DOS MINAS 11 MALBEC
The dos minas ("two chicks" in Argentine slang) of the name are Lucía Romero, who runs Bodega El Porvenir de los Andes in Cafayate, Argentina, and Heather Willens, representative of several small production Argentine wineries in the United States. Both are champions of wines from the mystical high-altitude desert landscapes of Cafayate, in the far northwest corner of Argentina. Both also believe that Torrontés is a wonderfully aromatic, food-friendly wine that is among the best of what Argentina has to offer to the world. So they decided to come together to create this small project to showcase the rugged, high-altitude Malbec and the elegant, balanced Torrontés that the best producers in Cafayate are capable of making. The grapes all come from El Porvenir's own meticulously tended, sustainably farmed vineyards at an incredible 6,300 feet above sea level, where the vines share space with cacti and desert animals. The wines are made with loving care and created to be spectacular values.A refreshing change from the sea of Malbecs coming out of Argentina's main wine region Mendoza, this Cafayate Malbec highlights the potential of this stunning desert region. Approximately 2,000 cases of 12 are made from El Porvenir's own vineyard Finca Río Seco, with an average age of 45 years. Grapes are hand-harvested and then undergo a double manual selection to ensure the highest quality, and the wine then spends 4 months in used French and American oak barrels. The result is a uniquely deep Malbec with layers of complexity surprising for a wine of this price level. Its inky-black color hints at its core of dark fruit, and its smooth mocha notes round it out, making it a delightfully full-bodied yet velvety glass of wine, and perfect with a hunk of beef!
