Revisited the Altos Las Hormigas twice yesterday from two different bottles and although I have always had a soft spot for this wine as a QPR leader, I had difficutly with the article given the competition.
Review of Malbec Red Wine from Argentina - WSJ" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
With the Achaval Ferrer Malbec and the Bodegas Noemia A Lisa in the mix, it seems odd that WSJ would place the ALH above the others, especially at $10.99 (being full retail).
After tasting it twice yesterday, I found it to be good, but not even on par with previous vintages.
The comment on the A Lisa being overly smooth had me wondering also, so I went back and checked my notes (from that other wine BB) on this:
TN:Bodega Noemia Patagonia A Lisa Malbec 2007 4/24/08
Color: Dark purple with deep saturation to the rim, brilliant with good viscosity. Sticks to the sides of the glass.
Nose: Black fruits, briney black olives, alcohol, oak, and spice. Nose is med + intense.
Palate: Big jammy black fruit, a little cola note, acid is medium intense, tannins are a little grainy and green but produce pleasant and assertive grip. Finish is fruit and herb and 20+ seconds long.
Overall impression: Very fresh and fruity this wine is, but clearly a teen. It very much suggests that there is more to reveal and the elements are there to see that it happens. Reading up on this I was suprised and pleased to learn that it is moved from cement to French oak but it is 2nd year used oak. Nice drink and should get much nicer in 3-5 yrs.
any thoughts?