Altos Hormigas, Malbec Clasico, Mendoza

Perhaps kept too long? Not impressive - good acidity, tannin, some fruit, but it didn’t really hang together. OK with food but disappointing overall.

2017 vintage

Apricots, smoke, and leather on the nose, dark ruby color, average legs, expected more fruit on the palate, very subtle flavors of blackberries and strawberries, and a short finish. I guess ok for the price but I wouldn’t buy again.

2017 vintage

ruby-plum colour, clear with lighter rim. nose: dry with smoked plums leading; bonfire smoke and burning leaves; fruit - plums and cherries. taste: medium (+) acid; quite intense cherry aromas plus crisp, black cherries and some diamond plum; medium tannins - pleasant; quite medium, medium (-) body as for malbec; medium finish. Really not bad, concrete aged Malbec.

2017 vintage

A label search gave this wine as the 'Clasico' but the word doesn't appear on the label (added to the list of photos). Good, soft mulberry fruit with decent balance, acidity, and length. It improved in the glass. Not exceptional but good with food. Fair value on offer at Waitrose.

2017 vintage

Medium purple; attractive nose of dark cherries, some hint of plum but the fruit is not plummy on the contrary; also some nuances of chocolate and vanilla in the background. Medium bodied palate, fruity, medium dry with balancing+ acidity and satisfying length with minerals and dark fruit. Nice drink albeit not very complex or layered.

2017 vintage

Over the hill but not undrinkable.

2012 vintage

Aiolos Tasting (Intercontinental Hotel) : The wine is soft, easy, floral with clean red fruit. In the palate, the wine is very easy to drink , soft tannins, balanced, low to medium body, short to medium finish. Very different Malbec which I'm guessing is the point of this. (update 2020: I've changed my mind about this winery and what they are trying to achieve for the better, but I'm keeping the original tasting note for future reference. )

2017 vintage

Still holding up nice with dark inky fruit, smooth and well integrated. Would buy couple more for drinking in the next year or two especially at the QPR of $12. This was actually the RISERVA bottling on clearance, making the $12 price tag especially great. Sorry hope this helps.

2012 vintage

Very alcoholic and porty - no subtlety or finesse - not my style

2012 vintage

It's fine as a cheap wine. Extremely tannic out of the bottle, even at this age. Had to run through an aerator and let sit to reduce them. After a time, it became a decent, earthy Malbec.

2010 vintage

Very good value. Blueberry plum with that touch of malbec smoke. Smooth. Decent drinking wine. Went very well with bbq meats - steak burgers sausages etc.

2012 vintage

14.0% Clear, deep purple / clean, med to pronounced intensity - blueberry, smoky, herbs / dry, med acidity, med+ body, med to pronounced intensity, med- length, unidimensional but well made and perfect as colder weather is at the door. Good entry level Malbec from this winery, especially at that price point.

2012 vintage

Deep red. Black berry aromas hit front and center. Flavor of berry fruit, vanillla, and spice. Smooth finish. Great value at $9

2012 vintage

Rich, full and spicy. Lots of dark fruit and easy going. Again, pretty shockingly good at its price.

2012 vintage

Good QPR. Full bodied, fruity, decent finish.

2012 vintage

A break for the winery. But the ants still remain. MOre mineral, more salts, still with Malbecs power and richness. Actually, pretty darn good for splitting the difference between Cahors and Argentina. Works it out at $15.

2012 vintage

Either my last bottle was off, or this improved since the eight months I had it last. Much better, and full of energy. Black fruits, licorice and tar. Not heavy, but crisp and lean (in a good way). The structure is a bit course, but still quite drinkable. Very nice QPR.

2012 vintage

PnP. Very purple saturated core with a violet rim. Crushed blackberry aroma with a dusty herbal forest floor note. Medium weight with cherry skin tannins. Bright red fruit flavours with a grippy black tea and cherry skin grip on the finish. Great with grilled steak

2012 vintage

Liquorice with slint hint of mint .bitter raw coffee bean palate with sweet finish

2010 vintage

Very dry with a wonderful smooth finish. A finely crafted wine.

2010 vintage

Cool and licoricey. Might not appeal to the average "malbec drinker".

