TeHo Malbec
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Excellent Malbec from 75-year-old vines.
- 100% Estate grown.
Varietal Composition: Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Elaboration: Grapes are 100% from estate TeHo (blood of the earth) vineyard in San Carlos, Valle de Uco, Mendoza. 10 acre vineyard; less than 0.5 kilo production per plant; planted 1955. Three Malbec lots and one lot of Petit Verdot: one 100% Malbec, one co-fermented with 4% Cabernet Franc and the other co-fermented with 7% Petit Verdot. The fourth lot of Petit Verdot is co-fermented with 5% Malbec. Aging in 100% new French oak barrels for 18 months.
Tasting Notes: “It has contained ripeness and a harmonious, nuanced but somewhat shy nose. It’s medium to full-bodied with floral notes, juicy and complex, leaving a very fresh sensation after you swallow.” ~ Robert Parker, Wine Advocate
PRESS
2021 – 93 Vinous
2020 – 92 Vinous
2019 – 94 Wine Advocate
2016 – 93 Wine Advocate
2015 – 95 James Suckling
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The diverse soils of Paraje Altamira include patches of sandy, rocky and silty soils dispersed throughout the vineyard. At the moment of harvest, each soil profile imparts distinct aromatic and flavors to the fruit – floral notes in the sandy patches, stony minerality in the rocky areas, and dark fruits in the silty soils. The combination of these profiles lends excellent complexity to the final wine. While rainfall is usually low, irrigation is provided by snowmelt from the Andes. Because the Uco Valley was once a riverbed, gravel in the topsoil promotes good drainage.