Altos las Hormigas Malbec 2009

Good beefy, briery, plummy flavors, with a firm, minerally finish. A bit chunky, but good Malbec. Drink now through 2002. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

Pretty blueberry and blackberry flavors, with sweet, medium-weight tannin, and a round, accessible finish that shows toasty vanilla. Solid introduction to the grape. Drink now through 2003.

Mendoza, ArgentinaAltos Las Hormigas Malbec is an outstanding red wine gem from Argentina. In 1995, Alberto Antonini, a well-known Tuscan winemaker, and Antonio Morescalchi, a young entrepreneur, took a trip to visit the major viticultural areas of Argentina. They returned powerfully impressed by the potential of Malbec in the Mendoza appellation. Later that year they purchased 216 hectares of vineyards in Lujn de Cuyo, and Altos Las Hormigas was born. The estate's success story continues with the new 2009 Malbec. Wine & Spirits reported in April 2010 that Altos Las Hormigas Malbec is the #2 most popular Argentine wine in US restaurants. Stephen Tanzer rated it 88 points. Winemakers are Alberto Antonini and Attilio Pagli. Altos Las Hormigas Malbec is deep garnet-purple in color with a beautiful nose of plums, raspberries, mocha, spice and mineral notes. It has full body, soft tannins and well integrated oak. Rich and silky on the palate, it is long and elegant on the finish.Enjoy Altos Las Hormigas Malbec over the next 7-8 years with grilled steak, beef empanadas, hearty pastas, pizza and cheeses.

Good, solid mixed berry fruit, with sweet smoke and spice notes. The round, fleshy finish has a nice brier tint. Textbook introduction to the grape. Drink now.

This medium to dark ruby-colored fruit bomb has a boisterous, almost Beaujolais-like nose of plums, blackberries and dark cherries. This sweet, lush, fat, and velvety-textured, medium to full-bodied wine has copious layers of plummy fruit. It is neither complex nor long in the finish, but this lascivious offering satisfies the hedonistic needs. Drink it over the next 4 years.

Deep ruby-red. Slightly exotic aromas of black raspberry, licorice and Christmas cake; this reminded me of a zinfandel from the early '90's. Then superripe and fat with fruit, with a touch of reduction to its varietally typical flavors of dark berries, graphite, leather and licorice. Finishes with a note of licorice pastille and substantial ripe tannins. A very good value.

Nice, vivid boysenberry and plum fruit, with dark chocolate and taost notes enveloping the finish. Ripe and solid. A great value introduction to Argentinean Malbec. Drink now.