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Boutique Argentine blend
from Ernesto Catena
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
(604) 320 7322
January 2, 2013
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Alma Negra
"M" Blend, Mendoza 2009
REGION: Mendoza, ARGENTINA
VARIETALS: Bonarda & Malbec
PRICE: $27.00 / bottle
FORMAT: 12x750ml
AVAILABLE: 30 cases
DRINKABILITY: now - 8 years
90 POINTS - Wine Advocate "The 2009 Blend is made up of Bonarda and Malbec that spent 8 months in barrique. Made in a racy style with lively acidity, this medium-bodied offering has ample savory fruit, a smooth texture, and good balance. Drink this excellent value over the next 5-6 years.
Alma Negra is owned by Ernesto Catena and the wines are made by Gustavo Marin and Jose Reginato."
(December 2011 Issue #198)
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 | | Ernesto Catena |
Alma Negra is made by fourth generation winemaker Ernesto Catena, eldest son of Nicholas Catena Zapata and brother of Laura Catena.
Ernesto is a world traveler and polymath, with degrees in Computer Science/Economics, Design, and History from Buenos Aires, Milan and London. He is a legendary Bohemian, renowned for his insatiable curiosity and passionate devotion to the arts of writing, painting, photography, horsemanship, polo and archery. It is not surprising that his wines are profoundly expressive, or that he would choose to name a winery 'Alma Negra' (Dark Soul).
The Alma Negra 'M' Blend is made from Bonarda and Malbec from Ernesto's Vistaflores vineyard, with 116 acres of Malbec, Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah planted at an altitude of 3576 feet in the Uco Valley. The vineyard was certified organic in 2011 and will qualify for biodynamic certification in 2012.
The wine is dense, dark, and rich with an intriguing untamed wildness that is an expression of Ernesto's character as much as it is the result of organic viticulture and a pristine natural environment. Full of flavour and perfectly ready to drink now (especially the Argentine way with smokey grilled beef or lamb) it will also repay cellaring for 8-10 years
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