Mendoza Round 1

It is now the beginning of my fourth full day in Mendoza. Yesterday, I had a post all ready to go and then my computer crashed, delaying this post. In the post I lost yesterday I had written so much that it was a blessing for you that it was lost. I have decided that I will introduce each winery we tasted and give you my thoughts on the wines. Once we have completed the trip I will write a post dedicated to my overall impression of what is happening here in Argentina and the differences between my last trip in 2006.

On Tuesday the 3rd we visited two estates: Bodegas Melipal and Ksana Winery. Both of these properties are producing stellar wines of distinction. The above photo is looking out from the Melipal tasting room into one of their vineyards.

Bodegas Melipal: The winery was founded by the Aristi family in 2004. They have two vineyards totaling 87 hectares. Their prized vineyard is the "Las Nazarenas" vineyard which was first planted in 1923 and is 25 hectares. The Melipal Estate winery is 300 meters away, separated by another property and is five years old totaling 62 hectares. The two vineyards are lactated in the sub-region of Agrelo within Luyjan de Cuyo. Agrelo is considered one of the finest places to grow Malbec in Mendoza. It has a flavor profile of rich, deep, plumy wines that have captivated wine drinkers across the entire globe. Melipal is the Mapuche tribes name for the Southern Cross which is the symbol of the winery. Bodgeas Melipal is dedicated to producing only estate grown Malbec. The family also produces a line called Ikella in which they produce Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon from barrels they do not believe are representative of the Melipal label. On my first visit in 2006 this was an estate that made me jump for joy and in 2009, they are even better.

Rose 2008: The color of a watermelon Jolly Rancher. Vibrant aromas of wild strawberries, Rainer cherries, watermelon juice, with a kiss of rose. This is a fuller rose with ripe and juicy fruit on the palate. A great wine and one of my favorite rose in the world. $11.99
Ikella Malbec 2006: Bright purple in color with aromas of plum, blackberries, fresh thyme, and a kiss of sweet baking spices. Medium in body with dusty tannins. Easy to drink and a great value. $13.99

Ikella Cabernet Sauvignon 2007: Cherry red in color with more pronounced red fruit aromas: cherries, red plum, raspberries. Hints of dried herbs, tobacco leaf and oak spices. Firm structure with medium plus body and a good finish. $13.99
Melipal Malbec 2006: Dark in color, almost black/purple. Very upfront on the nose with oak spices. Tons of very ripe black plum, blackberries and cassis. The oak was a bit unbalanced but the palate was soft and round with a great finish. $15.99
Melipal Reserve 2006: Beautiful color of purple and red. Nose is deep and elegant with hints of plums, black cherries, violets, and bay leaf. This is a sexy wine. The oak is well integrated and melds well with the fruit and floral aromas. The palate is velvety and has tannins that dance on your palate. $21.99
Ikella Malbec 2007: Violet in color with aromas of plum, plum and more plum. The wine was thick and viscous with rich fruits, dried herbs and sweet spice. A great introduction to Malbec. $13.99
Melipa Malbec 2007: This is where the winery really begins to shine. They backed off on the oak so the wine was more integrated and complete. Aromas of black cherries, black plums, blackberries, licorice, violets, dusty earth, and baking spices. The palate is dense and concentrated with the flavors echoing the aromas. A very rich wine with an extremely long finish. This was is fantastic! $15.99
Melipal Malbec 2008: A much cooler vintage with lots of rain, but through good vineyard practices the winery was able to save their vintage. Not as concentrated as the 2007 but the wine is a touch more elegant. Similar aromatic profile of black plums and other dense black fruits but a touch less structure and tannins than the 2007. A very good wine. $15.99
Melipal Reserve Malbec 2007: This is a wine to seek out! Dark as night in color. It is very youthful, so a bit closed at the moment but the potential for this wine is undeniable. Dark fruits explode from the glass and will caress you in a manner that is almost a bit naughty. The consistency across the line is amazing as this wines shows all the great characteristics of the grape and the vineyards: black plum, black cherries, violets, dried herbs, dusty earth, and well balanced oak spice. The palate is full-bodied and firm and needs some time but this wine is stellar! $21.99
Melipal Reserve Malbec 2008: This wine was a sample blended together from a various group of barrels, so it is not the final blend. The color was very impressive and the aromas consistent with the group. The wine is just a baby and needs more time to come together but again show what hard work the family takes in its vineyards.

Bodegas Melipal is a shining star not just in Mendoza or Argentina but in the entire world of wine. I highly recommend seeking them out. They are distributed in 26 states in the US and are imported by Vino del Sol.

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The color was very impressive and the aromas consistent with the group. The wine is just a baby and needs more time to come together but again show what hard work the family takes in its vineyards.

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