The 2022 Malbec La Cautiva is sourced from Paraje La Cautiva, located in the higher vineyard area of Gualtallary at 1,550 meters above sea level. Fermented with whole clusters and aged for up to one year in foudres, this intense purple wine reveals aromas of cherry, plum, violet and lavender, offering an attractive and fragrant profile. On the palate, it delivers juicy, intense tannins with a chalky finish, providing both freshness and tension. The stems contribute a fine, reactive texture to the nimble palate, resulting in a compact mouthfeel. A modernist wine deeply rooted in the high-altitude Malbec style.
95 points, Joaquín Hidalgo, Vinous (Nov 2024)
Fresh blueberries, cherries and floral notes with dried herbs. Lots of fine-grained tannins pile up on the palate but in a fresh and powdery way. Juicy and long. It’s 100% malbec. Drink or hold.
95 points, Zekun Shuai, James Suckling (Feb 2024)
The 2022 La Cautiva hails from vines planted in 2009 and was fermented almost entirely with whole bunches in open-top casks and matured for 20 months in 3,000-liter foudre. It vividly evokes a classic Northern Rhône Syrah on the nose, opening with a distinctly spice-driven, savory bouquet chock-full of dried clove, cardamom, black pepper, violet and lavender aromas. The palate is plush, tense and taut, transitioning into an intensely structured, fine-grained, chalky and introverted finish; my score is a touch conservative, but there is clearly strong potential here so long as readers are patient.
94+ points, Matthew Luczy, Wine Advocate (May 2025)
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