Bodegas Colome 2018 Estate Malbec, Salta

Bodega Colome in the Calchaqui Valley, 7500 feet above sea level, was founded in 1831 and is one of the oldest existing wineries in Argentina. Since its acquisition by the Hess family in 2001 the quality of wines has skyrocketed. All the vineyards are farmed biodynamically and yields are kept low.

Winemaking is state-of-the-art with an emphasis on grape expression as is clear in this Estate Malbec. 100% Malbec, grapes are from four different vineyards with the Colome Vineyard as the backbone. The vineyards sourced lie at altitudes from 5500 to 8500 feet above sea level. At these altitudes the grape skins thicken to protect from UV rays intensifying color and flavor in the grapes. The wine was aged 15 months in French oak barrels.

Decanter Magazine scored this 91 points saying "Elegant nose of pure plums, dried tomato, paprika and damson. Quite dense with well-integrated oak, ripe fine-grained tannins."

James Suckling scored this 93 points saying "Lots of concentration here. This is packed with dense, ripe black cherries, damsons and iodine. Floral and spicy accents, too. Full-bodied, very big and dense with a tannin structure of grandeur. Yet, there’s no lack of mid-palate detail. Lay it down in your cellar. Better after 2023."