Dona Paula 1100 Altitude Blend Uco Valley
A complex yet subtle and silky blend showing ripe fruits complemented by spice, violet and dark chocolate.
Producer Note - Doña Paula is a leading, modern winery at the forefront of exploring and investing in new, high quality wine regions in Argentina. Established in 1997, they own all of their vineyards covering 700 hectares. These vineyard sites are located in the best subregions within Mendoza including Ugarteche, Altamira, Gualtallary and Tupungato. The vineyards have always been cultivated using sustainable methods which helps to maximise the true expression of terroir, and in 2019 Doña Paula was certified as a sustainably managed winery by Bodegas de Argentina. Continuous innovation in vineyard management ensures Doña Paula produces top quality wines from one year to the next.
Vintage - Warm temperatures during spring resulted in early bud break and early flowering. However, the combination of two cold springs in succession in the previous years (2015/16) has resulted in smaller clusters forming in 2017. Excellent weather conditions during the ripening period accelerated the harvest and ensured the grapes were in perfect health when picked. The 2017 vintage will be remembered for its superb quality, flavour concentration and low volume.
Vineyard - Altitude 1100' comes from three blocks in the Los Indios vineyard, which is located in El Cepillo, San Carlos, in the Uco Valley, at 1,100 metres above sea level. The climate is characterised by warm days and cold nights; the average temperature variation is 16 °C, which encourages a long ripening period in which the grapes slowly build aromatic complexity and the fruit is balanced by refreshing acidity. The average annual rainfall reaches 300 millimetres. The sandy loam soil offers good drainage and encourages low fertility; in some sectors, there are gravel and stone deposits of colluvial origin, bound by a thick, 70 centimetre-deep layer of calcium carbonate known as black caliche. Black caliche appears in very old soils, where the vine vigour is reduced so the grapes produced have concentrated flavours. At Doña Paula, the vineyards have always been managed using sustainable agricultural practices. The grapes are hand-picked.
Winemaking - The grapes were gently destemmed without crushing the berries. Each variety was vinified separately and underwent cold maceration in stainless steel tanks to extract the primary aromas. Alcoholic fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and once complete, the wines were deftly blended. The wine was then 100% matured in French oak, of which 20% were new for a period of 16 months.
Tasting Note - Floral aromas of violet and rosehip from the Malbec are complemented by spicy notes, good volume and silky tannins from the Syrah, while the Cabernet Sauvignon imparts a great structure in this complex and balanced wine.
Grapes - Malbec 60%, Syrah 30%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%
Awards 92 pts, James Suckling, 2019
Winemaker: Marcos Fernandez
Region: Mendoza
Sub region: Valle de Uco
Country: Argentina
Alcohol: 14%
BodyValue: D (A is light, E is full bodied)
Residual Sugar: 1.8
Contains Sulphites: Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Milk/Eggs: No/No
Organic/Biodynamic No/No
