Malbec at its best

Versado Malbec 2015, Argentina ($25, 90 points) — "The same attention to detail and winemaking goes into the Versado entry-level wine as the top one, so this little beauty offers a snap shot of Malbec at its best. Very nice aromas of raspberries, dark cherries, cassis, dried herbs, anise/licorice and spice notes. On the palate, the red fruits are joined by plums, blackberries and herbal/spicy notes with enough juicy acidity to propel it through the finish. Versado, a small, historic Malbec planting in Mendoza, Argentina, is the wine project of Canadian winemakers Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble." ~ Rick VanSickle, winesinniagara.com 

Nuvo Magazine

An extract from "A Q&A with Legendary Canadian Wine-grower Ann Sperling" by Rod Phillips

Why did you choose Argentina? And why Malbec?  

In 2006, Peter [Gamble] and I travelled to Argentina. We knew some of the wines but quickly realized that there were some amazing and excellent wines being made there. Of course, we were curious about the vineyards producing such great and perhaps little-recognized wines. After investigating, it was evident that there were plantings with pedigrees that literally matched the best sites in the world … and at land prices that were a fraction of what we’d normally pay in Canada. The best part was that we could totally geek out. Here are features that were possible—the Versado vineyard is now 100 years old; it’s 100 per cent vinifera, meaning that it’s planted on its own roots (no rootstock), and it’s non-clonal. Since it’s been growing in that location for 100 years, it’s well adapted to that specific place on Earth. It didn’t have to be malbec, but in Argentina, vineyards with all of these features are. So I guess that says something about malbec.

Happy #MalbecWorldDay!

#MalbecWorldDay is more of a virtual celebration for us this year than it has ever been! Ann and Peter are usually in Mendoza at this time, but COVID-19 has them grounded. Luckily, as it turns out, harvest was very early this year so Ann and Peter were back in Canada before the borders closed. 

So we raise a glass of Malbec today to you and to your health! Stay home, stay safe.

2020 harvest underway

More photos from Ann in Mendoza.

Earliest harvest ever

March 10, 2020 marks the earliest harvest here - not only for our vineyard, but for the whole region. Perfect and warm conditions all season, so every varietal and region are ready all at once!