Sottano Reserva Malbec 2005
Bodega
Range
Wine
Vintage
Origin
Price
Appearance
Dense, bright scarlet with violet hues.
Nose
Spicy oak and pencil shavings dominate sweet plum jelly. Hints of cloves and vanilla.
Palate
Light to medium bodied. Spicy oak and sweet ripe black plums reflect the nose, as do hints of clove and vanilla. Black cherries are carried by a gentle acidity, with generous aromatic pencil shaving or cedar notes.
Overall
Probably the pick of Sottano's 2005 wines, this shows good fruit characteristics, although the oak is very up front and slightly aggressive - a result of the bodega's decision to use a relatively high proportion of American oak. This may integrate with a year or two more in the bottle. That said, it's fairly well balanced now and gives a satisfying impression from nose to finish. The main issue, once again, is the price: arguably the ticket ought to be shaved by at least AR$10-15 to be competitive.
***+
(December 06)