Jardín de Hormigas Los Amantes
Paraje Altamira, Valle de Uco, Mendoza
This was a shorter harvest than others, but no less intense. The season was marked by strong heatwaves, a year in which the physiological maturity was slightly delayed with respect to the organoleptic. Our work in the vineyard allowed us to obtain the desired alcohol and acidity just before the heat waves, preserving the fruit character and the tension of the skin of the berries. The season also had heavy rains, which threatened to delay the harvest. However, the rains stopped and gave us a window, just in time, to harvest our fruit with optimum ripeness and health. The cold of the last few weeks before harvest gave the grapes the necessary time to finish ripening and balance all their compounds. 2022 was a year with great concentrations, colors, and health, in which fruity and spicy notes prevailed.
The grapes come from a small plot of just over 1 hectare (n. 15), in the southern sector of our Jardín de Hormigas vineyard, located in Paraje Altamira (Uco Valley), at 1,200 meters above sea level. This sector stands out amid the diversity created by the alluvial fans.
On the plot, the soil profile has 80 centimeters (32 inches) of topsoil rich in silt with dissolved limestone and, from there, large granite rocks with associated limestone.
The entire vineyard is organic, with sustainable management and a special focus on biodiversity. Having Alan York as our mentor, we truly believe that here the grapes are not the product of a plant, but of an ecosystem.
The grapes coming from this plot were harvested at an ideal maturity point for our vineyard, allowing the natural acidity to take centre stage. Vinified for 25 days in concrete vats, with no epoxy. It fermented with 15% whole clusters and indigenous yeasts. The temperature was kept at 24°C (75°F) throughout the entire process, with the aim of maintaining the purity of the aromas from the vineyard. Then, it was aged in untoasted 3,500-liter French oak foudres for 12 months. It was very softly filtrated before bottling, where a second aging of 12 months takes place in the bottle.
In this second vintage of our wine “Jardín de Hormigas Los Amantes”, we are amazed at how much such a small piece of land can teach us. Made entirely from organic grapes harvested in the “Los Amantes” plot in our Jardín de Hormigas vineyard, this is a Malbec that transcends the grape variety to become a faithful expression of this exceptional plot.
It has a translucent purplish red color with bright ruby hues. On the nose, it opens up gradually, showing a great aromatic complexity with several layers. It offers notes of gunpowder, graphite, underbrush, fresh cherries, menthol, blackcurrant, truffle, pine sap, jarilla, white pepper, lemon balm, all accompanied by a balsamic note and an overall earthy, chalky sensation on the nose. The palate unfolds like a fan, with a fine, vertical entry that widens as it moves across the mouth. It is an ethereal wine that advances in crescendo, ample, crisp, juicy, and with great grip. The overall mouthfeel is marked by minerality, as well as a balanced, backbone acidity and fine-grained tannins. It has a fruity, balsamic, and persistent finish that reveals the purity of its place of origin.