2005 Achaval-Ferrer Malbec Finca Mirador

Bright medium ruby. Blackberry, violet, bitter chocolate and musky oak on the nose, with exotic hints of honeysuckle and jasmine. Sweet and succulent on the palate, but with a firm spine of acidity and a suggestion of citrus peel giving this creamy wine superb inner-palate energy. Complicated by an exotic suggestion of dried fruits. Finishes juicy and quite dry. With extended time in the recorked bottle, this showed a lush, broad texture and great sex appeal without any loss of shape. This and the Altamira impress with their elegance.

The glories of Achaval-Ferrer are the limited production single-vineyard Malbecs. Compared to the 2004, the 2005 Finca Mirador Malbec is more dense and austere. It is likely to have a longer drinking window and it will be a pleasant task to compare the two vintages in another decade. Although Achaval-Ferrer’s wines have virtually no track record, I am confident that they will evolve in the manner of a First Growth Bordeaux. Founded only in 1998, Achaval-Ferrer is already established as one of Argentina’s benchmark wineries. They specialize in single vineyard Malbecs from prime Mendoza sites. Finca Altamira is located in La Consulta in the Uco Valley, 60 miles to the south of Mendoza at 3400 feet elevation and contains 10 acres of densely planted old-vine Malbec. Finca Bella Vista is located in the Pedriel district of Lujan de Cuyo, 15 miles to the south of the city of Mendoza at 3100 feet of elevation, with 18 acres of Malbec planted in 1910 as well as a bit of Merlot and Syrah. Finca Mirador is located in Medrano, 34 miles to the southeast of the city of Mendoza at 2400 feet above sea level, with 12 acres of densely planted Malbec vines averaging 40+ years of age. The winery uses predominantly French oak and bottles without fining or filtration. The winemaker is Roberto Cipresso. Importer: TGIC Wine Importers, Woodland Hills, CA; www.achaval-ferrer.com