Susana Balbo Signature Malbec 2014
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James
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Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Pairs well with a wide range of foods from beef and pork to game birds or even meat-based pastas.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A generous and rich red with lots of blackberry and spice character. Hints of green pepper and spice. Full body, round tannins and a flavorful finish. Malbec with a touch of petit verdot. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Susana Balbo Signature Malbec is sourced from the same vineyard in Altamira where the Torrontés vines are planted, the Finca la Delfina. It contains some 5% of Petit Verdot grapes. It was kept with lees that were occasionally stirred and it matured in French barriques, 30% of them new, for 13 months. They have reduced the oak drastically, and the wine shows purer, fresher and subtler, finely nuanced. The ripeness is contained, it also shows a little less alcohol as it was harvested a little earlier and with more acidity. There is always a note of mint in the wine produced from this vineyard. I very much like this new direction. Rating: 91+
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Susana Balbo graduated from Don Bosco University in Mendoza in 1981 and established herself as Argentina’s first female enologist and, since then, has been considered one of Argentina’s top winemakers. Three times her industry peers elected her to the Presidency of Wines of Argentina because of her work ethic, innovative winemaking techniques and dedication to the worldwide success of Argentine wine.
After working for twenty years as a consulting winemaker, Susana founded her own brand in 2000. In 2001, she broke ground for her winery in Agrelo in the Luján de Cuyo district of Mendoza. There, she makes her Susana Balbo “Signature” line of wines, as well as wines under the Crios, Nosotros and BenMarco labels. Her winemaking approach for the wines that bear her name is to seamlessly apply her human touch and enhance the grape’s innate character.
Over several decades of winemaking in Argentina, Susana has earned a reputation for a pioneering spirit and innovation. She is known for experimenting with various barrel sizes and aging regimens, fermentation of wine in egg-shaped concrete fermenters, and wild yeast fermentations. The Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez dubbed her groundbreaking barrel-fermented Torrontés one of the “10 Argentine Wines to Drink before You Die.”
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.