2019 Vina Cobos Malbec
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
First year on the Place de Bordeaux for this Malbec from Paul Hobbs, better known for his Napa wines but in fact a presence in Argentina for many decades. Delivers his signature skill, with power and concentration combined with weightlessness. Grainy tannins give a gentle grip, deft and carefully placed, with a ton of juice, blackberry and black cherry fruits and vibrant orange peel, lemongrass and white pepper spice. This is a no-till vineyard with naturally present grasses. Whole cluster, from one of the upper reaches of the Chanares vineyard, granite rock soils with parts of limestone, with long hang time, harvest into April so get cooler nights. 3.6ph, 45% new oak.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Joaquin Hidalgo, Vinous
More reviews and scores
A compact and polished Cobos with lots of dark fruit, as well as green olives, flowers and stems. Raspberries and forest fruit, too. Full-bodied, very tight and compressed. Melted tannins give great presence and mouth-feel, but the feeling is that they are invisible. It goes on for minutes. Sensational. So sophisticated and thoughtful. An archetypal malbec from Argentina. Better after 2027.
The 2019 Cobos is 71% from the Uco Valley and 29% from Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza and was 61% aged in new French oak. Intense purple in color. It offers the best of both terroirs: ripe plum, white pepper and a pinch of sweet spices from Luján; violets, lavender and cherries from Uco are present over a refined bed of aromas from the aging process such as cedar and sandalwood. The same equation is repeated in the mouth, where it’s creamy and voluminous, but also delivers a refreshing energy and an elegant, fairly taut texture. The lingering finish combines all these qualities with a rewarding flourish. Setting a benchmark for Malbec, it shouldn’t be drunk for at least three years, when it will have evolved even greater nuance and character.
About the producer
Viña Cobos is a pioneering producer in Mendoza, known for being the first Argentinian estate to produce a 100-point wine. Founded and run by star California winemaker Paul Hobbs, Viña Cobos has been instrumental in raising the profile of fine wine in Argentina.