Achaval Ferrer Quimera 2019 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is an excellent, old-vine Malbec-based blend from Argentina that arrived at the LCBO last month in the July 6th LCBO VINTAGES Cellar Collection Release and is still available for purchase on VINTAGES Shop Online.

It is produced by Achaval Ferrer, a prominent winery in Argentina that is known for producing limited quantity, high-quality wines, particularly from the Mendoza wine region. It was founded in 1998 by a group of friends, including Santiago Achával and Manuel Ferrer, who combined their surnames to form the wine company's name - Achaval Ferrer - and became well-known throughout the world in just a few short years.

As guardians of a legacy, Achaval Ferrer decided to preserve the legacy of time during a period when the old was quickly replaced by the new. The legacy is still treasured today as they keep the DNA of centennial vines intact, combining wisdom with passion, and creating wines that express the magic of the exceptional terroir they come from. Their philosophy is based on its commitment to and respect for nature, and its winemaking is based on a minimal interventionist principle from vine to wine, as well as three fundamental pillars. The first pillar is the centennial vines that are own-rooted and pre-phylloxera. The second pillar is to deliberately obtain low yields, which helps produce concentrated and complex berries. In addition to obtaining low yields, Achaval Ferrer also arranges the vines in a strategic, highly dense layout which makes the vines compete with each other, and thus forcing the roots to reach deeper into the soil, changing the structure of the grapes and producing highly concentrated berries. The third and final pillar is to produce wines with minimum intervention and maximum expression, thus respecting and preserving the terroir and its message all throughout the winegrowing and winemaking process, to obtain pure, highly expressive wines.

Quimera, or Chimera, is the name of this wine and it has two different meanings, both of which have an intimate relationship with this wine. The first is that in Greek mythology, Chimera was a beast made up of the parts of three different animals, while this wine is also made up of different varieties. The second meaning of the word is the one that best represents this wine - Chimera is an impossible search, a search for the unattainable; this is the mentality that everyone in the vineyards and winery has every year when they produce this wine. Without following any rules or tradition, the goal is to produce the best possible blend every year. Chimera is design and architecture, an intimate discovery, and a search for perfection.

Usually a Malbec-based blend, this vintage is composed of old-vine 59% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot that was grown in various vineyards across Mendoza. The Malbec was grown in the Perdriel appellation in Luján de Cuyo, on soils of alluvial origin that feature a thin sandy loam with gravel underneath, and very good drainage.The Cabernet Sauvignon was grown in Medrano (Junín) and Los Arboles (Tunuyan). In Medrano, the soil is also of alluvial origin, but has an 80 cm surface layer of silty clay on a bed of sand and eroded rock, while in Los Arboles there is a great presence of stones with rounded edges, gravel with a toothed shape and colluvion. Furthermore, the sandy loam frame soil in Los Arboles provides ideal drainage. Both the Merlot and Cabernet Franc come from Tupungato, Uco Valley, where there is very little soil depth with gravel on the surface, while also combining volcanic ash and calcareous rocks, which offers very good drainage. All of the vineyards are managed in a highly sustainable manner.

To craft this red wine, each variety underwent primary fermentation separately in small cement tanks, followed by malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels, 65% new and 35% second use. It was then aged in barrel for 12 months, and finally bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The 2019 growing season was notable for its dry weather and cool climate, resulting in highly concentrated wines with great colour and acidity. From a good-to-excellent year, let's see how this 2019 Malbec blend from Argentina is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

ACHAVAL FERRER QUIMERA 2019 - Mendoza, Argentina (#24752) (XD) - $53
Blend of old vine 59% Malbec, 16% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. Elegantly complex, medium-high intensity aromas of dark fruit, blackberry, violet, currant, cassis, earthy mineral, and fine oak spices. It is full-bodied and nicely concentrated with lovely ripe blackberry, currant, fine oak spice, violet, and earthy-stony mineral flavours which are supported by fresh acidity and firm, chewy, and well-structured tannins. Crisp and fresh with mineral notes lingering on the exceptionally long, dry finish. Enjoyable now and will improve to the end of the decade. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93+ pts

Very limited quantities of one of their Malbec wines is available at the LCBO, while the rest of their outstanding portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits.