| Vintage | Score | Drink Window | Description | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vintage2020 |
ScoreNYR |
Drink WindowNYR |
DescriptionA challenging vintage, with late spring frosts reducing yields and a warm, dry summer causing accelerated ripening. Those who picked before overripening set in made wines with good concentration and freshness |
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DescriptionA challenging vintage, with late spring frosts reducing yields and a warm, dry summer causing accelerated ripening. Those who picked before overripening set in made wines with good concentration and freshness |
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Vintage2019 |
Score94 |
Drink WindowDrink or hold |
DescriptionSlightly cooler than normal weather yields wines with concentrated flavors; vintners report a crop that’s a bit smaller than 2018, with young wines showing remarkable intensity. |
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DescriptionSlightly cooler than normal weather yields wines with concentrated flavors; vintners report a crop that’s a bit smaller than 2018, with young wines showing remarkable intensity. |
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Vintage2018 |
Score93 |
Drink WindowDrink or hold |
DescriptionNearly ideal growing conditions deliver well-structured wines that feature fine-grained tannins and ripe fruit flavors; harvest yields return after a series of short vintages |
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DescriptionNearly ideal growing conditions deliver well-structured wines that feature fine-grained tannins and ripe fruit flavors; harvest yields return after a series of short vintages |
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Vintage2017 |
Score92 |
Drink WindowDrink or hold |
DescriptionA return to characteristically dry weather delivers intensely flavored grapes, but yields are low due to a spring frost; refined, terroir-driven Malbec-based wines, especially in prime districts in the Uco Valley |
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DescriptionA return to characteristically dry weather delivers intensely flavored grapes, but yields are low due to a spring frost; refined, terroir-driven Malbec-based wines, especially in prime districts in the Uco Valley |
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Vintage2016 |
Score84 |
Drink WindowDrink |
DescriptionLower-alcohol and higher-acidity wines dominate in another cool, wet vintage, with dramatically lower yields in Mendoza and Salta. The best are fresh and juicy |
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DescriptionLower-alcohol and higher-acidity wines dominate in another cool, wet vintage, with dramatically lower yields in Mendoza and Salta. The best are fresh and juicy |
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Vintage2015 |
Score85 |
Drink WindowDrink |
DescriptionWetter than 2014, with botrytis rot in some vineyards, hitting Cabernet Sauvignon the hardest; better for white wines |
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DescriptionWetter than 2014, with botrytis rot in some vineyards, hitting Cabernet Sauvignon the hardest; better for white wines |
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Vintage2014 |
Score87 |
Drink WindowDrink |
DescriptionLate-season rains proved challenging for vintners; diligent work in the vineyards resulted in some high quality releases; Salta succeeded |
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DescriptionLate-season rains proved challenging for vintners; diligent work in the vineyards resulted in some high quality releases; Salta succeeded |
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Vintage2013 |
Score90 |
Drink WindowDrink |
DescriptionCool weather produced fresh wines, with balanced acidity and tannins; lower alcohol levels |
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DescriptionCool weather produced fresh wines, with balanced acidity and tannins; lower alcohol levels |
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Vintage2012 |
Score87 |
Drink WindowDrink |
DescriptionWhat began as a hot vintage finished with unusually heavy rains in February and cool and cloudy conditions in March, delaying harvest up to two weeks |
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DescriptionWhat began as a hot vintage finished with unusually heavy rains in February and cool and cloudy conditions in March, delaying harvest up to two weeks |
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Vintage2011 |
Score91 |
Drink WindowDrink |
DescriptionChallenging vintage, with frost, high winds, hail, drought, cold and rain; yet naturally low yields and warm Indian summer yielded ripe fruit balanced with fresh acidity |
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DescriptionChallenging vintage, with frost, high winds, hail, drought, cold and rain; yet naturally low yields and warm Indian summer yielded ripe fruit balanced with fresh acidity |
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Vintage2010 |
Score89 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionCool and cloudy; spring frost reduced yields in some areas, but a late harvest allowed the remaining grapes to evenly mature, with slightly lower alcohol levels |
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DescriptionCool and cloudy; spring frost reduced yields in some areas, but a late harvest allowed the remaining grapes to evenly mature, with slightly lower alcohol levels |
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Vintage2009 |
Score88 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionGrowing season marked by La Niña; warm and very dry, with a heat spike during veraison, though Malbec tolerated it well. Whites less consistent; yields low |
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DescriptionGrowing season marked by La Niña; warm and very dry, with a heat spike during veraison, though Malbec tolerated it well. Whites less consistent; yields low |
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Vintage2008 |
Score86 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionCool, wet weather in first half of season; late April frost hit crop hard in parts of Mendoza. Some successes, but reds picked after frost can be off-kilter; choose carefully |
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DescriptionCool, wet weather in first half of season; late April frost hit crop hard in parts of Mendoza. Some successes, but reds picked after frost can be off-kilter; choose carefully |
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Vintage2007 |
Score88 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionUp-and-down season, with hail, cold and rain; wines have lower alcohols and softer tannins. Late-ripening spots in Mendoza (La Consulta, Altamira) strongest |
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DescriptionUp-and-down season, with hail, cold and rain; wines have lower alcohols and softer tannins. Late-ripening spots in Mendoza (La Consulta, Altamira) strongest |
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Vintage2006 |
Score91 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionCool but dry season, with harvest stretching into April and May. Consistent for all major varieties; top Malbecs show excellent purity, balance and poise |
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DescriptionCool but dry season, with harvest stretching into April and May. Consistent for all major varieties; top Malbecs show excellent purity, balance and poise |
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Vintage2005 |
Score90 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionCool temperatures early in the season led to reduced yields, but warm, dry March and April helped ripen grapes; late-ripening Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon excelled |
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DescriptionCool temperatures early in the season led to reduced yields, but warm, dry March and April helped ripen grapes; late-ripening Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon excelled |
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Vintage2004 |
Score90 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionWarm, dry season with Malbec the star; some heavy rains late in the season led to variable Cabernet Sauvignon |
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DescriptionWarm, dry season with Malbec the star; some heavy rains late in the season led to variable Cabernet Sauvignon |
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Vintage2003 |
Score91 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionFebruary heat wave during a long, dry season led to some inconsistencies, but Malbec excellent |
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DescriptionFebruary heat wave during a long, dry season led to some inconsistencies, but Malbec excellent |
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Vintage2002 |
Score94 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionStellar growing season with optimal harvest conditions yielded racy, ripe fruit. Best vintage in a generation, with all varieties performing well |
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DescriptionStellar growing season with optimal harvest conditions yielded racy, ripe fruit. Best vintage in a generation, with all varieties performing well |
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Vintage2001 |
Score87 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionCool growing season, with the harvest dampened by some rain. Cabernet Sauvignon generally better than Malbec |
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DescriptionCool growing season, with the harvest dampened by some rain. Cabernet Sauvignon generally better than Malbec |
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Vintage2000 |
Score86 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionCool and wet, but a long growing season allowed for a late-ripening harvest. Malbec generally better than Cabernet Sauvignon |
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DescriptionCool and wet, but a long growing season allowed for a late-ripening harvest. Malbec generally better than Cabernet Sauvignon |
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Vintage1999 |
Score90 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionDry, sunny growing season; small crop of ripe, concentrated reds with rich tannins |
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DescriptionDry, sunny growing season; small crop of ripe, concentrated reds with rich tannins |
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Vintage1998 |
Score75 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionHarvest decimated by El Niño rains; many producers didn't release wines |
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DescriptionHarvest decimated by El Niño rains; many producers didn't release wines |
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Vintage1997 |
Score88 |
Drink WindowPast peak |
DescriptionDrought year produced concentrated, burly reds |
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DescriptionDrought year produced concentrated, burly reds |
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Note: Most Argentinean white wines should be drunk on release. | |||||||||
Vintage ratings: 95-100, classic; 90-94, outstanding; 85-89, very good; 80-84, good; 75-79, mediocre; 50-74, not recommended
A score range indicates preliminary analysis based on barrel samples and/or a limited sampling; many wines of the vintage not yet reviewed.
Drinkability: "NYR" means the vintage has not yet been released; "drink" means most of the wines of the vintage are ready to drink; "hold" means most of the ageworthy wines have yet to fully mature; "past peak" means most of the wines are declining rather than improving.
SOURCE: WINE SPECTATOR
