberry, thorns and earthy character meet tight minerality, with cassis grip on the finish.

Dark berries and herbs lead, with baking spice and subtle toasted oak behind them. Fruit, balanced acidity and resolved tannins shape a restrained profile, while the finish has structure and integrated tannins. The blend is led by Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Petite Sirah and Malbec. The wine draws on vineyard lots from across Napa Valley and is presented in a half-bottle.

Malbec comes from a twenty-acre Lunlunta vineyard at 3,300 feet. The site has alluvial soil and uses sustainable farming with vertical-shoot positioning. A pre-fermentation cold soak is followed by a cool, long fermentation with native yeast. Thirty percent of the wine rests in neutral French oak, followed by twelve months in bottle. It is lightly filtered before bottling.

Côt and a small portion of Pinot Noir form this Loire red blend. Blueberry and rose appear in a pure, supple profile with a compelling fragrance. The colour is dark without corresponding weight, and the wine contains 11.5 percent alcohol. Côt, another name for Malbec, is the principal grape in the blend, with Pinot Noir used in a smaller amount.

Malbec comes from Paraje Altamira at about 1,100 metres. Fermentation and ageing take place in concrete, without cultured yeasts or oak. Red and blue fruit accompany a juicy, savoury and almost saline palate. Country herbs, violets and lavender are also present, while a chalky path extends through the wine. The profile is fresh and zesty, with lightness and tension.

The colour is medium ruby-purple. Aromas include Bing cherry, red raspberry, blueberry, roasted rhubarb, cardamom and brown sugar. Vanilla and spice sit with grilled meat, olive tapenade, cedar and molasses. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec make up the blend. The wine is full-bodied, with firm, grainy tannins and juicy acidity.

Intense ruby colour carries violet reflections. Sweet spices and violets accompany ripe red fruit. The wine is medium-full bodied, with softened tannins, medium acidity and a finish marked by red fruit. Malbec is hand harvested and destemmed; twenty percent ferments in French oak while the balance ferments in stainless steel. Malolactic fermentation is followed by ten months in oval concrete tanks.

Blackberry, fruitcake and liquorice appear in a dense, smooth profile with concentrated black fruit, firm structure, acidity, substantial tannins and grip. The blend is sixty percent Malbec, fifteen percent Merlot, fifteen percent Cabernet Sauvignon, five percent Syrah and five percent Petit Verdot. Fermentation lasts seven to ten days in stainless steel, with twenty to thirty days of maceration, full malolactic fermentation and twelve months in French oak.

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Syrah are vinified separately in open concrete vats with gentle extraction. Dark colour accompanies preserved black fruit, blueberry, ripe blackberry, cassis and prune. Peony and dried chrysanthemum appear with resinous, balsamic notes recalling pine and cypress. Ripe tomato, pink pepper and Espelette pepper are also present. The vines grow in clay-gravel soils over grey marl molasse, and the vineyard is farmed biodynamically.