2019 La Gran Flor (90% Malbec 10% Cabernet Sauvignon)- 93pts
2019 La Gran Flor (90% Malbec 10% Cabernet Sauvignon)- 93pts
Aromas of purple fruit and dried wild strawberries, together with violets, lilacs, blood orange and spicy herbs. Medium- to full-bodied, polished and refined, with fine-grained, silky tannins and a sleek texture. Juicy and succulent, with delicacy and purity to the blue-fruit character. 88% malbec and 12% cabernet sauvignon. Drink or hold. James Suckling
2019 ALLEROMB – LA GRAN FLOR
Blend: 88% Malbec 12% Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging: 32 months in 50% new French oak 500L barrels.
AVA: Columbia Valley
Alcohol: 14.9%
Vintage:
The 2019 vintage started out cool with heavy snowpack from February and March that kept ground temps cool and the soils saturated with moisture. Budbreak was slightly later than normal and moisture in the soils made nutrients readily available for the spring and early summer. Big canopy growth and a large fruit set led to a substantial harvest and although there was an early freeze event, much of our production had already been harvested or was at elevations that weren’t affected.
Wine:
The 2019 La Gran Flor was fermented almost entirely in concrete with the only the 12% Cabernet Sauvignon being fermented in stainless steel. It was then aged in 50% new French oak puncheons before being blended in August of 2021. In recent years, the Malbec has really come into its own showing tremendous depth of flavor and increasingly sophisticated aromatics. Our goal as always with this wine to make an uncompromisingly elegant and sophisticated Malbec and the 2019 is right there with the 2012 and 2016 for refinement and density.
Winemaker notes:
Beautiful floral notes of hibiscus, lavender and desert sage. Saturated notes of blackberry, ripe plums and a hint of brown sugar. Swirling brings up fresh fruits, fig jam, black tea and vanilla bean. The palate has volume, is gorgeously textured with precise transitions and a resonating finish.
