Viña Cobos, Felino Malbec 2021, Luján de Cuyo & Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina (6x75cl)

In 1989, Paul Hobbs visited Mendoza for the first time. Driving over the Andes from Chile with his longstanding friend Jorge Catena, brother of the famous Nicolas Catena, he fell in love with the place, the people, but also with the potential to make great wine.

He began experimenting with wild fermented Chardonnay and then with the variety that would become Argentina’s calling card – Malbec. His first 10 barrel vintage of Malbec persuaded the American press of the potential of this grape. Paul established his own winery, Viña Cobos, in 1999 and 20 years later, Paul continues to makes wines that are authentic expressions of the terroir from which they come. In an exploration of the different terroirs across Mendoza Paul looks for the most distinguished regions in Luján de Cuyo and Valle de Uco to produce wines that uniquely express their origins. The winery’s elegant and balanced wines are a result of meticulous vineyard farming and utmost respect for terroir.

Deep, opaque royal purple, leaning to indigo hues. Very expressive on the nose, displaying georgous notes of violet flowers and shortbread. On the palate, it carries vibrant flavours of blueberry, boysenberry, jam and a precise note of black cherry pie, with chewy, ripe tannins. The fresh finish introduces pleasant spice tones that harmonize with the fruit.

“Plenty of blue fruit and violets with some black liquorice and hints of asphalt. Medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit and linear, firm tannins that frame the wine. Very fine texture. Real.”
93 points, James Suckling