High Note Elevated Malbec 2014
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A highly heralded match with grilled meats, complementing rich smoky flavors with the wine’s ripe juicy profile. Also pairs well with grilled or roasted vegetables, pasta dishes and rich sauces.
Blend: 93% Malbec, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon
Other Vintages
2007-
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Altitude is everything. High Note hails from the foothills of the Andes mountain range, where altitude is essential in providing our vineyards with the perfect combination of intense sunlight and cool temperatures. Crafted in the Vista del Sur winery by renowned winemaker Leopoldo Kuschnaroff, High Note wines offer high altitude and high quality wines at an exceptional value. Located high in the Andes foothills of Argentina’s famed Uco Valley of Mendoza, Vista del Sur is a state-of-the-art winery. Its vineyards are among the highest in the world, ranging in altitude from 3,300 to 5,000 feet. Here the grapes enjoy the perfect combination of growing elements; intense desert sunlight contrasting with cool nightly temperatures. Low humidity and dry, sandy soil with excellent drainage provides the fruit with a slow and balanced ripening cycle, resulting in balanced acidity and concentrated flavors. These conditions also protect the vines against disease and provide a long, dry season for low yields of small grapes, concentrated in flavor, color and tannins. Vista del Sur was designed from vine to bottle to enhance the quality of the wine it produces. The winery is one of the few facilities utilizing specially designed small tronco-conic tanks, and the only winery to produce all of its wine exclusively with these tanks. Leopoldo Kuschnaroff hails from a family of farmers, born of Ukrainian immigrants to Argentina. A true son of the Mendoza wine region, he graduated trade school with a degree in winemaking in 1999, followed by a master’s degree in viticulture from the prestigious Cuyo University. His prime philosophy and goal as a winemaker is to make wines reflective of the terroir, a challenge which enables him to experiment with the different microclimates of the Uco Valley, perfecting wine that is truly representative of this region. Leopoldo has been working with the Catena family since 2007, joining the prestigious High Note brand in 2013.
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
With a winning combination of cool weather, high elevation and well-draining alluvial soils, it is no surprise that Mendoza’s Uco Valley is one of the most exciting up-and-coming wine regions in Argentina. Healthy, easy-to-manage vines produce low yields of high-quality fruit, which in turn create flavorful, full-bodied wines with generous acidity.
This is the source of some of the best Malbec in Mendoza, which can range from value-priced to ultra-premium. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay also perform well here.