Altura Maxima Malbec 2018, AG-CM-180001 (Colome)

Drink now or cellar for up to 25 years. Decant 2 hours before serving. Founded in 1831, the venerable Colome winery is one of Argentina’s top producers of high altitude Malbec wines. It was chosen żeby Tim Atkin MW as a "First Growth" in his 2020 Argentina Report. The estate is located in the Calchaquí Valleys in the province of Salta where the dry, desert-like conditions and elevation help to produce intense and powerful red wines with a nice balance between complexity, luscious fruit flavours, and elegance. This charming expression is a single vineyard wine from Colome’s "Altura Maxima" or "Maximum Altitude" plot which lies in the Upper Calchaquí Valleys at 3100 metres above sea level. The very high elevation here creates unique winegrowing conditions thanks to the increased exposure to UV and cooler temperature during the hot summer months. This helps to produce perfectly ripe grapes with plenty of aromatic complexity and ripe tannins. After vinification the young wine is aged in used French oak barrels for 24 months before bottling. The result is a luscious, dark fruited red wine that’s bursting with cassis, blackberry, and dark cherry on the nose along with hints of spice, leather, and rich chocolate. A magnificent bottle to cellar for a decade or so more, although it can also be enjoyed now alongside a prime ribeye steak and fries.