Luca Beso de Dante 2021

Luca is the high-altitude label of Laura Catena, of the Catena Zapata family, and Beso de Dante is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc grown in the Uco Valley of Mendoza. Vineyards here sit at considerable altitude on stony, alluvial soils, where intense daytime sun ripens the fruit fully while cold mountain nights preserve acidity and colour, the wide diurnal range driving deep pigment and firm structure. The three grapes are vinified to combine Cabernet Sauvignon’s spine, Malbec’s dark fruit and Cabernet Franc’s aromatic lift. Eighteen months in oak barrels builds tannin and adds spice while a slow oxygen exchange rounds the wine and stabilises its colour. It is deep, dense purple-red. The nose offers blackberry, plum and cherry with cocoa, tobacco and sweet spice from the wood, while the palate is full bodied and structured, with ripe, firm tannins, fresh acidity and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees Celsius, decanted, alongside grilled steak or roast lamb.