2012 vintage

Not usually a style of wine I enjoy as it is incredibly fruit forward and overflowing with fruit aromatics, but somehow it all comes together in a delicious combination solid underpinnings of earth and acid. This would be my perfect choice for a large event/wedding wine. The strong blueberry fruit on the nose and palate are compelling enough to encourage the next sip, yet it has much more earth and acid than a California fruit bomb. I would by again. …

2012 vintage

Pop and pour. Unusually tart and screechy for a bottling I normally find to be a nice value. Tough to drink, but perhaps this needs air. Update: Not much change on day two. Under-fruited and tart.

2012 vintage

Does not resemble any malbec I've tasted, either while traveling in Mendoza or elsewhere. More like a bad grenache: elements of post-mature raspberries and flowery elements in a sappy structure. Not recommended.

2012 vintage

Ruby red with light aromas of dark fruit and cedar. It was balanced, smooth and tasted of rich dark fruit. The finish was clean and smooth. There was little to no spiciness or strong tannins.

2010 vintage

Very balanced, yellow flowers, black fruit, dried herbs, toasted notes. Not powerful but supple. Ends in freshness.

2012 vintage

Enjoyed it. Nice fruit with smooth tannins. Good value. Was still good the second day. Buy again: Yes

2010 vintage

Great value. Buy.

2012 vintage

Stainless and stave wood. Fresh, rustic, floral.

2012 vintage

Had the same feeling as 8 years ago when I tasted it for the first time. It just did't make me want to run to get another bottle. There's plenty of better Argentinian Malbecs for the same price range.

2010 vintage

Very good weekday Malbec for the price. I tried several at the $9-$12 range and this was my favorite. Good dark fruit, some spice, varietally correct. Paired well with our pork sausages. Order more.

2010 vintage

Very dark... inky almost. A lot of fruit for the price, but there are layers of complexity here as well... herbs, spice and a distinct tar-like note. Loved it.

2010 vintage

Delicious! Consistent excellence. Smells like oak and cherries. Slightly sweet cherry flavor up front, then a tobacco finish. Great stuff!

2010 vintage

From memory. Popped and poured. Showed a little VA on nose and decanted but not really changed. Color purplish and dark. Flavors rich and extracted. Decent value for the price. Given the VA dunno how this will evolve.

2010 vintage

Oaked nose but soft palate. Ok at $9.99.

2010 vintage

Delicious. Deep purple color. Thin, watery legs. All fruit on the nose: cherry, plum especially. Smooth, silky cherry flavor with a hint of pepper on the finish. An excellent wine from a consistently first-class winery.

2010 vintage

This used to be a great bargain wine. Haven't had it in awhile and maybe it's just this vintage.... disappointing.

2010 vintage

Very disappointing after having other wines by this maker. Slight vinegar taste, muted fruits.

2010 vintage

Dark red with aromas of blackberries, spices and cedar. It was balanced, smooth and spicy. The finish had strong tannins and was long.

2010 vintage

Nicely price decent every day wine.

2010 vintage

Nothing special

2010 vintage

Its better than it was.

2010 vintage

Building on prior note... Young, peaked, authentic Mendoza-cafe red -- where I've tasted it. Integrates some in the decanter and the next day. I like this rather rugged malbec house wine.

2010 vintage

Touch of ruby in color. Nose of cherry pie, red licorice, and clean damp earth. Flavor follows nose, sans sweetness, with moderate, smooth tannins and rather bold, mouth-watering acidity characteristic of Mendocenean terroir. Very solid performance and excellent QPR for $11.

2010 vintage

Passed thru vinturi. Color dark. Nose fairly reductive. On palate, there is decent moutfeel with mostly mute dark fruit balanced by some acid and light tannins. Finish turns a little stemmy. My guess is that with some time this will reveal itself.

2010 vintage

Argentine and Chilean Wines assessed: current releases and other thoughts (620 Jones, San Francisco, California) : Baked black fruit, char nose; baked black fruit, char, chocolate palate; medium finish 87+ points

2010 vintage

It is hard to believe that the same winemaker makes both this below average product and the outstanding Viña Hormigas Reserva. Extremely disappointing even for $9. Avoid.

2010 vintage

2011 Philadelphia Wine Festival (Marriott, Philadelphia PA) : bright fruit with a lot of acid.

2010 vintage

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Altos Hormigas, Malbec Clasico, Mendoza

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