It has a beautiful color, with numerous shades of ruby, gradually transforming into a slight black in the middle. The cup is especially beautiful when you swirl it, creating a rainbow of reds, from light red to burgundy.

The aroma is refreshingly strong, smelling of the woods, trees, a bit of leather, grass, and a bit of raspberry or other ripe berries. It’s very fresh and very sylvan.

The taste is a bit rough and bitter, even as it airs out. It’s very oaky, with strong tannins. The aftertaste, moreover, picks up a very bold, rough harshess and slight dryness, both of which I don’t find very enjoyable. Still, it has a nice, slight cherry/berry flavor and picks up a lot of very pronounced nutty and dark chocolate tones as you savor it in your mouth. As it airs out, it also becomes increasingly intense in tannins and acidity, ending on a very bitter, but warming note. To be fair, some of the harshness does get moderated as well, allowing smokiness, dark chocolate, leather, and slight spice to come out on the palate a bit. The wine, then, becomes much more complex than it might seem on first taste. Unfortunately, in the process it also becomes overpoweringly bitter.

Score: 3.3/5.0

Beautiful ruby color, with strong violet tints. Seems mature, the legs aren’t too great.

Floral, peppery aroma. Some notes of nuts and plums as well.

Lots of body, very round, and very structured. Very long as well. Has a strong oak taste, with pronounced tannins. There are some hints of coffee, nuts, and chocolate, and it’s very spicy. Not too complex, and the flavors aren’t too pronounced, but the wine itself has a good elegance and strength to it.

Overall: 3.5/5.0

Beautiful color. As with other fine Malbecs, jet black, with purplish and orange-reddish tones. Great legs, too.

The fruitiness jumps out in the aroma. It has a humid, forest smell, with fresh flowers, peaches, and cherries in the nose. Kind of like a fresh breeze.

Wow! On tasting it, you are immediately taken by the complexity. There are so many flavors—black cherries and a general fruitiness in the beginning becomes infused with a bitter smokiness as time goes on. There’s a nice, roasted coffee flavor in there, too. It’s fantastic. In addition to the great flavor profile, it is very smooth and round, with elegant tannins, and it has a long smoky, acidic, coffee, and slightly spicy finish.

Overall Score: 4.3/5.0.

Nice, dark, red color. Great, deep reflections. Violet, garnet, and ruby shades, and not too black.

The aroma is soft, smooth, spicy, and herbal—unique for a Malbec. Not too bold either.

Taste is of smoky raisins—very distinct. Warms you in the chest. Great acidity and control—mix of smoky, oaky, and fruity flavors (esp. black fruits) with a nice spice and acidity. It has a strong, coffee finish, though it’s not too long. There is also a roasted nuttiness to the wine. It’s rather refreshing, and very round, so it really reaches the back your throat. The one main drawback is the bitterness, which interferes with the other flavors.

Overall Score: 4.1+. This is a rather simple, easy-to-enjoy Malbec for a decent price. It’s very direct and smooth, and a great way to start off experimenting with Malbecs without being overpowered by the taste.

This wine was part of a restaurant tasting, and I didn’t have a chance to see the year.

Intense ruby color. Looks rather nice. Not much in terms of legs.

Fresh, floral aroma, but nothing too strong.

It tastes a bit bitter, but it’s still smooth. Mostly tastes of tannins and oak. Very little complexity. Not very acidic, but a bit dry. Even though it’s very easy to drink, that’s largely because it lacks flavor. Extremely bland.

Overall Score: 1.5-2.0/5.0

This is a reserve level wine, though Ricardo Santos doesn’t call it that.

It has a dark, ruby color, with ruby reflections coming through well.

Strong, oak aroma—can really smell the tannins.

Bold oak flavor, but smooth. Bitterness and acidity in the mouth. Leaves you thirsty and burning, but it’s not overpowering—just right. A bit one-dimensional, though—just a strong oakiness. Not many notes at all, and it lacks the fruitiness of many Malbecs.

Overall Score: 3.0-3.5/5.0

Keeper—My Favorite Dessert Wine in Argentina

Incredible for a dessert wine by Argentine standard. Unlike most dessert wines in Argentina, it’s actually fortified, too, so it’s quite sweet.

Great, bright ruby color, like the color of strawberries. Has a great fogginess to it with numerous shades.

Not much aroma—somewhat tempered by the refrigeration. Just has a refreshing humidity that pops out.

Tastes very fruity and sweet, but not syrupy for something so fortified. It combines the extreme fruitiness of a Malbec with the sweetness of a highly fortified wine, balancing each with the other. Moreover, it has the lightness of a true ice wine. Strawberries and raspberries are especially prominent. This is an absolute pleasure to drink

Overall Score: 4.3-4.5/5.0. Gets points for being the most interesting and unique dessert wine I’ve ever tried (it’s the only Ice wine style Malbec). It is also one of the only fortified dessert wines in Argentina, and it is perhaps the best example of a good Argentine dessert wine. Highly recommended.

Lovely dark red, jet black color. Lots of tints.

Oaky aroma. Chocolate and nuts are also apparent. Acidity comes through as well. Aroma is very strong.

Taste is great. Oaky, warming, and very nutty. Strong, with a great body (in fact, it’s so heavy that it’s practically a meal in itself) and great complexity. Starts a bit bland and soft, emphasizing oaky notes. Picks up bitterness, dark chocolate, and nuts with time. Refreshing, but rough—hard to take in all once. Flavor intensity detracts from smoothness a bit. Really needs to be aired out, and even so, it’s so intense that it really isn’t for most palates.

Overall Score: 3.8-4.0/5.0. The score depends on the palate. This wine is only for those who enjoy very strong, oaky wines. Avoid otherwise. Also, meant to be taken in small quantities—plan to drink only one cup.

Another Malbec with a beautiful jet black color and tints of violet, orange, and red.

Very fresh forest smell, but even in comparison to other Malbecs, this one is rather strong, with a floral and especially herbal touch to it. Very refreshing.

This is a monstrously big Malbec. It has the most complexity of any Malbec I’ve tasted to date, to the point that it’s rather wild and even uncontrolled. Sweet fruits really jump out at you. It is smooth, with a slight, very enjoyable spiciness. The wine, moreover, picks up a burnt rubber, leathery, and smoky taste as it is savored in the mouth. A lovely, sweet, first taste converts into a smoky acidity by the end.

Overall Score: 4.3/5.0. Beware: This is a very strong Malbec and is only for the daring. If you do not like wild or strong flavors, I would recommend avoiding this for something much weaker and less complex. Moreover, it requires lots and lots of airing.

Nice garnet color, but with very few shades, but some purple.

Burnt rubber, plums, cinnamon, and fruit are very noticeable in the aroma. Rather smoky too.

Interesting taste. Raisins, caramel, and dried plums come through. It’s bitter at first, but it’s also smooth and rather fruity/sweet. It also has a great, chocolate finish, which causes a great puckering of the mouth. It’s still young, though, and could use more body. Still, great for a middle-range Malbec.

Overall Score: 3.6/5.0.