Bodegas Piedra Negra L' Espirit de Chacayes 2017

Cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant before serving.

Francois Lurton comes from a long line of Bordeaux winemakers, so perhaps it was only natural that he would leave his native France to make wine in the virgin lands of South America. In 1996 he and his brother bought 200 acres of land in the arid Uco Valley in Mendoza. At the time this desert-like region at the foot of the Andes was not considered suitable for winemaking, but fortunately the brothers had the foresight to realise that the terroir here had excellent potential.

Today the Uco Valley is studded with many of Argentina’s most famous wineries, and the high altitude conditions produce intense yet perfectly-balanced red wines like this stunning L'Esprit de Chacayes. It’s a blend of Argentinian Malbec and Côt, Malbec’s French cousin, with the grapes harvested by hand and fermented in concrete vats to preserve freshness and varietal character.

The first thing you’ll notice in the glass is the deep red cherry hue and enticing notes of redcurrants, cherries and plums from the Côt, along with hints of violets which are common from the Los Chacayes terroir. On the palate there’s a voluptuous full body, silky smooth tannins and enticing notes of luscious dark fruit, spices, and roasted coffee on the long finish.