Mendel Unus 2015

Professional Ratings

• 94 James Suckling

  A layered red with blackberries, blueberries and chocolate. Vanilla, too. Full body, round and chewy tannins. Solid. A blend of malbec, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Needs time to soften. Try in 2020.

• 94 Wine Enthusiast

  A concentrated nose benefits greatly from airing and shows black-fruit richness, minerally notes, smoke and power. An inky palate is dense but in balance and fitting for this blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Deep blackberry, fig, chocolate and spice flavors are long-lasting on a toasty, chocolaty finish that’s slightly hot and burning. Drink through 2030. Vine Connections. Editors’ Choice

• 93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
  A similar blend each year, the 2015 Unus is 65% Malbec, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot that matured in French barrique for 16 months. It's a blend that Roberto de la Mota likes, and it mixes grapes from both Luján and Valle de Uco. But in this year, he used quite a lot of grapes from Luján de Cuyo. The Petit Verdot comes from a massal selection. There is less new oak this year, as most of the Malbec was in used barrels, and it feels nicely integrated. It's a very serious, balanced and somewhat austere wine, combining power and elegance, perhaps with less concentration than in some past vintages. It's very tasty, and the tannins are very refined, where you see the hand of a very good winemaker at work. It's approachable now, but it should have a long life in bottle—it has fresh fruit and nice balance and acidity to do so. The Bordeaux accent is more noticeable after some time in the glass.