Altos Las Hormigas Malbec Appellation Paraje Altamira 2019

Altos Las Hormigas sources this wine from Paraje Altamira, a noted appellation within the Uco Valley of Mendoza. The site is defined by alluvial soils with a high proportion of stones and active calcium carbonate, laid down by old river action from the Andes. These poor, stony soils drain freely and restrict vine vigour, which concentrates the fruit and gives the wine its mineral backbone. The altitude brings a marked swing between warm days and cold nights, ripening the Malbec while holding its acidity and deepening colour and tannin in the skins. Ageing lasts eighteen months in foudres, where slow oxygen exchange across the large oak surface softens the tannins and adds gentle structure rather than overt wood. At 14.8 percent the wine carries real weight. It is a deep violet red. The nose is led by black fruit, with blackcurrant and plum to the fore over pepper and a stony, earthy note. The palate is full and firm, with tight tannin, fresh acidity and a long savoury finish marked by that chalky minerality. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees and decant an hour ahead.