Bodega Noemia de Patagonia J. Alberto Río Negro Valley 2021

A full-bodied red with olives, blackberries, wild blueberries, mussel shells and hints of licorice on the nose. Fresh and creamy, structured too, with a delicious saline minerality and fine, tea-like tannins. Drink or hold.

The 2020 Malbec J Alberto is a Malbec with a 5% dash of Merlot from an old vineyard first planted in 1935 in Mainqué, Río Negro. Half aged in cement and 600 liter barrels, the rest was kept in stainless steel. Bright purple in the glass, fresh cherries are intertwined in the nose with violets, black tea and hints of country herbs as part of a substantial but delicate profile. The aging process plays a supporting role but offers no more than a faint whiff of orange petit fours. On the palate, the balance is precise with delicate weights and measures in which the flow is lean and releases an energy toward the end that fades entropically like a wind-up toy. An elegant wine.

The serious 2019 J Alberto comes from certified organic vines (Ecocert), but the label does not carry the organic seal. It comes from a 66-year-old ungrafted vineyard planted with Malbec interplanted with around 5% Merlot, and it fermented with some whole clusters in 5,800-liter stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts and a soft vinification by plot; there are five different soils, and it's vinified by soil. It was a bit closed at first and slowly opened up to red and black fruit and subtle spice. Part matured in concrete eggs, part in French barrique and 10% in demi-muid, and the wine rotates between these containers as needed with very low sulfur, as the wine is protected by the lees that keep the wine alive. The wine is very lively and vibrant, with very good freshness, refined tannin's and clean, focused and pungent flavors that give it very good length. It was bottled in February 2020. Rating : 94+