Rutini Apartado Gran Malbec 2017
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Suckling
James
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Intense red, with violet hues. On the nose, notes of very ripe red fruits appear accompanied by others of bitter cocoa and tobacco, which gives it contact with the oak. In the mouth, it is a wine of great structure, with a persistent finish, and smooth tannins. In the complexity of this wine the harmony achieved between the oak and the intense fruity frame is appreciated.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Floral and dark-berry aromas and flavors with hints of salt and white pepper. Medium to full body, firm tannins and a lightly nutty finish. Serious and sophisticated. Drinkable now, but better in a year or two.
Other Vintages
2018-
Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James
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Suckling
James -
Enthusiast
Wine - Decanter
From the start, Felipe Rutini was guided by the motto “labor and perseverance”. This attitude shaped the development of his wines, which became synonymous with superlative quality. In 1925 the winery began to plant vines in the Uco Valley. From those first pioneering vines, the region continued to expand its plantings and become one of the primary wine-producing areas in Mendoza.
In the 1990s, the original Bodega La Rural facilities in Coquimbito were completely renovated, incorporating cutting-edge technology into the nineteenth-century structure. Today that property houses the Bodega La Rural Wine Museum, where visitors can learn about Felipe Rutini’s first forays into wine production and witness the evolution of traditional techniques and machinery. In keeping with its founder’s drive for excellence, in 2008 construction began on a new Rutini Wines facility in Tupungato, within the Uco Valley. This is where Rutini’s top level wines, such as, Apartado, Colección Rutini, Encuentro, and Trumpeter are currently produced.
The Uco Valley vineyards comprise more than 400 hectares at an altitude of between 1,050 and 1,200 meters above sea level. An additional 120 hectares of fields that are currently being planted with vines will expand the winery’s possibilities for producing unique wines that are carefully tended to and nurtured from the very beginning.
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.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.