Santa Julia Malbec 2005

Bodega

Range

Wine

Vintage

Origin

Price

Santa Julia

n/a

Malbec

2005

Mendoza

AR$11 (US$4)

Appearance

Bright ruby red.

Nose

Red fruit - cherries, currants. Hints of spicy oak and toasted coconut. A trace of cinnamon.

Palate

Light-ish body. Relatively light fruit - cherries, red and black currants - but balanced with the acidity. Drying tannins are accompanied by distinct grapeskin flavours on the mid and back palate, suggesting extensive maceration to draw tannic structure in absence of relying on oak. Reasonable length carried both by acid and tannins but slightly stalky on the finish.

Overall

A promising nose that doesn't really deliver on the palate. The fruit in this Santa Julia is relatively austere, lacking the ripeness and intensity of other offerings. It also lacks palate complexity in comparison with its peers, although this is a deliberate decision on the part of the winemaker to make a fruit-led, almost entirely unoaked style (only 10% of this wine has been oaked). However the result lacks the fruit vibrancy and freshness to really carry the style, leaving a slightly one-dimensional impression. Having said that, its pleasant dryness and savoury character would make it a good choice to accompany soft cheeses.

**

(July 06)