2017 Versado Old Vine
Sporting an intense garnet color, this round, ripe and savory Malbec boasts classic Old World tannins and structure. Finish is rich and long with the suggestion of black fruits. ~ Ann Sperling
Score: 92. “The estate vineyard where this Old Vine Malbec is located, in the old town of Chacras de Coria, has been certified organic since the 2015 vintage. It’s a 'barrel expression' of Malbec with such a lovely nose of brambly red berries, forest berries, cassis, cocoa, subtle herbaceous notes, plums and elegant spices. It’s nicely integrated already with fine-grained tannins, an enticing range of crushed red berries, black currants, dried herbs and anise with leathery notes, a beautiful array of fine oak spices and a lifted and vibrant finish. It will provide excellent drinking for many years to come. ~ Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com
A year in the vineyard
Off the back of a very wet El Niño vintage in 2016, it was a relief to return to a more characteristic dry season. The only problem was spring frost. After field temperatures barely hit the critical -1°C, we consulted with our vineyard manager, Sergio Rinaldi, who felt that we had escaped any damage. However, as the season unfolded, we realized that there were fewer set berries and smaller clusters in our Malbec, resulting in a harvest of just over 12.5 T.
Good conditions persisted through late summer and our grapes ripened during warm, dry weather so an earlier harvest on April 6 was possible and, in fact, a blessing as mid-April weather brought a downpour of rain and several hailstorms. Thankfully Versado was snug and fermenting in concrete vats before the rains came.
Availability
Ontario
- CRU Wine Merchants, Charles Baker, 905.401.1806 (in cases of 12)