On the Road with the Grape Guy
Trapiche Wines : A Closer Look at Cabernet Sauvignon
19 Nov 2020- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
(August 26, 2020) ... With 135+ year history Trapiche continues to make a wide range of interesting wines from different areas of Argentina. They use the fruit from 300 growers and source fruit from 1,000 hectares of vineyard. Trapiche has the belief that old vineyards are the key to their success.
The reason for this seminar was to highlight the third most planted red variety in Argentina: Cabernet Sauvignon (Malbec being number one and Bonarda number two). The breakdown of fruit origin is 77% of their grapes come from Mendoza, 10% San Juan and 5% from La Rioja and 8% other.
The interesting note about Cabernet Sauvignon in Argentina is how new plantings and re-plantings of the grape are being moved to cooler regions. There is also a move afoot to use less oak, larger barrels and earlier harvesting … in the hopes for freshness over maturity; the best Cabernet Sauvignon in the country grows between 900 and 1000 m above sea level.
The Wines …
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve ($12.95 - #614669)
Sweet red fruited with notes of spice – simple yet tasty, priced right for what it is. Rating: ***+
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Broquel
Fruit for this wine comes from the Uco Valley spending 15 months in French oak with 50% wild fermentation … Dark fruit and slightly smoky notes with hints of white pepper – concentrated notes of cassis, blackberry and cedar follow through on the finish. Rating: *** ½
2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Medalla ($17.00 - #568865)
A three-region Cabernet that was designed and created for the winery’s 100th anniversary (in 1983), in the beginning it was Cabernet Sauvignon blended with Merlot and Malbec, but three years ago they changed it to 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and now is also 100% wild yeast fermented. Herbal, smoky, dark fruit with peppery notes along with cassis, blackberry, leather and mocha … The acidity offers great balance and punch. Rating: ****
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Medalla ($26.95 - #13608)
Aged in oak for 18 months this Cabernet Sauvignon, grown in the Uco Valley, is rich on dark fruit while layering in white smoke, hints of peppery-smoked meat, blackberry, mocha, black cherry and even some floral elements. There are also soft silky tannins and a lovely note of coffee bean on the finish. This wine is just in its "youth", if you’re willing to wait a few years for it to fully develop you'll be in for an even greater surprise, but it does drink exceptionally well right now. Drink: 2020-2027. Rating: ****+
