The 2009 Alta Vista Atemporal Blend is currently not available in the United States, but it should be available later this year. It is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Syrah, but the latter will be taken out from the 2010 vintage onwards. The grapes are aged separately in French oak over 12 months. The varieties work well on the nose: blackberry, blueberry, violet (from the Petit Verdot) and a touch of cedar. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins and cedar-tinged black fruit. There is very good tension and minerality displayed on the finish that lingers long in the mouth. This is another very commendable wine from Alta Vista. Drink now-2017. Alta Vista was founded by the late great Jean-Michel Arcaute, the man who resurrected Chateau Clinet in Pomerol during the 1980s. Alta Vista, once part of Clos de Los Siete, comprises five different vineyards that together constitute 230 hectares of vines all planted over 1,000 meters above sea level, the exception being the Torrontes from Cafayate that came on-stream in 2001. The winery itself is historical, having been constructed in 1899 and refurbished in 2003. It is worth walking round to see the enormous vats that once held thousands of liters of wine. They are long disused and replaced by small stainless steel vessels that allow technical director Philippe Rolet to execute precision winemaking, and indeed he told me that he is seeking even smaller vats in the future. I found Philippe to be one of the most thoughtful winemakers that I met during my travels in Mendoza: obsessed with terroir and the first to pursue single vineyard bottlings (to the extent that Alta Vista initially patented the expression, since given away to allow its usage.) This was a very strong set of intellectual wines that in some ways are paradigmatic of the direction Argentina is going. Moreover, I consider them to be extremely well-priced vis-a-vis quality. The single vineyard series is vinified in the same way, all raised in new oak for 12 months and bottled on the same day. The only difference is the massal selection and the date of harvest.Importer: Kobrand, New York, NY; www.kobrandwine.com; and Cockburn & Campbell (UK)
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