Altos Las Hormigas, Mendoza Tinto

Country: Argentina  Region: Mendoza  

Category: Red Wine  Color:  Red  Varietal: Malbec and blends

PRODUCER
Altos Las Hormigas is based in Luján de Cuyo, the first officially
recognised appellation in Mendoza and one of the region's
premium vine growing areas. The estate is known as a Malbec
specialist with a reputation as one of the country's top five
producers of this particular variety. Alberto Antonini and fellow
Tuscan, Antonio Morescalchi, were so impressed with the
vineyards in the area around Mendoza, following their first trip to
Argentina in 1995, that they persuaded a few friends to join with
them in buying this estate. The estate covers 88 hectares with 56
in production.
VINEYARDS
This new wine is a blend of the three traditional Mendoza grapes,
widely planted and blended before varietally labelled wines
came into fashion. While Malbec and Bonarda continue to be the
two most planted varieties in Mendoza, Semillon has fallen out of
favour, with only 728 hectares left in 2017. In spite of this,
winemaker Alberto Antonini believes Semillon is the most suitable
white varietal for Mendoza, as it retains its natural acidity in the
dry, sunny climate. The blend is both an interpretation of a classic
Mendoza blend, as well as a nod to his native Tuscany, where
Chianti was often made using a small amount of white grapes in
the blend.
Grapes for this wine come mainly from vineyards in Luján de Cuyo,
with a small percentage coming from Medrano. The region has a
semi-desert climate with hot days and cool nights. Soils in Luján de
Cuyo have good water drainage and a fine silt-sandy texture. In
soils such as these, vines put down deep roots, helping them resist
heat waves, which are common during the summer in Mendoza.
All work done in the vineyard was conducted according to
biodynamic principles.
VINIFICATION
The Malbec, Bonarda and Semillon grapes were harvested by
hand and a careful, double sorting process took place before
fermentation. The Malbec and Semillon grapes were co fermented, while the Bonarda was vinified separately before the
final blend. Fermentation was carried out in separate stainless steel tanks at a temperature between 24-28°C for 10 days. Only
indigenous yeasts were used. Each tank was tasted three times a
day to determine what was needed. The wine was then aged for
nine months in concrete vats to add roundness to the blend. No
oak was used.
TASTING NOTES
This wine has a bright and attractive ruby colour. On the nose,
aromas of red fruits and spices prevail, but there are also subtle
citrus notes, like fresh tangerine rind. The palate is round with a silky
texture. The finish is long and linear with refreshing acidity.