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2004 Val de Flores Malbec - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Vista Flores (8/27/2009)
Dark, deep red-purple. Very hot, obtrusive alcohol (15%). Getting past the alcohol there’s chocolate, oak, a little coffee. Quite tannic and young. Dark, dark fruit. This is a big wine. More chocolate. Short tannic finish.
An hour later or so. The heat is still pretty oppressive but the nose is opening with mint and blackberry. The fruit has really opened up, delightful blackberry, mint, chocolate, some cloves. The finish is a bit longer with mucho mint and more cloves. Impressive fruit.
Man this wine is an enigma. Hate it, love it, hate it, like it, regret it. The alcohol is a real problem. I’m okay with the 100% new oak treatment; not something I’d want every night though. The fruit is pure though, rich and, despite the alcohol, not flabby but really vibrant. The wine will be better in a couple of years I think but the heat is there forever…or until the wine is used as a Molotov cocktail. Michel Rolland at his usual controversial self.
I give this wine a 78 and a 93.
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