Bodega Noemia de Patagonia Noemia 2020

2018 was a challenging vintage, cooler in the growing season and then warm toward the end of the harvest. The 2018 Noemía was harvested a little earlier, all the wines have good natural acidity, and this is only 13.5% alcohol. The wine is pretty impressive, elegant and subtle, young but approachable. It's perfumed and expressive, with fully developed flavors despite its moderate alcohol. This comes from a single plot, 1.5 hectares enclosed by a wall, that was planted 89 years ago ungrafted, organically farmed. Through working the soils, they have managed to lower the irrigation and are harvesting looking for crunchiness in the grapes rather than density in the wine. So it has moderate alcohol and vibrant freshness. It matured in 600-liter oak casks, and the wine keeps very good freshness; the wine was taken out of the oak during the summer, and that seems to have kept very good freshness. There's terrific purity, focus and symmetry, and the wine is super balanced and harmonious, with all the components to develop nicely in bottle. This is remarkably better than the 2017 I tasted last time. Hans Vinding Diers talks about a new chapter with this 2018. 6,000 bottles and 150 magnums were filled in February 2020.

Cropped from an almost perfect growing season when the grapes ripened slowly, the 2016 Noemía is pure Malbec from one single plot of vines planted in 1932 and comes through as aromatic, floral, perfumed, open, showy and impressive. They used 25% full clusters (higher than in the past) for the vinification this year, and the wine matured in Darnajou oak demi-muids for a shorter amount of time than ever before—just 15 months—when it used to have an élevage of 18 months or longer. This is the result of winemaker Hans Vinding Diers now living on the property and following up on the vineyard and wine every day. It's open, impressive and captivating from minute one—as soon as I put my nose in the glass, I had to smile. The palate is elegant with refined tannins, bright fruit and subtle minerality, nicely textured. It's super tasty and elegant, with less alcohol than ever, yet it has not lost any of its clout and is still powerful and seems to have all that is needed for a nice, long life in bottle. This was bottled earlier than other vintages. It has to be one of the finest vintages of Noemía to date.Rating: 97+

Fascinating aromas of blackberries, hot stones, fresh herbs, coffee and hints of strawberries. Subtle and complex. Medium to full body with a very refined texture and fine-grained tannins. It builds on the palate as you taste it. Harmonious and focused. A pretty sensibility and savoriness, driving you back for another sip. Drink or hold.

Suave and refined, with a seductive minerality to the rich red plum, dark currant and black olive flavors. The finish is loaded with luscious dark chocolate and spicy notes. Drink now through 2024.