2015 Malbec de Patagonia

Noemía is a wine produced with the Malbec grapes from a 1.5-hectare plot of vines that was originally planted ungrafted in 1932 and has been farmed organically and biodynamically since 2006. The vines are surface-irrigated three to five times per year. The 2015 Noemía is from a slightly warmer and riper year than the 2016 (which I also tasted next to this). The grapes are picked by soil type (sand, sand and small stones, clay and lime) at different points in time. It fermented in 2,500-liter custom open-top oak fermentors with 10% to 15% whole clusters and natural yeasts, and the wine matured in 600-liter oak demi-muids for 18 months. The 2015 Noemía is expressive and open, with slightly darker fruit, some graphite notes, hints of spices and smoke, a touch of varnish and slightly more noticeable oak than the 2017 I tasted next to it. It has a slight earthiness on the palate along with some dusty tannins and deep flavors with some chalky tastiness and a dry finish, ending almost salty. 3,600 bottles were filled unfiltered in December 2016.