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Boutique Argentine blend
from Ernesto Catena
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Alma Negra "M" Blend 2011
REGION: Mendoza
VARIETALS: Bonarda & Malbec
PRICE: $27.00 / bottle
FORMAT: 12 x 750 ml
CSPC: +863761
AVAILABILITY: 14 Cases
90 POINTS - Wine Advocate
"The 2011 Alma Negra "M" Blend, which consists of Bonarda and Malbec, has a very fine, slightly estuarine note that turns into a more floral, rose petal scent with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with a nice fatness to the tannins. It seems to have a little more extraction, but it remains pure and balanced with an elegant, satisfying finish of dark plum, red currant and minerals that sing harmoniously together. Excellent. Drink 2013-2020. "
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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 is currently converting to biodynamics.
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) the wine will also repay cellaring for 8-10 years.
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