Wine Last Sold on: August 1, 2010
Makia Estate
Today's Featured Wine:
2009 Torrontés
| Varietal: | Torrontes |
| Region: | Argentina: Mendoza |
| Total Allocation: | U.S. Exclusive |
| Avg. Price: | $20.00 |
| Wine Spies: | $15.25 |
The Winery Says:
Awards & Accolades:
Gold Medal, Best White & Best of Class Torrontés – 2010 Golden Glass – Slow Food San Francisco
About The Wine:
Color: greenish-yellow color not very deep.
Nose: very intense with a rich bouquet of flower, citrus fruit and peach.
Taste: well balanced, delicate, with a great structure and a persistent final.
About The Winery:
Makia is a visionary project aimed at the avant-garde sector of the international winemaking scene driven by the combination of Italian skill and expertise, develop along 100 years of winemaking activity, with the enormous potential provided by the Argentinean Terroir. Our target is to obtain the highest quality by using high density vineyards (88/10,000 plants per hectare), low yield production, manual harvest and the most innovated winemaking techniques.
About Mendoza:
Mendoza, a zone with a unique climate. The 120 ha of our estate are located in Vista Flores, Uco Valley, at approximately 1,250 meters above sea leave. This is one of the best zones of Argentina, perhaps of the world to produce high quality wines. Exceptional sunlight and thermal amplitudes of up to 20C, guarantee optimum grape ripeness and great structure for the wines. All of these factors significantly favor the develop of aromatic complexity and intensity, which in turn, grant elegance to our wines.
Technical Analysis:
Terroir’s features
Varietal composition: 100% torrontés.
Origin: Makia Estate.
Location: La Rioja, Argentina.
Altitude: 1400 meters above sea level.
Orientation: east-west.
Density: 8000 plants/ha.
System: simple spurred cordon.
Winemaking and aging
Yield: 100 ql/ha.
Harvest period: March.
Harvest kind: hand picking.
Alcoholic fermentation: steel tanks.
Fermentation temperature: 18°-20°C.
Fermentation period: 10 days at controlled temperature.
Grape-skin maceration period: 14 hours .
Malolactic fermentation: yes.
Aging in the bottle: 5 months
Total aging period: 10 months
Period of bottling: December 2008
The Wine Spies Say:
EXCLUSIVE WINE ALERT:
Today’s delicious selection form Argentina is a very limited import into the U.S. The Wine Spies have secured a TOP SECRET allocation of this delicious wine that recently was named the Top White Wine of all entries at the 2010 Golden Glass Wine Competition.
SECRET SAVINGS ALERT:
Subscribe to our Daily Dispatch (above) and you’ll always know what our Top Secret coupon code of the day is. Every day we issue a new members-only code that entitles you to have Ground Shipping included on orders of six or more and, sometimes, an added discount!
Mission Codename: The Perfect Poolside Wine
Operative: Agent White
Objective:Acquire the exclusive Top White Wine Winner from the 2010 Golden Glass Competition
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Makia Estate
Wine Subject: 2009 Mendoza Torrontés
Winemaker: Luke Branzanti
Backgrounder: Torrontés, the white wine of Argentina is both distinctive and delicious. Known specifically for its aromatic profile it is similar in aroma and flavors to Viognier. Its balanced acidity and good weight makes it a great food wine to pair with spicy dishes.
Mendoza, is well known among lovers of Argentinian wine and is considered to be one of the nine cities worldwide as a Great Capitals of Wine. Located in the foothills and high plains of the Andes mountains, the regions unique soil and climate make it ideal for cultivating both wine and olive oil.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
LOOK: – Pale straw yellow, with a soft golden honey hues in its core. A thin ring of glistening platinum circles the edges. Randomly spaced skinny legs start high on the glass and then fall slowly to the wine below.
SMELL: – Medium in intensity but very pretty and aromatic with notes of white peach, apricot honeydew melon and a touch of nectarine citrus. Floral notes of acacia, honeysuckle, orange blossom. A soft honey hint and a subtle green herbal note adds to the fresh and approachable nose of this wine.
FEEL: – Smooth and dry, this white is ultra round at the edges of the palate with good weight, supple and balanced with an easy structure and a gentle minerality.
TASTE: – Fresh stone fruit including peach and apricot lead off along with soft citrus, melon, green plantain. The floral orange blossom and honey suckle meld with soft minerality with a slightly tart citrus hint on the back of the palate.
FINISH: – Bright and focused at first, leading to a long and soft and clean conclusion, with gentle citrus, apricot and other stone fruit lingering on the palate.
Conclusion – The 2009 Makia Estate Mendoza Torrontés is a delicious white (at a great price), reminiscent of the best qualities of Viognier. Great weight and texture on the palate with a nose that is so pretty, you can just smell it all day long. Fresh and vibrant fruit on the palate and a long clean finish. A great food wine that is perfect for summertime enjoyment.
Mission Report:
WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER
SUBJECT: Luke Branzanti
WINE EDUCATION: I practically grew up in the wine world, my family makes wines for four generations, and almost a hundred years.
WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: A great wine is produced in the vineyard!
FIRST COMMERCIAL WINE RELEASE: Saracen fortress Sangiovese – Cantina Bartolini 2001
WINEMAKER INTERVIEW
AGENT WHITE: Greetings, Luke. We are thrilled to be showing your 2009 Torrontés today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.
LUKE: You’re welcome, we are pleased to have you show our delicious Torrontés.
WHITE: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?
LUKE: I was born with a passion for wine,
WHITE: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?
LUKE: Tachis
WHITE: Who do you make wine for?
LUKE: First of all the wine they produce to please myself, then I hope that my taste is shared by many wine lovers.
WHITE: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today.
LUKE: Makia Torrontes 2009, Mendoza (Argentina). And ‘the only true indigenous variety from Argentina. The wine produced from this grape is spicy, extremely seeking nose with floral and fruity, the palate is warm and enveloping, with hints of peach and yellow fruit with a long mineral finish.
WHITE: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?
LUKE: With a beautiful woman aboard a large swimming pool.
WHITE: In your opinion, what makes the Mendoza so special?
LUKE: Argentina is an extraordinary land that unites all the characteristics necessary to produce great wines. The sun, earth, water and air are vital elements that reach, in the Rioja, their highest expression and untouched, characteristics that are found in our wines.
RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?
LUKE: I’m preparing my company’s 2010 grape harvest in Italy (Bartolini Cellars).
WHITE: How would you recommend people approach your wines and wine in general?
LUKE: The wine reflects who produces it and is an experience that everyone plays according to his mood.
WHITE: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
LUKE: I think we share a lot already: a passion for good wine.
WHITE: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The approximate location of the Makia Estate just west of Vista Flores can be seen in this satellite photo.
Average Wine Spy Points: |
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A wonderful fruity white - lots of pear for me - great on a summer's night - if you have tired of chardonneys and sbs. This one is an excellent alternative
simply a nice wine still well priced
Agent Red Says: We encourage you to share your reviews and comments about this wine. If you need help scoring or using tasting tags, click on the help links on the form. You’ll also earn more Spy Points for each review you submit.
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