Renowned winemakers agreed that this will be a year of outstanding quality wines with intense colors and flavors in the case of red wines. The frost hurt a little Cabernet Sauvignon, especially after a month of sun and heat. White won in fresh qualities, but by the early rains volume is lost. How are the wines from the 2008 vintage.
The wines of medium and high have outstanding aromas and colors this year. This was stated Alejandro Vigil, winemaker high signature lines Catena, who said he has been an amazing year, it is a crop that is compared to the 2002 and 2004 wines are excellent, aromatic profiles in red general and Malbec in particular have expanded, are intense aromas. We have measured in molecules aromas, and more, especially the grapes coming from Lulunta and Maipú, he enthused. Grapes Consultation winery achieved exceptional quality level of polyphenols and anthocyanins, ie color of red. Marcos Guirado, the company’s winemaker Masi (Tupungato), with respect to the varieties grown in Italy (Corvec, Nero Davola) noted that, with the rains, achieved very good color and good body in wines. Depending on the areas, we reached a good alcohol content and good performance. Malbec, with the rains, made good aromas. The Merlot has also surprised us. The fact also helped to harvest at night, this couple helped fermentation, since there were no losses, he said. Applause for the Malbec, not so much for the Cabernet Sauvignon Jorge Riccitelli, first winemaker Norton emphasized that this year’s Malbec colors and aromas that have long ago were not achieved. After some surprises by the rains of March, we had good weather, and ended Merlot to mature. Almost after some Malbec. In turn this ripening Malbec accompanied perfectly, until the 12 April. As for alcohol content, we had a good ripening, around 14 degrees, still do not know very well what will happen to the Cabernet, which are freshly fermented, because it was harvested to some extent after frost. In this quality, we can not yet speak, said. Daniel Pi, Trapiche first winemaker Cabernet concurred that the worst of it due to early frost, which made him have to rush vintage best to avoid dehydration of fruit. Some cases of dried fruit especially on week after freezing were observed. That serves dehydrated grapes, but not the quality of before, in our case it was not more than 5%, but what is going to give as impact, notably sugar imbalance. Fresh aromas were lost. Alejandro Vigil said Catena Cabernet was the biggest surprise. We thought we were not going to have good Cabernet, because that got grapes after the frost with some dehydration, but achieved very good levels of concentration. A local man, Alejandro Canovas, winery Cap Vistalba said that the wines are going very well, we did not frost losing quality. The Malbec grapes are coming very concentrated, by frost (which occurred in mid-April) Cabernet come with a certain degree of dehydration, and this side is good, detailed winemaker who described this as a superb year for reds, which generally show good concentration, colors, shades and value of total acidity and sugars. Less grapes but delicate fragrances Daniel Pi acknowledged that climatic factors affecting fruit set, leaving the farm a general decrease of 15% at harvest. However, he agreed with his colleagues that for red harvest was great. We are happy with the quality. Some Merlot and Syrah are outstanding. The Merlot had the slowest maturity, Malbec matured even before, and what usually happened with the Merlot that was very hard tannins, changed and this year comes with delicate tannins, because tannin maturity by the kindly summer, accompanied the azucarina maturity. As for color, it is an atypical year This year will be memorable, because having fewer grapes, more concentration. It was lost in kilos but gained in quality.
From Catena, Alejandro Vigil agreed hundred percent. Grape loss is given by generally poor curdling. We have had fewer and fewer berries per cluster clusters per plant, the losses in Malbec were 20 and 30% per hectare. This has been very important to get higher quality. The climate in general said that average temperatures helped better ripening of the grapes than in previous years. From 15 January to 11 February we had five degrees below average temperature. The lack of sun has not been a problem in the highlands light intensity is strong by itself. In the Midwest and South, in the Query area, Valle de Uco, Maipú and Luján, the earliest grapes had health problems in this area, not the area that Bonardas reached a great maturity, which had a curve like sugars and tannins. Santiago Achával, Achával Ferrer said that thanks to the production of low yields (20 to 50 quintals), February rains not affected. We have had very good color, aroma and structure Malbec, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. And as we harvest early, avoid the frost. Alcohols are normal for our taste, between 13 and 14 percent, he said. Less alcohol for white For the rains in mid-January and early February, most winemakers had rushed harvest of white grapes. For Trapiche, Pi as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Torrontes Salta said achieve a very delicate fine perfume, and alcohol content lower than usual; this is due to the slow ripening, and reduced aromas of cooked fruit, for lack of sun, rain and more years. As for the alcohol content generally indicated that this year generally will be wines from good spirit, common grapes, which were harvested early, especially some Chenin, can have some degree but the Sauvignon, the Torrontés, well mature, with normal alcoholic content. Meanwhile Alejandro Vigil said of White, who is also an exceptional year. For the first time the Sauvignon Blanc has aromas of grass and herbaceous characteristic. The Chardonnay has citrus profiles minerals not previously had, with very balanced alcohol is not achieved by other crops.
