Tapiz Alta Collection San Pablo Vineyard Malbec 2023 (Argentina) - Wine Review

Happy start to the long weekend! Tonight's red wine review is a lovely Malbec from Argentina that arrived at the LCBO in last weekend's May 9 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Fincas Patagónicas, one of Argentina's most prominent wine producers. It was founded in 2003 by Patricia Ortiz with the goal of crafting exceptional wines from Argentina's most distinctive terroirs. At Fincas Patagónicas, the winemaking philosophy combines traditional methods with innovative techniques to create exceptional wines from high-altitude vineyards in Mendoza to the Atlantic coast of Patagonia that truly express each area's unique terroir.

Fincas Patagónicas has several winery projects across Argentina, including Zolo and Wapisa, but Tapiz, where this wine is from, was their first. The state-of-the-art Tapiz winery is located in the high-altitude San Pablo region, within the Tunuyán department, of the Uco Valley, and is surrounded by estate vineyards. Under the guidance of Patricia, Tapiz is a pioneer in the region and helped develop the San Pablo Geographical Indication (GI).

Tapiz wines are crafted by the celebrated winemaking team of Fabian Valenzuela and famed Bordeaux winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet (winemaker of Petrus for 44 vintages), and are a beautiful tapestry (tapiz) of terroir and innovation. The wines of Tapiz combine sustainable winemaking traditions with modern innovation, along with a strong commitment to excellence which is reflected in their environmentally conscious approach and dedication to producing wines that truly express their unique terroir in San Pablo. The San Pablo GI benefits from the extremes of altitude, temperature, and soil heterogeneity, which allows the winemaking team to create full-bodied and concentrated wines that are elegant and balanced. Through her wineries, Patricia is dedicated to giving back to the environment through sustainable practices, while also encouraging responsible practices among their staff, suppliers, and customers.

This red wine is crafted using 100% Malbec that was grown at the San Pablo Estate Vineyard within the Uco Valley. The vineyard is situated at a high altitude of 1,350 metres (4,430 feet) above sea level, which is one of the highest vineyards in Mendoza. The vines average 14 years old and are planted on alluvial soils which have a diverse sandy loam texture, gravel, and significant deposits of calcareous material. The grapes were sustainably farmed and hand-harvested, and vinified by first undergoing a cold pre-maceration for 5 days at 8ºC. It underwent alcoholic fermentation in stainless steel tanks for approximately 15 days at 28ºC, as well as 100% malolactic fermentation. The wine was aged for 10 months in French (85%) and American (15%) oak barrels.

Like the year prior, the 2023 vintage in Argentina was another roller-coaster vintage as recent years influenced by La Niña left the country in a state of drought, including the winter months which were unnaturally dry but with some polar influences. Spring frosts attacked nascent buds during budbreak, which massively cut yields in some parts of Mendoza. After the bouts of frost, the season settled into warm days, while the summer was the hottest and driest in years. The grapes ripened quickly, and those vineyards at altitude benefitted from diurnal temperature variation. The end result was an early harvest with concentrated fruit, fresh acidity, and modest alcohol levels. From a good vintage that produced age-worthy wines with great minerality and texture, let's see how this 2023 Malbec from Argentina is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TAPIZ ALTA COLLECTION SAN PABLO VINEYARD MALBEC 2023 - Sustainable, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina (#450155) (XD) - $20.95
This high altitude Malbec has lovely, open aromatics of medium-high intensity offering notes of ripe, crushed dark berry and blackberry aromas nuanced with hints of violet, mineral, savoury oak, earth, dried herb, and peppery spice. On the dry, medium+ bodied palate it has delicious ripe dark berry, blackberry, violet, dried herb, savoury earth, oak spice, and peppery replays joined by mineral accents on the flavour profile. It has crisp and fresh acidity, alongside supple, fine-grained, and gently chalky textured tannins. Clean and well-balanced throughout with dark berries, blackberry, savoury oak, earth, dried herb, and mineral notes on the long, gently tight finish. Enjoyable now, but should be even better in a couple of years, and is a highly recommended buy! Score: 90+ pts

Other lovely wines by Fincas Patagónicas can be found at the LCBO, or ordered through their Agent - DB Wine & Spirits.