Altocedro Ano Cero Malbec 2022
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Fresh and plush, with violet and wild berry aromas. Its brilliant purple color is indicative of its La Consulta terroir.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Violets, dark cherries, blackberries, plums and mushrooms on the nose. It’s full-bodied with gently chewy tannins and a youthful core of dark fruit and flowers. A little tight. Better in 2024.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Año Cero Malbec fermented with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats, and one-third of the volume matured in French and American oak barrels for 10 months. It's ripe without excess at 14.3% alcohol. They look for typicity of La Consulta using grapes from different subzones there, ripe fruit and juiciness with a touch of earthiness. It's very juicy, and that's their idea.
Rating: 90+
Other Vintages
2021- Vinous
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James
Suckling -
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James
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James
Suckling -
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Robert
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- Decanter
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Wilfred
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Suckling - Decanter
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Wine &
Spirits
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Wine
Spectator
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Wine &
Spirits
The winery of Altocedro is located in the growing region of La Consulta, Valle de Uco, Mendoza. This is one of the premier Argentine growing zones. Limited production with sustainable growing practices make the Altocedro wines a cult-type wine in Argentina. Winemaker Karim Mussi Saffie focuses on producing terroir-driven wines.
All harvesting, sorting, and crushing are done in individual batches by hand using no machinery in the process. The vines range up to 70 years of age, with only 1,600 plants per acre, and strict harvesting of only 1.2 kg of grapes per vine. The extract is done with a gravity flow system developed at the winery over 100 years ago.
Celebrated for its bold flavors and supple texture, Malbec has enjoyed runaway success in Argentina since the late 20th century. The grape originated in Bordeaux, France, where it historically contributed color and tannin to blends. A French agronomist, who saw great potential for the variety in Mendoza’s hot, high-altitude landscape, brought Malbec to Argentina in 1868. Somm Secret—If you’re trying to please a crowd, Malbec is generally a safe bet with its combination of dense fruit and soft tannins.
By far the largest and best-known winemaking province in Argentina, Mendoza is responsible for over 70% of the country’s enological output. Set in the eastern foothills of the Andes Mountains, the climate is dry and continental, presenting relatively few challenges for viticulturists during the growing season. Mendoza, divided into several distinctive sub-regions, including Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley, is the source of some of the country’s finest wines.
For many wine lovers, Mendoza is practically synonymous with Malbec. Originally a Bordelaise variety brought to Argentina by the French in the mid-1800s, here it found success and renown that it never knew in its homeland where a finicky climate gives mixed results. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir are all widely planted here as well (and sometimes even blended with each other or Malbec). Mendoza's main white varieties include Chardonnay, Torrontés, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.