Randy Fuller

9.5

This wine has a medium-dark color. Its nose is as fruity as you like. Big, ripe, red berries are featured, along with tobacco, spice, and a bit of earthy funk. The tannins are firm and the acidity is fresh. The palate brings in cherry, black cherry, and blackcurrant for a pairing that will be wonderful with meat dishes. I slow-cooked short ribs with mine, while enjoying a glass or two in my easy chair. — 9 months ago

brando cox

9.2

Found this winery in a small German town in the Mosel valley. Knocking on the door, we met the two +90yr old men, owners who showed us around and invited us for drinks. On the wall there were pictures of both of them from the war 😬😳. In the cellar we tasted many different reislings which were all completely stellar. All amazing and may be peaking now, after 7yrs cellaring. Notes of honey pineapple, lime petroleum baked apple & minerals. Great silky mouth feel. 4€ !!!!?! — 5 years ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

8.9

Quite interesting dried grape #malbec #syrah #argentina blend. The wine was tight right after opening with uncouth iron/metallic flavors but a day or two in the wine fridge transformed it. Stewed plum, raisins and a nice peppery foundation on the nose, juicy acidity, continued black pepper, earthy fruit and medium tannins on a longer finish. Stout, spicy wine that stood up well to chili and tomato sauce pizza. #wsjwineclub — 6 years ago

Clive McNish

9.3

This is excellent Malbec, dark purple in the glass with a great nose of blackberry, plum, cigar smoke, violet and burnt toast. The palate is fruit forward with some acid which is somehow refreshing as opposed to sharp. Nice long rounded finish with extra layers of oak and spice. There’s loads going on here and I have no doubt this will smooth out even further in the coming years, saving some to try on day two. Best I’ve had from Argentina for sure. — 6 years ago

JKT

9.0

CVed 10/18/19 Acker buy 17b for fun. Two to JG after house inspection. Surprisingly balanced with deep inky color but lively texture and dark red berries and fruits and some earth and acids underneath. Got better sitting in glass. Good find. — 7 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.5

Rich, deep Ruby color with pronounced songs of blackberry, cassis, violet and dark chocolate. There is a subtle and beguiling earthy note here as well and the wine is surprisingly drinkable now with supple tannins. It will be better still in two or three years but already a dazzling powerhouse. Big yet still elegant — 8 years ago

Brian Hearty

8.9

2018. Last of two bottles gifted to me by my sister-in-law and it paired great with a tomato glazed meatloaf. — 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

The 2018 Clos De Los Siete combines grapes from a large property of the same name in Campo de los Andes, Uco Valley in a blend of 55% Malbec, 19% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Syrah, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc. The assemblage here is made by Michel Rolland and his team, 70% of which is aged in up to 1/3 use French barrels. Dense, dark violet in color. The nose is complex in the Bordelais style, presenting aromas of plum, blackcurrant and blackberry with hints of blueberry, oak and herbs. The 2018 is free-flowing on the palate with good energy and volume. It's mild tannins still have enough energy to lend shape and intense flavor. An interesting, potent wine. Drink in two years. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, November 2021)
— 5 years ago

David Kline

8.9

Smoky caramel-mocha nose shows broom straw and bamboo, vanilla bean, graphite, tea biscuit, cardamom, cinnamon-apple, attic nutmeg and cilantro. Rich and chocolate-y mouthfeel with warm cinnamon heat is exemplary. First taste puts the dully oaken nose to shame for insufficient suggestion. This thing brings a support beam of heavy oak in abundance. Cedar, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, tobacco; the gangs all here. Coffee is the magnet in the middle; two sugars, black, a millisecond before the heavy cream and drizzled caramel. Buckwheat, buckthorn, and dried pineapple are the lightning in this dark storm. Add ginger and dried lime and a drop of Fernet Branca and you’ve nailed it. Don Quixote used to nip this for breakfast. #brandy #cardinalmendoza #spanishbrandy #brandydejerez #soleragranreserva #jerez #sanchezromatehermanos #sanchezromate #grapespirit — 6 years ago

Charles Hackett

9.1

I bought this Malbec for two reasons.

(1). I love a great Malbec and willing to try as many as it takes to find the best.
(2) My wife loves Llama’s.

I bought this bottle 3 years ago and stored it in my “cellar”. I poured the first glass through aerator.
This wine has legs, this wine smells of Blackberry, has subtle notes of spice, but not over spice. Yes there is a hint of oak at the end, but it is not over Oaked.
Having it tonight with Steak, it should be even better.
— 6 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.5

medium ruby, prominent glass staining tears; blackberry, bitter dark chocolate, violets, herbs; sappy red berry fruit, long finish; full bodied, medium+ acidity, surprising tannic grip, medium grained, 14% ABV; made from 100% Malbec sourced from granitic soil blocks of Catena Zapata’s two historic vineyards Adrianna (Gualtallary) and Nicasia (Altamira) in the Uco valley — 6 years ago

Matt Shirley

9.0

Fantastic, dry, not fruity Malbec. I drank it over two days, it started wonderful with my asado, and went perfect with my tablas! — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

This bottle is now part of the Don Julio wine bottle ring of honor. Noted and signed by the two of us.

