Alta Vista “Alto”

Posted by Edmund in Argentina, Red Blend, Wine & Liquor | 0 comments

Alta Vista “Alto” 2005
80% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon
Icon-level wine
$56-$85 on Wine-searcher. Only 2 vendors.
The “Alto” is the highest wine that Alta Vista produces.

Its color is one of the most intense I’ve seen, even in a Malbec. Very dark, blackish, with tons of purple and dark red. Very mature.

Aroma burst out at you—oak, fruit, flowers. Mostly a strong earthiness.

The taste is extraordinary, with fantastic complexity to it. Lots of flavors pop out. Some fruit, but mostly a floral and earth flavor, with tons of oak and extremely strong tannins. A nice acidity is mixed with a rough oakiness and humidity. A bit too bold, but causes a great puckering, and the floral flavor burst in the mouth. This wine has great body and is extremely round. It’s excellent, but it definitely needs to be aired out.

Overall Score: 4.4/5.0. Only recommended for people who enjoy extremely strong wines.

Warning: I tried this wine at the winery, and then I had a second chance to try it in Los Angeles. I’m not sure if I had a bad batch, but my second time around with this wine I found it much, much worse. It still had the lovely color and a similar aroma, but it was far earthier than I remembered it, to the point that it was too strong, bitter, and oaky for me to really drink enjoyably. The strong tannins actually dominated almost all flavors. It is for that reason I can’t recommend it more highly.