Winery: Bodega La Flor

Vintage: 2009

Wine Name/Vineyard: Corte Joven

Wine Category: Malbec

Grape blend: N/A

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Mendoza

State or country: Argentina

Price: $38

ABV: 14.5%

Cases produced: N/A

The Barrel Cellar Score:  85 points

Review date: October 28, 2019

About the Winemaker: Bodega La Flor wines are made by Pulenta Estate (founded in 2002). The Pulenta Family has 4 generations of winemaking experience dating back to 1912. Their Argentinian wine is known worldwide for both quality and consistency. The Corte Joven is a great example of that.

Color:  Burgundy

Nose:  Tobacco, dark berries, and plum

Taste: Cherry, smoke, and black pepper Finish: Black pepper and a hint of dried oregano

Assessment: Full bodied, and a slightly grippy tannic texture. When I poured my first glass of this wine, I was surprised that after 10 years the wine still had a deep burgundy color. A sign that it could have stood up to a few more years in the bottle. Corte Joven is well made and structurally sound. It is both light on tannins and acid, and balanced well. The level of spice is quite reserved for a Malbec which isn’t a bad thing. I would put this into a category as a wine for everyone, not sweet (not even a touch) but not overly dry. It has enough cherry notes to add nice character, but not so much that I would call it fruity. The complexity of character indicates that the wine maker did a great job of picking the grapes at perhaps the perfect ripeness.

Pairing recommendation: Havarti, a fatty steak, or chocolate mousse.

Bodega La Flor “Corte Joven” is a very good wine.  88 points