Revancha Malbec 2022

Revancha Wines is the project of Roberto de la Mota, a Mendoza winemaker trained in Montpellier who worked at one of Argentina's leading wineries before making his own wines. This Malbec comes from vines on sandy, loamy soils over blocks of limestone, an unusual mix in Mendoza where the limestone adds freshness and a firm spine to the ripe Andean fruit. The vineyards sit at altitude, where intense sunlight builds dark, concentrated fruit and cold nights hold acidity and fix colour, the diurnal swing that gives high-altitude Malbec its balance. Ageing runs 12 months in French oak barrels, where slow oxygen exchange rounds the tannin and adds vanilla, cocoa and sweet spice. The colour is dense violet. The nose shows ripe black plum, cherry and red berries over cocoa, vanilla and a floral lift. The palate is full and concentrated, with rounded tannin and fresh acidity carrying dark fruit to a long, spiced finish. Serve at 16 to 18C, decanting half an hour ahead. It suits grilled beef, roast lamb and barbecued meats.