"This is slightly superior to the 2010 Unus in my view, both of which are on the market at the moment, and so reviewed here. A blend of Malbec with 25% Cabernet and 10% Petit Verdot, it's a dense, focused wines that needs time in bottle. Sweet oak, good structure, ginger spice, fresh acidity and a peppery flourish from the cooler climate Malbec make this an outstanding red blend."                                

"The 2011 Unus is a blend of 65% old un-grafted Malbec, 25% younger Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot from Perdriel, Mayor Drummond and Altamira, aged in new French oak barrels for 16 months. The nose is elegant and complex with subtle notes of soil, a little backward, combining ripe and fresh notes of fruit, hints of cured meats, orange peel, with a great sense of harmony. The palate is full-bodied, a good combination of the backbone of the Cabernet Sauvignon, the meat of the Malbec and a good punch in the palate helped by the Petit Verdot. The blend works really well, both in the nose and the palate. A great blend, quite classical, that should age well. Drink now-2020."                                 

"The 2011 Mendel Malbec comes from un-grafted 85-year-old vines in Mayor Drummond at 980 meters altitude on clay and rolling stones soils, in Lujan de Cuyo, aged for 12 months in one-third new, one-third second-use and one-third third-use French oak barrels. The yields are kept low to get this intensity of fruit. It has a sweet nose of blackberries, floral notes and spicy overtones (vanilla and cinnamon), with smoky aromas intermixed with aromatic herbs. The palate is medium-bodied with elegant, sweet tannins, intense flavors, persistence and length. Great Malbec at great price. Drink now-2018."                               

                                                        Issue #212