Mixed company

Believe it or not, I am slowly clearing my backlog of wine reviews.  I've just posted nine more reviews: four from El Galgo, which are made out at Carinae but is not a Carinae wine.  Long story - it's a family thing.  Speaking of family things, another tasty Sauvignon Blanc from Pulenta Estate and a ripping red blend from brother Carlos Pulenta's Vistalba vineyard.  A pair from Escorihuela, one a solid Syrah and the other a pleasant, if obscure, fruity Tocai Friulano.  Finally, an archetypal Mendoza Malbec from Luigi Bosca, in the very affordable Finca La Linda range.
Recommendations?  Skip a couple of the El Galgos, buy the other seven, take one per day, and I'll see you this time next week.
cheers
Luke

Argentina Wine Guide turns fifty!

Over at Argentina Wine Guide I've just posted six new reviews: two very different Sauvignon Blancs from Doña Paula and Pulenta Estate, a Syrah from Serrera, two Malbecs from Prodigo and another from new-comers Melipal.
The Pulenta Sauvignon is worth a look, the Doña Paula is best avoided (although, I hope I was unlucky enough to have sampled a dud bottle), the Serrera tastes like a shadow of its (probable) former self, and the Prodigos are close but no cigar. Phew.
After that intro you know there's a but, and here it is: but, the Melipal is an absolute stunner and earns top marks - pricey at AR$150, but you will savour every centavo.
And so it's a day of milestones at Argentina Wine Guide! Our first Sauvignon Blanc reviews posted, Melipal's cracking Malbec earns our first five-star rating, and somewhere in that bunch we racked up our 50th review! I think I'd better crack open a bottle of something good to celebrate.
Cheers
Luke

Alta Vista reviews

Just a quick note to point you all over to Argentina Wine Guide for reviews of 3 Alta Vista wines: a Malbec and a Torrontes from their Premium range, and a Malbec Grande Reserva. The Malbec Premium is really very good value at AR$22.
I've also posted a review of the Nieto Senetiner Bonarda 2003. It matches the 2004 in quality, and perhaps gives a pleasing indication of how that excellent value big-style wine will develop. If so, you should snap up a case now!
Plenty to come in the next few days as we creep closer to notching a milestone of 50 reviews!
Cheers
Luke

Heavy research

Golly, how time flies. It's been three weeks since my last update - but you'll be pleased to hear I haven't been idle.
On the one hand, I was busy with the "other" job, being the one that pays, but you don't want to hear about that. More importantly, I took advantage of the excuse some visiting friends provided to have a few what-the-hell, you-only-live-once kind of days. So, a remise (car and driver) was hired to take us down to Septima, then along to Catena Zapata - both really very impressive operations, with stunning settings, interesting architecture, and (of course) some equally classy wines.
My pick - the D.V Catena Cabernet-Cabernet (no, that's not a typo ...) 2001. A dense, candied fruit cab sav with interesting herbal notes, intense but not overly aggressive mouth feel, and impressive length. AR$105 a bottle, mind you, so it better be good.
Also managed to dine at La Bourgogne, highly-rated restaurant at Carlos Pulenta's Vistalba vineyard. Very good it was too, lovely setting, fantastic service, good food and a couple of brilliant blends: Carlos's own Vistalba Corte B, which is a Malbec/Cab Sav with a touch of Merlot and Bonarda for good measure - and a cracker it is too - and, since we didn't want to play favourites, a bottle of his brothers' Hugo and Eduardo's excellent Pulenta Estate VII Gran Corte. A stunning blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cab Sav, with some Petit Verdot and Tannat to add a little something different. Well integrated French oak adding some wonderful clove notes, and it was certainly worth writing home (or blogging) about.
Anyways - mostly I just added to my backlog of reviews for posting at Argentina Wine Guide - they'll get there, though, don't worry about that!
cheers
Luke