Wine By Nine

Red Wine by Alta Vista from Argentina, South America. Alto is the quintessence of the best terroirs of Argentina. Deep ruby-red in color with complex aromas of black fruit, spice and hints of chocolate. On the palate it is elegant and full-bodied with silky tannins and a long, intense finish. Alto is a rich, complex and sensual wine with an excellent aging potential of 10-15 years.

Red Wine by Alta Vista from Argentina, South America. Alto is the quintessence of the best terroirs of Argentina. Deep ruby-red in color with complex aromas of black fruit, spice and hints of chocolate. On the palate it is elegant and full-bodied with silky tannins and a long, intense finish. Alto is a rich, complex and sensual wine with an excellent aging potential of 10-15 years.

Red Wine by Catena from Argentina, South America. Number 23 on Wine Spectator's Top 100 of 2007! The 2004 Catena Alta Malbec shows a deep, saturated violet color with a blackish hue. The nose presents a wide array of dark berry fruits with notes of delicate violet flowers as well as sweet clove spices, a touch of cedar and leather. The mouthfeel is full and unctuous, with excellent weight and supple texture. The mid palate offers rich cassis and black currant fruit flavors interwoven with hints of chocolate, vanilla and black pepper. The lengthy finish shows wonderful minerality, with finely grained tannins and lively acidity. Dark and lush, with a gorgeous mouthfeel to the exotic fig, boysenberry and blueberry fruit flavors backed by intense spice, mocha, loam and licorice notes. Superlong, showing great drive and purity on the finish. A beauty. Drink now through 2010. Wine Spectator 93 Points

Red Wine by Catena from Argentina, South America. The 2005 Catena Alta Malbec presents a dark, opaque violet color, almost blackish in hue. The nose offers freshly ground, ripe berry fruits with layers of wild flowers, cinnamon spice and a touch of citrus. The mouthfeel is full and coating, with exceptional weight and concentration but with a soft, supple texture. The mid palate offers rich cassis and black currant fruit flavors interwoven with hints of chocolate, vanilla and black pepper. The lengthy finish shows wonderful minerality, with finely grained tannins and lively acid.

Red Wine by Melipal from Argentina, South America. 100% Malbec, aged 16 months in new French oak Intense ruby red with some bluish, almost black, tinges. Mature red fruit, black currants, cooked plums, white chocolate, smoke and spices. Pleasant sweet tannins, full-bodied and long persistent finish.

Red Wine by Luca from Argentina, South America. Incredible color - could use it in an inkwell! Loads of spicy red fruit and black cherry cola aromas with notes of rose petal and cocoa. The red berry and black cherry flavors really pop on the palate as the wine has both good depth and very lively acidity that leads to an incredibly long finish. A bottom note of black licorice keeps the mouth watering. This one is a teenager at the moment, and should age very well. It pairs well with foods such as venison or wild game, steak, pork, quail, all types of lamb, and medium-strong cheeses. A very flexible wine due to its concentration and balance.

Red Wine by Luca from Argentina, South America. Loads of spicy red fruit and black cherry cola aromas with notes of rose petal and cocoa. The red berry and black cherry flavors really pop on the palate as the wine has both good depth and very lively acidity that leads to an incredibly long finish. A bottom note of black licorice keeps the mouth watering too. This one should age very well. Pairs well with foods such as venison or wild game, steak, pork, quail, all types of lamb, and medium-strong cheeses. A very flexible wine due to its concentration and balance.

Red Wine by Susana Balbo from Argentina, South America. Varietal composition: 90% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon Beautiful deep violet color with exploding aromas of blackberry, black cherry, and violets. The wonderful aromas are mirrored on the palate, and they are joined by ripe plum fruit and a hint of toasty vanilla, bittersweet chocolate, and a hint of mint on the finish. A fairly full-bodied Malbec, and it has plenty of fine, velvety tannins to carry the very long finish. Pairs well with a wide range of foods from beef and pork to game birds or even meatbased pastas.

Red Wine by Altocedro from Argentina, South America. Blend: 85% Malbec, 15% Tempranillo Aged for 12 months in oak with deeply saturated blue-purple color which attests to the wine's power and concentration. The palate shows flavor of pure ripe berry and plum, with a nuance of sweet tobacco. The tannins are rounded and develop generously into a rich mouth-filling finish.

Red Wine by Punto Final from Argentina, South America. The Malbec grapes are sourced from two mountain vineyards, both planted more than 50 years ago. The grapes are hand-harvested into small lugs, hand-sorted, crushed and cold-macerated at the winery for 4 days. The wine is then fermented at controlled temperatures with native yeasts in stainless steel for 15 days and inoculated with the winery's own malolactic organisms. After this it is aged for 8 months, partly in French barriques, partly in stainless steel. The result is a wine of rich bouquet, lively mouth-feel, lingering flavors of red and black berries with undertones of black pepper and vanilla, and a velvet texture throughout.

Red Wine by Punto Final from Argentina, South America. 100% Malbec grapes sourced from two mountain vineyards, both planted more than 50 years ago. The grapes are hand-harvested and hand-sorted. Aged for 8 months, partly in French barriques, partly in stainless steel. The result is a wine of rich bouquet, lively mouth-feel, lingering flavors of red and black berries with undertones of black pepper and vanilla, and a velvety texture throughout.

Red Wine by Catena from Argentina, South America. The 2005 Catena Malbec has a deep, dark violet color, with pronounced blackish-purple tones. The aromatic structure is full of ripe dark fruits, floral notes of violets and lavender, and touches of vanilla and spice. The palate begins with sweet black cherry fruits and has a generous texture. There are marked mineral notes as well as layers of chocolate and spicy black pepper. The finish is soft and sweet with ripe tannins and vibrant acidity. Catena's 2005 Malbec was sourced from four vineyards, was aged for 12 months in 70% French oak, 20% new, and 30% new American oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deep crimson-colored, it has an attractive perfume of cedar, pencil lead, mineral, and black cherry. Medium-bodied, it has a silky texture, serious depth and length for a wine of this price, well-concealed tannin, and a pure finish. Although it can be enjoyed now, this stylish Malbec will continue to improve with several more years in the bottle. It is a great value. When all is said and done, Catena Zapata is the Argentina winery of reference - the standard of excellence for comparing all others. The brilliant, forward-thinking Nicolas Catena remains in charge, with his daughter, Laura, playing an increasingly large role. The Catena Zapata winery is an essential destination for fans of both architecture and wine in Mendoza. It is hard to believe, given the surge in popularity of Malbec in recent years, that Catena Zapata only began exporting Malbec to the United States in 1994. -Wine Advocate