Friday Sips

Back in the mid 90s, 5 prominent Italian winemakers set up this operation in Argentina and quickly became revolutionaries in the rise of the quality in this nation’s wines. Having always been very forthright and hedonistic wines, the Altos wines often were masked with a bit more oak than was necessary. Wine aficionado Thomas Jefferson once said, “I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing…” This sentence has often been misquoted, as “every generation needs a new revolution”; either way there is something new brewing with Altos las Hormigas. Beginning with the 2012 vintage wines are now aged in concrete and large, untoasted wood foudres, providing the real mission, a renewed focus on terroir. I can unequivocally state that these are some of the finest Malbecs that I have ever tasted from Argentina and they truly offer magnificent value!!

The biggest change with the Malbec Clasico is the intelligent move from having it suffer in small oak barrels to now making the wine in a lower alcohol, yet intense but very vibrant in style by having its fermentation occur in stainless steel and then elevated in concrete tanks. The sum of the new equation is its purity of fruit and prominent soil scents. Black plum along with impressive cherry pit, savory herbs and intertwined with tangy earth. Forward, nice volume, plenty of depth but cool acidity livens it all out. Impressively long on the back end. Very distinctive, beautifully formed, and a steal for 12 bucks.

Even though the following two wines may be more impressive, this is the wine of the line-up that made me take a step back and go whoa, this place ain’t fooling around!! The biggest change to this offering is that there are no small barrels utilized nor is there any American oak, it is now done in for 18 months in 3500-liter vats then 6 months in bottle so not to impair the focus of the grape or place. The other big thing is that all of the fruit comes from the sub-zone of the Uco Valley, which between the high elevation and chalky soils brings about a mighty, energetic presence.

Refined and sexy with a slow-building, expansive texture. Whereas former versions were more frontal, this wine crescendos towards a deep and harmonious, middle and seriously extensive and expansive finish. Loads of violet, licorice, espresso from earth and minerality are prominent throughout. No problem for this wine to age nicely for another 8-10 years, although it is damn delicious now!

Taking it even further, this particular offering comes from a single appellation in Mendoza’s Uco Valley, Vista Flores. Taking its inspiration from the great Achaval Ferrer and focusing on place rather than process, this wine and the following are two of the most profound Malbecs I have ever tasted from Argentina. Period. While I am a huge fan of Achaval’s versions, these are their peers and are about $60 less.

Immediate prominence and penetration; packed with teeming blackcurrant, violet, pekoe, fennel and mint scents. Also no hints of any oakiness due to it being aged in 3500 liter vats for 18 months and then in bottle for another 12. Broad, expansive, very layered with full blue fruits. Lots of burst and structure, especially on the soaring finish. This is magnificent juice and will easily drink well and develop through 2024.

The same aging process utilized on the Vista Flores is practiced on the Altamira, another appellation within the Uco Valley. The soils for this offering are limestone so there is serious uplift, structure and depth to this wine.

Totally different and equally as magnificent as the Vista Flores, this offering reveals scents of black cherry, dark chocolate, olive, nutmeg and serious smoky, stony character. Dense, full and explosive, broadly layered with the opulence sliced through with crisp, zesty red-tinged natural acidity that comes from the limestone. Harmonious and pure for being large-scaled and the vivacious finish extends for an eternity. Same thing as the Vista Flores, no problem to drink or age through at least 2024.