Nestled high in the foothills of the Andes, Terrazas de los Andes takes its name from the “terrazas”, a series of terraced plateaus at the foothills of the Andes mountain range. The Argentinean estate located in the heart of Mendoza’s Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley, renowned for its Malbec expertise, joins Wines of Argentina in celebrating Malbec around the world with its Terrazas Malbec 2019.
Inspired by Roberto de la Mota, son of Raoul de la Mota, one of Argentina’s most respected winemakers who identified the enormous potential of Malbec in the 1970s, Terrazas de los Andes is a pioneer of high-altitude viticulture and in creating great wines from Argentina. The estate’s history has been dedicated to carefully selecting the most adapted altitude for each grape variety, providing them with the perfect natural conditions to thrive. The estate subtly blends French know-how with exceptional Argentinian terroir, pursuing the Franco-Argentinean impetus started over twenty years ago.
“World Malbec Day” was established in 2011 by Wines of Argentina (WOFA), an organisation promoting Argentinian wines abroad. Malbec is celebrated on April 17th each year, in commemoration of the day in 1853 when President Domingo Faustino Sarmiento made it his mission to transform Argentina’s wine industry.
The first ungrafted Malbec vines were planted in 1929 at 1070 metres, in Las Compuertas, a terroir owned by Terrazas de los Andes. Grown on high altitude between 800 and 1,500 metres, Terrazas’ Malbec vines are cultivated over terraced vineyards, allowing the production of the purest expression of this varietal, which originated in Cahors and was brought to Argentina by the French agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget in 1850.
Terrazas Malbec 2019
Vineyards: Terrazas Malbec 2019 is a blend of more than 100 parcels from six own vineyards located in the appellation along the valleys of Luján de Cuyo and Uco Valley. The vineyards’ altitudes range from 1070 metres up to 1250 metres above sea level.
Vintage Report: The 2019 vintage has been exceptional for the quality of the wines produced. It will go down as one of the best vintages of the decade since the favourable climatic conditions contributed in determining the precise moments for harvesting of the desired maturity stage. Winter 2018 was colder than previous ones. This resulted in a good, homogeneous and abundant bud break of those left at pruning time. December and January had many days of high temperatures that accelerated the maturity of red wine grapes, compared to regular seasons. Due to little rain in February and most of the month of March, the health of the vineyards was excellent, which directly translated into healthy and clean wines.
Tasting Notes: Intense and ruby red in colour, Terrazas Malbec 2019 is complex and layered on the nose with aromas of red and black fruit such as cherry and plum, subtle violet aromas, and gentle, toasty notes from a well-integrated oak. In the mouth, it showcases a sweet opening and full-bodied mid-palate underpinned by sweet and round tannins and a juicy finish reminiscent of red and black fruit that provides freshness.
Food Pairing: Ideal to pair with red and game meat, ideally grilled. It is a good match for hard cheeses like Parmesan, Emmental, Roquefort and goat cheese. Desserts also go well with this food friendly wine, especially those with red fruit, dried fruit and coconut.
Terrazas de los Andes Malbec 2019, RSP €26.40, is available in Dwan’s Ballycullen, World Wide Wines Waterford, The Wine Centre Kilkenny, Molloy’s Dublin, Joyce’s Galway and select SuperValu stores.