On the nose; burnt ambers, incense, touch of charcoal, ruby dark currants. Ripe, deep, ruby; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, some black plum & plum, black cherry cola, light vanilla & cinnamon, caramel, soft spice, tarry notes, some black licorice, rich loamy soil & clay with dark red florals & violets.

On the palate; the body is full. The tannins are still a little thick and dry. The wine is gorgeous & elegant now that it’s opened up. Ruby dark currants. Ripe, deep, ruby; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, some black plum & plum & some cherry & strawberries on the longer set, black cherry cola, black raspberries liqueur notes, light vanilla & cinnamon, caramel, soft spice, some black licorice, hint of burnt ambers, sweet tarry notes, just a touch of charcoal, graphite, dry loamy soil & clay, dry dark soils, grey minerals, with dark red florals & violets. The acidity is round and beautiful. The wine is starting to hit its groove. The texture, balance, length and tension are lovely but will continue to evolve for another 8-10 years. The long finish is; beautiful, elegant, sexy and lasts minutes.

The wine really dropped some of its minerality on the last glass after nearly two hours in the decanter.

Photos of, one of, if not the best Steakhouse in Buenos Aires, Don Julio. Our signed bottle, now famed, sitting above the center bar. My ribeye 🥩 and the cooks grilling steaks directly behind the bar.

We left at 11:30p and there were still people waiting outside to be seated for dinner. — 8 years ago

Ericsson

9.0

This quite nice after about two hrs and even then, the rhetorical fruit is faint. Full, dry, earthy, spiced, medium alcohol, hints of green vegetables and a highly tannic finish with hints of red cherry. I want to like this wine more but need steak to actually bring out the best in the wine. Cheers. — 2 years ago

Jeff Payne

9.1

I opened it two days ago, poured a glass then corked it. Today it’s amazing. Plums, some leather and warm ripe strawberries. The color is deep and beautiful. It’s delicious. A good reco from 67 Wine in NYC/UWS. — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

A Malbec from old vines in Mayor Drummond, Luján de Cuyo, that spent 12 months aging in one-third new and two-thirds used oak. Bright purple in the glass. The nose features candied plum and jam and hints of pepper and allspice, as well as tomato preserve, vanilla and herbs. Concentrated, substantial and well-balanced, with a light, slightly rustic feel enhanced by the active tannins, which also deepen the profile. Well made in a ripe style. (Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous, October 2020) — 6 years ago

Peg Hanssen

9.0

Sourced from selected vineyards in Mendoza, Argentina’s most important wine region. 400 years ago, the centuries of expertise of the Spanish men who founded the city, was combined with Mendoza grapes, creating truly special, intense Argentinean wines. This wine is a homage to the hands that first crafted those wines. Great with truffle-salt, buttered popcorn. — 6 years ago

Jan A

9.4

Adrianna Catena and Alejandro Vigil project in Mendoza Argentina. Single Vineyard Cabernet Franc botteling. 100RP / 99JS. Spicey, green pepper, extracted, oak, drying tannins. Dark fruit. Could use some additional time to smoothen the rough edges. 93+
Edit day two: much softer, would store this away for at least 5 years. Solid but not 100points like Parker and JS gave to this wine — 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2014 ‘Nicolas Catena Zapata’ is a gorgeous blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Malbec, as this wine was first made with the 1997 vintage. Sourced from the La Pirámide Vineyard (3,117 ft) as well as the Nicasia Vineyard (3,593 feet) and the Adrianna Vineyard (4,747 feet) the wine starts off with a gorgeous bouquet of dark currant, blackberry pie, mocha and spicecake that all marvelously combine in the glass. The dazzling minerality and texture to the wine really creates a seductive edge to this beautiful wine. Blueberry pie, black tea, Asian spices and dark chocolate shaving flavors all come together as the long, mineral and dark fruit driven finish delivers a lasting effect. Delicious now, be sure to give this a two hour decant if enjoying in its youth. Drink 2020-2040- 95 — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Tonight we went to La Brigada. Think the Owner likes Fubtol? He sponsors two teams from Buenos Aires.

On the nose; bright perfume red & blue floral fruits of; dark cherries, cherries, blackberries, blue fruits and black raspberries. Sweetened vanilla, very light spice, soft dark minerals, dry soil & clay, just a touch of red & black licorice/cola, berry fruit candy and bright red dark florals with violets.

On the palate; the body is medium full. The tannins are dark and fine with just a touch of stickiness. After an hour in the decanter, the wine blossomed from dark and mineral driven into bright, ripe and floral. The fruits are bright & floral; blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruits, cherries and strawberries. Loamy dry soil with clays, dark grainy minerals, vanilla, raspberry cola, dark fruit candy, notes of black licorice, hints of graphite, dark rich soils, beautiful, lovely bright red florals, red roses with candied violets, round acidity and a well polished, elegant, balanced finish. This wine needs another 7-10 years in bottle and will drink for another 5-8 years beyond that. Excellent QPR.

Photos of; the La Brigada’s outside window. The Futbol on top of the “Captain” decanter. My wife’s steak and the barstools all fitted with Fubtols. There isn’t a square inch of the restaurant that didn’t have Fubtol items or memorabilia, floor to ceiling.

The steaks more tender here than Don Julio. 50,000 bottle wine cellar. — 8 years ago