Since starting Maal Wines in 2010, Daniel and Alfredo Merlo have found their stride in making delicious expressions of high-altitude Argentina. Rather than copying some other country's style, they're part of the movement to return to tradition, making pure expressions of their unique place... with modern know-how. Up here this approach really makes special wines: sunny days and dramatic shift into cool nights make for bold reds of concentrated, expressive, and refreshing character. Maal's 2022 "Biolento" Malbec nails this, scoring a 95-point review from Antonio Galloni's Vinous, and at a ridiculously great price!
Lujan de Cuyo is the original area for Argentina's mountain wines, so it has a lot of old vines that can endow the region's bold reds with more depth and elegance. For their fantastically-priced "Biolento" Malbec, Maal makes use of organically farmed Malbec vines that are up to 60 years of age in the area's highest section, called Las Compuertas (~3,440 feet above sea level).
Cool fermentation preserves the natural flavor intensity in the skins, and aging in a mix of concrete and seasoned oak barrels polishes the edges without smothering the wine. Biolento is darkly purple in color and pure in its aromas. Spice and cool herbal accents enliven the concentrated, freshly-toned plum and violet fruit character, and it's all grounded by a firm, stony earthiness. It finishes gently dry, with an elegant tapering for such a powerful wine, and a balance between with fruity and savory echoes. This is set to impress a lot of red lovers, especially when partnered with the grill!
VINOUS 95 POINTS - "The 2022 Malbec Biolento is sourced from old vines in Las Compuertas, Luján de Cuyo. Partially aged for six months in used barrels, this purple wine reveals crystal-clear aromas of plums, white pepper and a touch of mint. Rich and plush, with supple and velvety tannins, the smooth palate bursts with flavor and offers a long-lasting expression of pure fruit character. This is a delicious and true representation of Las Compuertas in a bottle." - Joaquin Hidalgo
Lujan de Cuyo is the original area for Argentina's mountain wines, so it has a lot of old vines that can endow the region's bold reds with more depth and elegance. For their fantastically-priced "Biolento" Malbec, Maal makes use of organically farmed Malbec vines that are up to 60 years of age in the area's highest section, called Las Compuertas (~3,440 feet above sea level).
Cool fermentation preserves the natural flavor intensity in the skins, and aging in a mix of concrete and seasoned oak barrels polishes the edges without smothering the wine. Biolento is darkly purple in color and pure in its aromas. Spice and cool herbal accents enliven the concentrated, freshly-toned plum and violet fruit character, and it's all grounded by a firm, stony earthiness. It finishes gently dry, with an elegant tapering for such a powerful wine, and a balance between with fruity and savory echoes. This is set to impress a lot of red lovers, especially when partnered with the grill!
VINOUS 95 POINTS - "The 2022 Malbec Biolento is sourced from old vines in Las Compuertas, Luján de Cuyo. Partially aged for six months in used barrels, this purple wine reveals crystal-clear aromas of plums, white pepper and a touch of mint. Rich and plush, with supple and velvety tannins, the smooth palate bursts with flavor and offers a long-lasting expression of pure fruit character. This is a delicious and true representation of Las Compuertas in a bottle." - Joaquin Hidalgo
