Altos Las Hormigas was started by a few Italian winemakers who saw the potential to make exceptional "wines of place" in Argentina, the antithesis of the large production Malbecs that were flooding the international market in the 1990s and 2000s. They have been scoring big wins with this bottling of Malbec from the Altamira region of the Uco Valley, an area that can get hot in the daytime during peak Summer. The saving grace is the Uco Valley's giant drop in nighttime temperatures, which helps keep grapes from over-ripening. The Altos Las Hormigas winemaking philosophy aims for minimal intervention, using biodynamic practices and adding minimal sulfites to protect the wine. While the result indeed doesn't feel over-polished or over-manipulated, it does have a naturally soft, sunny, and generously-fruited character that will please a lot of palates! An underlying broad, gentle mineral sensation on the palate, the absence of heavy oak flavors, and the restrained ripeness of the fruit are all hallmarks that this is indeed a 'wine of place.' The depth, balance, and brash youthful character are wonderful now with 30 minutes in the glass; but you can 'cellar' a bottle for a few more years for it to really sing!
WINE ADVOCATE 96 POINTS - "The 2018 Malbec Appellation Altamira is a wine produced in search of the limestone expression of Paraje Altamira in a year they deemed more normal than previous ones despite early frost in the zone that lowered yields and a heat wave in the beginning of the summer, but February was optimal and without rain, and they picked grapes with full ripeness and aromatic and flavor components and good natural acidity, avoiding over-ripeness. The wine, fermented in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured in untoasted 3,500-liter French oak foudres for 18 months, resulted in 13.6% alcohol and good freshness despite not having very high acidity. The grapes were sourced from alluvial terraces at 1,200 meters in altitude. The terraces were created by the Tunuyán River, where there is 85% stones and gravel covered by limestone and some silt and sand that provide red fruit freshness and a delicate and elegant balance. It's floral and gentle, with the mild effect of the big rocks in the wines, medium-bodied, with energy and some lightness from plants that tend to yield well."
WINE ADVOCATE 96 POINTS - "The 2018 Malbec Appellation Altamira is a wine produced in search of the limestone expression of Paraje Altamira in a year they deemed more normal than previous ones despite early frost in the zone that lowered yields and a heat wave in the beginning of the summer, but February was optimal and without rain, and they picked grapes with full ripeness and aromatic and flavor components and good natural acidity, avoiding over-ripeness. The wine, fermented in concrete with indigenous yeasts and matured in untoasted 3,500-liter French oak foudres for 18 months, resulted in 13.6% alcohol and good freshness despite not having very high acidity. The grapes were sourced from alluvial terraces at 1,200 meters in altitude. The terraces were created by the Tunuyán River, where there is 85% stones and gravel covered by limestone and some silt and sand that provide red fruit freshness and a delicate and elegant balance. It's floral and gentle, with the mild effect of the big rocks in the wines, medium-bodied, with energy and some lightness from plants that tend to yield well."
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